As cyber threats escalate and geopolitical tensions reshape global data flows, African nations are intensifying efforts to secure their digital future through data sovereignty.
This is even as stakeholders will converge at the Africa Data Sovereignty Conference on September 18, 2025, to address the urgent need for in-country data infrastructure. The conference, convened by Olla Systems and Africa Hyperscalers, will bring together over 300 industry leaders, regulators, and enterprise executives.
With countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana enforcing data domiciliation mandates, African enterprises face mounting pressure to store and process data within national borders. These policies, driven by regulators like Nigeria’s Central Bank (CBN) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), aim to reduce reliance on global cloud providers, mitigate cyber risks, and safeguard national interests in an era of increasing digital vulnerabilities.
Olusola Adenuga, chief executive officer of Olla Systems and conference convener, in a press statement said data sovereignty is not just about where data resides; it is also about who controls it, who benefits from it, and how it powers national development.
“Other regions retain over 80 percent of their data onshore. Africa must break its digital dependence and build sovereign infrastructure that keeps our data, value, and opportunity within the continent,” Adenuga affirmed.
Over the past few years, African national regulators such as CBN and NITDA have rolled out increasingly firm directives aimed at data sovereignty. Financial institutions, telecom operators, and public sector agencies are under pressure to migrate workloads from global clouds to locally hosted, regulation-compliant platforms.
But for many enterprises, the transition is complex. “Legacy vendor relationships, downtime fears, and limited awareness of local alternatives have slowed progress. This conference is designed to change that narrative, by showcasing successful migrations, clarifying policy, and demystifying the tech stack that powers sovereign infrastructure,” Adenuga continued.
The event will be held in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, and will bring together participants from across Africa.
Themed “Empowering Enterprises with Secure, In-Country Infrastructure,” the event will feature keynotes and panel sessions exploring the intersection of policy, performance, and trust, raising urgent questions about the risks of offshore dependency in an age of cyber threats and geopolitical volatility.
Confirmed speakers include Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria; Arnold Kavaarpuo, executive director, Data Protection Commission, Ghana; Philemon Lwanyaga, data protection affairs department, Personal Data Protection Office, Uganda; Dr. Ayotunde Coker, chief executive officer, Open Access Data Centres; Lars Johannisson, chief executive officer, Rack Centre; Ibukun Owa, head, regulations, Nigeria Data Protection Commission and Olusola Adenuga, chief executive officer, Olla Systems.
They will be joined by Olaniyi Yusuf, managing partner, Verraki; Eniola Arausi, head, shared services/operations, Olla Systems; Oyeniyi Immanuel, vice president, regulatory and compliance, Terragon Group; Uche Okugo, founder and CEO, FastClaim Solutions; Boluwaji Faniyi, senior manager, architecture and planning, MTN Nigeria; Olamide Ojumu, head, corporate services, Olla Systems; Oshiorenua Adams, ICT manager, Aradel Holdings; Stella Ashinaga, data analyst, Flour Mills of Nigeria; Femi Adeyemi, general manager (IT), Renaissance Africa Energy; and Dr. Chidozie Nsoedo, lecturer, information systems, Lagos Business School.
