As Africa accelerates toward a cloud-first economy, critical questions about where data resides, who controls it, and how enterprises comply with fast-evolving policies are taking center stage. On September 18, 2025, Lagos will host the Africa Data Sovereignty Conference, a high-stakes summit addressing data localization, infrastructure readiness, and the future of digital trust on the continent.
The conference, convened by Olla Systems in partnership with Africa Hyperscalers, is expected to attract more than 300 decision-makers from enterprises, startups, and government institutions. It comes at a pivotal time as countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana advance data domiciliation mandates requiring regulated institutions to store and process data locally.
Olusola Adenuga, CEO of Olla Systems and conference convener, underscored the urgency:
“Data sovereignty is not just about where data resides; it is 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.”
In recent years, regulators such as Nigeria’s Central Bank (CBN) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have introduced firm directives to enforce sovereignty in data handling. While financial institutions, telecom operators, and public agencies are under pressure to migrate workloads from global clouds to locally hosted platforms, the transition remains complex. Legacy vendor contracts, concerns about downtime, and limited awareness of local options continue to slow progress.
Adenuga noted that the conference will address these barriers by showcasing successful migration stories, clarifying policies, and demystifying the technology powering sovereign infrastructure.
Themed “Empowering Enterprises with Secure, In-Country Infrastructure,” the event will feature keynote speeches and panel sessions on the interplay of policy, performance, and trust. Discussions will highlight the risks of offshore dependency in an era of cyber threats and geopolitical uncertainty.
Confirmed speakers include:
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Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, NITDA, Nigeria
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Arnold Kavaarpuo, Executive Director, Data Protection Commission, Ghana
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Philemon Lwanyaga, Data Protection Affairs Department, Uganda
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Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO, Open Access Data Centres
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Lars Johannisson, CEO, Rack Centre
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Ibukun Owa, Head of Regulations, Nigeria Data Protection Commission
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Olusola Adenuga, CEO, Olla Systems
They will be joined by leading voices from Verraki, Terragon Group, MTN Nigeria, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Lagos Business School, and other institutions shaping Africa’s digital ecosystem.
Hosted in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, the summit will serve as a continental gathering point for policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators committed to building Africa’s sovereign digital future.
