Burkina Faso has officially inaugurated two new mini-data centers dedicated to public administration, marking a significant milestone in the country’s push for digital sovereignty. The infrastructure, valued at approximately 16 billion CFA francs (around US$28.6 million), is a key component of the nation’s strategy to host its critical data locally and reduce reliance on foreign servers.
The Ministry of Digital Transition, Posts and Telecommunications announced that this project is a stepping stone toward the eventual construction of a national Big Data center. The goal is to bring all digital data from both the public sector and private companies back within Burkina Faso’s borders, ensuring greater data security and sovereignty.
The two mini-data centers are expected to provide about 3,000 terabytes of storage capacity–ten times the current capacity–supporting over 7,000 virtual machines. Each government ministry will be able to host between 100 and 300 virtual servers, enabling the deployment of various digital platforms across sectors such as education, health, trade, and agriculture. This initiative underscores Burkina Faso’s commitment to leveraging digital technology for socio-economic development and aligns with its broader digital transformation agenda, notably the principle of “zero data outsourcing.” Authorities project that, over five years, the country could save roughly 30 billion CFA francs by reducing costs associated with hosting data abroad.
While the development of local data centers is a significant step towards digital sovereignty, experts emphasize that true sovereignty encompasses more than infrastructure. According to the African Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS), the broader technology ecosystem–covering applications, operating systems, consumer devices, and service providers–remains heavily influenced by foreign entities. For instance, major applications are dominated by companies like Google and Meta, while operating systems such as Android, iOS, and Windows are primarily supplied by foreign firms. Additionally, mobile devices are largely produced by Asian manufacturers, with Apple maintaining a strong presence.
To address this dependency, the ACSS recommends diversifying offerings and fostering competition within local markets, alongside developing indigenous technological solutions. Cybersecurity is also highlighted as a critical priority, with calls for governments, businesses, and individuals to adopt secure solutions and boost national capacities to protect vital infrastructure.
In line with these efforts, Burkina Faso ranks in the third tier out of five in the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index. The country has made progress in establishing institutional, legislative, and cooperative frameworks but still faces challenges in technical skills and capacity-building to fully secure its digital environment.
This comprehensive approach reflects Burkina Faso’s recognition that achieving true digital sovereignty requires a balanced focus on infrastructure, applications, security, and local technological innovation.
