Faith Waithaka takes over from the outgoing chairman of ADCA, Dr. Ayotunde Coker, according to a statement on the association’s website.

ADCA is the leading industry body championing a robust and interconnected data centre and cloud infrastructure ecosystem across Africa and has elected new board members and executive leadership team, during its Annual General Meeting which marks a pivotal moment in ADCA’s commitment to accelerating digital transformation across the continent.

With Africa’s digital economy expanding at an unprecedented pace, the newly appointed leadership team will play a critical role in steering ADCA’s strategic agenda—fostering collaboration, enhancing industry standards, and advocating for policies that enable sustainable growth.

The new Chairperson, Faith Waithaka is an accomplished leader with deep roots in Africa’s technology ecosystem.

She is is set to guide the association’s strategic priorities, aligning the board and its members around a common goal: building a thriving, world-class infrastructure landscape.

“I am deeply honored and humbled as I step into the role of Board Chair of the Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA) at such a pivotal time for our industry. The Data Centre sector is not only the backbone of the digital economy, but also an ecosystem that demands both resilience, responsibility, and reliability. Having spent my career immersed in its technical and operational depths, I understand the urgency of our mission and the opportunity we hold. I also want to sincerely thank our outgoing Chair, Dr. Ayotunde Coker, for his exceptional leadership and steadfast dedication. You have laid a strong foundation, and I am grateful to build upon it.

“I am excited at the opportunities for growth of the digital infrastructure across Africa. The continent is rich with potential, innovation, and talent and as demand for connectivity and cloud services accelerates, we have a responsibility to build with intention, sustainability, and long-term impact in mind.” — said, Faith Waithaka, Chairperson, Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA).

Bringing continuity and unwavering dedication to the leadership team, Nikki Blake returns as General Secretary.

Her re-election reflects both the trust of the ADCA community and her proven ability to advance the association’s mission.

Blake’s experience ensures stability at a time of ambitious growth, as she continues to advocate for stronger industry collaboration and capacity building.

Commenting, Nikki Blake, general secretary, Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA), said:

”I am honored to be re-elected as General Secretary of ADCA. It’s a privilege to serve alongside our new Chairperson, Faith Waithaka—together, we step into the next two years with bold vision, unity, and purpose. The best is yet to come!”

Stepping into the role of Treasurer, Lee Perrin brings a sharp focus on operational excellence and sustainable growth.

With Africa’s data centre landscape facing both significant opportunities and complex challenges, Perrin is poised to help navigate this dynamic environment.

“With Africa’s digital infrastructure expanding rapidly, we face both exciting opportunities and real challenges — from building a strong talent pipeline to improving data centre reporting and navigating complex supply chain dynamics. My focus on the board will be to support skills development, accelerate industry transparency, and help unlock practical solutions that move our sector forward. As a combined force, I believe the ADCA community has the strength and knowledge to build a resilient and world-class digital infrastructure landscape for Africa. I’m proud to be part of that journey and look forward to what we can achieve together.”– said Lee Perrin, Treasurer, Africa Data Centres Associations (ADCA).

Building upon the strong foundation of its newly elected executive leadership, the Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA) has further strengthened its governance with the addition of a distinguished cohort of new board members.

Together, they will help shape the strategic roadmap for building a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready digital infrastructure ecosystem. 

ADCA’s Board

The newly elected board members bring a wealth of experience and a diversity of perspectives, each contributing unique insights to propel ADCA’s mission forward:

Dr. Angus Hay (Regional Executive: South Africa, Africa Data Centres):

A founding member of ADCA and a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in Africa’s data centre landscape, Dr. Hay combines deep industry knowledge with strategic vision. His early role in establishing South Africa’s internet infrastructure underscores his long-standing commitment to advancing digital growth across the continent. His guidance will be instrumental in steering ADCA towards sustainable progress.

Lee Perrin (Data Centre MEA Director, CBRE Global):

In addition to his role as Treasurer, Perrin’s expertise spans skills development, supply chain optimisation, and market research, all critical components of Africa’s evolving data centre sector. His focus on operational excellence and sustainable growth strengthens the board’s collective ability to drive transformative outcomes.

Paul Schonborn (CEO, STELLARIX Madagascar):

As the CEO of STELLARIX Madagascar, Schonborn brings invaluable insights from a fast-growing African market. With extensive experience across ICT, telecoms, and corporate communications, and a firm belief in inclusive growth, he champions accessible and reliable digital services. His pan-African perspective and commitment to responsible partnerships will be key assets in advancing ADCA’s regional impact.

Roderick de Boer (Director of Business Development, Equinix Africa & Middle East):

De Boer brings with him the global insights of Equinix, enriching ADCA with an international perspective. His role in fostering regional growth and connecting African markets to global digital hubs positions him as a valuable advocate for the continent’s integration into the worldwide digital economy.

Snehar Shah (CEO, IX Africa Data Centres): With a proven track record of scaling tech businesses across East Africa and currently spearheading the development of a hyperscale data centre in the region, Shah, brings a deep understanding of regional dynamics and the immense growth opportunities within the African market.

The newly elected Chairperson, Ms. Waithaka, extended a warm welcome to the new board members and shares her enthusiasm about working together to drive the association’s mission forward saying;

“I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newly appointed board members. Your insights and leadership come at a crucial time, as we embark on the journey ahead to promote and develop growth for the industry together. I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members, our exceptional management and marketing team, as well as our valued ADCA members to build a future that is sustainable, secure, and bold in its ambition. It is a privilege to lead in a space where infrastructure meets innovation, and where every decision helps power not just growth, but inclusion, equity, and opportunity across Africa and beyond. When we talk about the future of digital infrastructure, one thing is clear: Africa is not just part of the solution, “AFRICA is the solution!”, she said. 

The Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA) expresses its profound confidence that the collective wisdom, extensive experience, and unwavering dedication of these newly elected board members, working in close collaboration with the executive leadership, will be the driving force behind achieving the association’s ambitious goals.

The prefabricated modular datacentre is not a new concept by any means, offering a fast and scalable alternative to brick-and-mortar.

However, it is only the last five years that its adoption has enjoyed some major growth, with companies regarding it as a bona fide route to deploying datacentres.

In Africa, prefabricated modular datacentres are enjoying some exciting growth; the continent’s increasing demand for data storage, processing and connectivity is driving innovation in the sector. These modular structures offer a dynamic response to the need for rapid deployment, standardisation and sustainability.

Unpacking the benefits

Prefabricated datacentres, as the name suggest, consist of pre-built modules that house various components critical to datacentre functionality. The modules fall into categories such as power, cooling, and IT.

Due to its modular nature, organisations can then choose a combination of these modules to create a tailored solution that best meets their specific requirements.

One of the major advantages of prefabricated data centres is the efficiency and predictability it brings to the construction process.

Unlike traditional datacentres, where one must contend with the variability of numerous contractors and handling material and availability, prefabricated datacentres are produced in a controlled factory environment.

This controlled setting ensures higher quality and consistency in construction, enabling precise timelines and outcomes.

When one considers the varied materials and standards across different regions in Africa, prefabricated solutions offer a viable path to standardisation and predictability. Organisations operating across the continent can expect the same level of quality and materials, whether in South Africa, the DRC, Nigeria, Ghana, or Kenya.

This consistency simplifies project management and allows engineers to work on a standard basis, facilitating smooth expansions and upgrades.

Sustainable expansion

Africa’s adoption of prefabricated modular datacentres is also rooted in lessons learnt from our global peers. In countries such as Germany, some brick-and-mortar hyperscale datacentres are reaching its end of life which creates a conundrum of sort, how do you shutdown these facilities in sustainable manner?

In fact, according to various research papers, datacentres are become obsolete fast due to the technologies incredibly fast paced advancements.  With a lifespan of around 15 years, these massive facilities become technology graveyards reminiscent of an eerie Sci-fi movie.

Prefabricated data centres offer a more flexible solution, allowing these facilities to be quickly disassembled and relocated to other regions which will have use for some of the modules, thereby preserving infrastructure integrity and extending its lifespan.

At Schneider Electric, our prefabricated datacentres are built sustainably; we fabricate 90% of the parts to mitigate waste, optimise efficiency, and reduce the footprint of the datacentre. Furthermore, we drive sustainable practices throughout our supply chain to ensure that products are produced and transported in a responsible manner.

Lastly, where possible, our local partners are responsible for building the prefabricated datacentres, thus reducing transport costs whilst investing in the local marketplace.

The outlook for data centre growth on the African continent looks bullish.  With a population of almost 1.5 billion people, the African marketplace possesses a significant advantage in terms of market size and potential.

Importantly, whilst the continent might lag behind countries like China and India when it comes to sheer population size, what sets it apart is the average age of its population which is between 18-19 years.  It is a young generation that is well equipped to adapt to the digital’s environment continuous change.

This younger generation has a natural affinity for learning and working with technologies such as AI.  It’s this demographic advantage that will fast track Africa’s strengthening role in the global data centre marketplace.

Another important differentiator is the continent’s geographical location. Positioned almost centrally on earth, it offers major advantages in terms of connectivity and accessibility. Cities like Mombasa in Kenya are incredibly well located on sub-sea fibre links, offering a gateway to Asia that contributes to the processing of large amounts of data traffic.

Multinationals step into the limelight

Multinationals have a major role to play in harnessing full potential of the African data centre market.  Bridging the data centre skills gap is an important step.  Increasingly, multinational companies are hiring local engineers, providing valuable expertise and experience whilst exposing them to the global market.

At Schneider Electric for example, teams from regions such as Anglophone and Francophone Africa have continuous access to knowledge and developments from their peers across the world.  This is incredibly valuable as it allows these teams to stay on par with their global counterparts.

Importantly, it bridges the talent gap and brings the requisite skills that contribute to the ongoing growth of the African data centre marketplace.

Another important data centre growth enabler is infrastructure development.  Multinationals contribute to various aspects of infrastructure development, including grid stability, efficient water management, and the introduction of advanced technologies.

In turn, these investments deliver advancements in cooling systems, electrical equipment, and the promotion of renewable energy sources. Simply put, these developments and ongoing investment by multinationals offer significant benefits to the continent.

When discussing multinationals’ role in the African data centre market, it would be remiss not to mention sustainability.  Here, these organisations have a significant part to play in ensuring local data centre markets align with international environmental sustainability principles.

This includes implementing energy efficient infrastructure that utilises renewable energy sources, optimises cooling systems to minimise energy consumption, and effectively manages and tracks water consumption.

Together with environmental sustainability, social and governance also come into play. The data centre industry has the potential to bring significant growth in terms of education access, particularly through digital platforms. This can greatly improve access to education in Africa, providing opportunities for learning and skills development.

If one considers the ongoing investment in Africa and its favourable geographical position, it is highly likely that the continent will become a major player in both data centre expansion and the processing of data.  Over the next decade, a substantial portion of global data processing is expected to flow through Africa, cementing its position as a key player in the data centre industry.