Leading hyperscalers, digital infrastructure operators, investors, and regulators are confirmed to attend the Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference, scheduled for September 5, 2024, in Lagos, Nigeria. This pivotal event aims to address the digital infrastructure gaps across the continent by uniting key stakeholders—including operators, regulators, investors, and service providers—to work toward a unified goal for Africa’s digital future.
The conference seeks to bring together Africa’s digital infrastructure community, fostering collaboration and innovation across sectors such as data centers, connectivity, cloud services, and more.
Confirmed attendees include senior and executive representatives from major organizations such as MetaPlatforms, Cassava Technologies, Equinix, IHS Towers, Airtel, Apolo.io, Open Access Data Centres, MTN, Analyses Mason, Xalam Analytics, inq, Avanti Communications Plc., Digital Realty, Raxio Group, and various state governments.
The event will feature keynote presentations, panel sessions, and fireside chats on critical themes, including:
“Satellite, Subsea, and Terrestrial: Africa’s Path to Seamless and Integrated Connectivity”; “Regulatory Frameworks for Fostering Digital Infrastructure Development in Africa”; “Data Center and Cloud in Africa: The Journey to 2500MW”; “Funding Africa’s Digital Infrastructure: What is the Right Mix?”, and “The Talent Gap: Developing Sustainable Digital Talent for Africa”, among others.
Speakers at the conference include Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at IHS Towers; Dr. Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Open Access Data Centres; Wole Abu, CEO, Liquid Intelligent Technologies; Sade Dada, Public Policy Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta Platforms; Josephine Sarouk, Managing Director (MD), Bayobab; and Olatubosun Alake, Honorable Commissioner, Innovation, Science and Technology, Lagos State. Other speakers include Lanre Kolade, Chairman, ConnectedCompute; Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty Nigeria; Bill Kleyman, CEO of Apolo/Program Chair, AFCOM and Data Center World; Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria; Dr. Krish Ranganath, Regional Executive- West Africa, Africa Data Centres; Wabo Majavu, Executive of Strategy and Business Operations at Africa Data Centre; Gbenga Adegbiji, CEO of Geniserve; Guy Zibi, Managing Partner of Xalam Analytics; Olusegun Maleghemi, CIO, Ouranos; Adewale Adeyemi, Head, Business Development; TeKnowledge; Adewole Adebisi, Head, Technical Operations, Raxio Group; Ifeanyi Akosionu, Managing Director, inq Digital; Dr. Hakeem Onasanya, Head, Startups (Lagos Innovates), LSETF; Olawale Owoeye, CEO, Cedarview Communications; Sameer Gupta, Principal, Analyses Mason; Femi Fajemirokun, Head, Information, Telecoms and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), West African Power Pool, and Reuben Oshomah, Regional Director, West and Central Africa, Avanti Communications Plc.
Ahead of the event, Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer at IHS Towers, expressed enthusiasm: “The Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference promises to be a valuable platform to discuss opportunities and address pressing challenges in the deployment of digital infrastructure. I believe this gathering will set the stage for new initiatives, partnerships, and solutions that will advance Africa’s digital transformation.”
Lanre Kolade, Chairman of ConnectedCompute and former Group Chief Executive Officer of CSquared, emphasized the role of innovation through partnerships: “We can build digital infrastructure expansion and resilience by collaborating and creating synergies to close infrastructure gaps and empower our digital economy with a pan-African collaboration.”
“As we grow Africa’s digital economy, the role of data centers becomes increasingly critical. At the Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference, we have a unique opportunity to align our efforts and build out the infrastructure needed to support this growth. By aligning expanding carrier neutral data center capacity with robust pen access connectivity, we can unlock the potential for greater innovation and economic development and changing lives across the continent” commented Dr. Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer of Open Access Data Centres.
The Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference represents a critical step in bridging the digital infrastructure gap across Africa. By bringing together influential leaders and innovators, this event will foster collaboration and drive the necessary conversations and actions to shape Africa’s digital future. The insights and partnerships forged at this conference will be instrumental in unlocking new opportunities for growth, innovation, and sustainability in Africa’s digital economy.
