Africa has marked a key milestone in its digital transformation journey with the official launch of its first-ever Code of Conduct CoC Plan for Data Centres. Unveiled during the Pan-African Data Centre PADC Event held in Johannesburg from June 23 to 24, the initiative sets a new benchmark for energy efficiency, environmental responsibility, and operational consistency across the continent's growing data infrastructure landscape.
Developed in close alignment with the long-established European Union Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency , the Africa CoC Plan is more than a replication effort-it is a deliberate reimagining, tailored to the continent's unique climatic, economic, and operational realities. With guidance from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre JRC and local governance by Smart Africa in partnership with the African Data Centre Association ADCA , the project signals the beginning of a new chapter in Africa's digital transformation journey.
A Response to a Growing Digital FootprintAs African economies accelerate their digitalisation efforts-driven by the adoption of cloud computing, e-governance, financial technologies, and smart city frameworks-the demand for data processing and storage infrastructure continues to rise. This expansion, while critical for development, comes with a sharp increase in energy consumption and associated environmental impacts.
The Africa CoC Plan is an intentional response to this challenge. During the launch, stakeholders highlighted the continent's opportunity not only to grow but to lead, by embracing energy-efficient, climate-conscious data centre practices from the outset. Rather than retrofitting old systems, Africa is uniquely positioned to leapfrog into a future where digital growth aligns with sustainability goals.
