Oracle is planning to open a new cloud region in Kenya, making it the first US hyperscale cloud provider to launch in the country.
It is acting to "meet the growing demand for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services across Africa,” the company announced this week.
Details on timelines for the new region, which will be based in Kenya's capital Nairobi, weren’t shared. Oracle traditionally relies on data center partners rather than building its own facilities, but hasn’t said where it will be leasing space.
“We are delighted to extend our commitment to helping Kenya accelerate the digital transformation of its government and private sector,” said Scott Twaddle, senior vice president, product and industries, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “OCI is leveraged by governments and companies across the world as a scalable and secure platform on which to drive innovation and transformation. We already have a strong business in Kenya, and the upcoming public cloud region in Nairobi represents a significant next step forward in the modernization of the country.”
The news comes after an Oracle delegation recently met with Eliud Owalo, cabinet secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy in Kenya.
“Oracle’s intent to open a public cloud region in Nairobi will be a key component of Kenya’s Bottom up Economic Transformation Agenda initiative, which is focused on digital transformation, private sector development, agricultural transformation, housing development, and healthcare modernization,” said Minister Owalo. “We look forward to partnering with Oracle to establish the first data center in the East African region to meet the needs of Kenyans today.”
This would be the company’s second cloud region in Africa. Oracle opened its Johannesburg OCI region in January 2022. A second South African region is planned in the future.
Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have public cloud regions live in South Africa, but none have officially announced plans for more on the African continent – though AWS has launched a Local Zone Edge location in Lagos, Nigeria, and is planning one in Kenya.
