Congo Unveils National Data Centre Project with African Development Bank Support

The Republic of the Congo has announced the construction of a new three-storey building in Brazzaville’s Bacongo district, set to house the country’s National Data Centre. This facility, financed by the African Development Bank, will serve as the central hub for storing and processing the nation’s digital data and that of its citizens.

As part of the project, 600 kilometres of fibre optic cable will be laid along major routes connecting Congo with Cameroon (341 km) and the Central African Republic (281 km) via the Congo River. This initiative aims to enhance the country’s digital infrastructure significantly.

Michel Ngakala, coordinator of the Central Africa Fibre-Optic Backbone project, highlighted that Congo will soon be the only country in Central Africa with its own data centre. “Ultimately, the videoconferences we run here will no longer go through a server in Europe, America, or elsewhere before coming back to us. Everything will happen right here,” Ngakala explained.

The fibre optic project will cost €66.55 million ($72 million), with €52.47 million ($56 million) provided by the African Development Bank and €14.50 million ($15 million) by the Congolese government. Of the total budget, €13.8 million ($14.6 million) is allocated for building and operating the data centre.

Currently under construction, the National Data Centre is expected to be completed by December 2024. The three-storey building will include server rooms, monitoring and supervision rooms, meeting and conference spaces, and areas for essential energy and air-conditioning equipment. Upon completion, the centre will be managed by a delegate, either public or private, responsible for marketing and infrastructure maintenance.

Ngakala emphasized the project’s importance for Congo’s digital sovereignty, noting that storing data within the country reduces the risk of misuse, violation, or leaks associated with data stored abroad. “We cannot claim to be sovereign when our data, even the most sensitive data, is stored outside our territory,” he said. The centre will host public data, telecom operators, banks, insurance companies, and other private firms, providing a secure location for data storage and backups.

Ngakala also stressed that the initiative will enhance Congo’s digital security by making it harder for external entities to hack into the country’s data. He cited the example of the Postal and Telecommunications Ministry’s digital identification project, which will generate a significant amount of data to be stored domestically. Other Congolese partners are also aligning themselves to amplify the project’s impact.

Sié Antoine-Marie Tioyé, the African Development Bank’s country economist in Congo, added that the project will improve Congo’s economic competitiveness by reducing communication costs, a crucial factor in economic development.

The African Development Bank Group is a key partner for Congo, leading in infrastructure financing. Alongside the fibre-optic and data centre project, the Bank has funded various road infrastructure projects, including the Ketta-Djoum Road on the Yaoundé-Brazzaville corridor and the initial section of the Ndende-Dolisie road linking Congo and Gabon. As of April 2024, the Bank’s active portfolio in Congo includes 11 public sector projects with a total commitment of $411.62 million, spanning transport, governance, farming, telecommunications, social sectors, and water and sanitation.

This comprehensive support underscores the African Development Bank’s commitment to bolstering Congo’s infrastructure and digital economy, paving the way for significant advancements in the country’s economic and technological landscape.