Africa’s push toward digital transformation faces mounting risks from persistent energy shortages and an accelerating talent exodus, experts warned at the Power of Convergence conference held on October 7, 2025.
Energy Crisis Slows Digital Expansion
Apolo.us CEO Bill Kleyman described Africa as one of the fastest-growing digital markets worldwide. However, he noted that power demand for data centers is climbing by 20–25% annually, and could soon reach 8,000 gigawatt-hours.
“Power remains the foundation of digital progress,” Kleyman said, stressing that Africa’s energy resilience will determine its long-term digital success.
Talent Retention Becomes a Critical Hurdle
Kasi Cloud’s Johnson Agogbua highlighted the region’s human capital dilemma. “We can fix power, but if we can’t keep skilled workers, the system fails,” he said.
Industry leaders warned that continued talent migration could weaken local innovation and slow enterprise growth.
Call for Coordinated Policy and Infrastructure
Speakers urged governments and investors to pursue coordinated policies that align energy, education, and infrastructure strategies.
They argued that true digital growth depends on shared frameworks, not just capital spending.
Hosting Content Locally
Nigeria’s Internet Exchange Point head, Muhammed Rudman, announced plans to expand local hosting capacity.
“Reducing reliance on international routes improves data sovereignty,” Rudman said, noting that local content storage boosts network efficiency and lowers costs.
AI Adoption and Responsible Integration
Dr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi of Nigeria’s NITDA discussed embedding artificial intelligence into African businesses responsibly.
Joined by partners from MTN and Business Finland, he emphasized AI as a pillar for digital transformation.
Infrastructure Gaps and Energy Access
Africa holds 18% of the world’s population but less than 2% of global data-center capacity, according to Temitope Osunrinde of Africa Hyperscalers.
He noted that 80% of African data is hosted abroad, a figure that exposes the continent’s dependency.
“Over 600 million Africans still lack electricity—we can’t digitize without power,” Osunrinde said.
Policy, Renewables, and Investment
Experts urged governments to streamline project approvals, support renewable energy adoption, and liberalize telecom policies to attract private investment.
Recent initiatives like Meta’s and Google’s subsea cables, along with new facilities by Equinix, mark progress but require stronger policy support.
Toward a Sustainable Digital Future
MTN Nigeria’s Roger Shutte stressed that Africa’s digital independence hinges on retaining skilled professionals.
Participants agreed that unified action can transform Africa’s digital landscape, driving innovation, inclusion, and economic resilience by 2027.
__________________________________________________
Lloyds Wealth Expansion: Buys Schroders’ Stake in UK Venture
