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Ivory Coast to Launch First State-Owned Data Center in 2027 with $66M US EXIM Backing

By: IDCNOVARegion: Africa
The Ivory Coast is set to construct its first state-owned data center, a landmark project aimed at modernizing public services and reinforcing the country's digital sovereignty. The facility is being developed by Washington-based Cybastion Institute of Technology LLC with an estimated cost of $66 million, backed by financing from the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM).

The data center is planned to open in 2027 and represents a significant step in the West African nation's broader digitization efforts. It will deliver 1.73MW of IT capacity within a total power envelope of 3MW, featuring 228 racks and 10 petabytes of storage. The facility will offer cloud hosting, colocation, and connectivity services tailored for government organizations, with the dual objectives of strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure and ensuring data sovereignty.

The project forms part of a larger financing package extended by EXIM to the Ivory Coast, which was announced in September 2025. Shortly before granting the $66 million for the data center, EXIM also agreed to provide $47 million to support the digitalization of Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Finance and Industry. That initiative is likewise being led by Cybastion, with assistance from prospective suppliers including Cisco, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Motorola Solutions, and Microsoft.

Cybastion has established a growing footprint across Africa's emerging data center landscape. The company is also behind a 20MW data center project in Gabon and has collaborated with the Liberian government on a data center and subsea cable initiative. Most recently, it announced plans for a $75 million data center in Cameroon.

The Ivory Coast currently maintains a modest private data center market, with a handful of facilities concentrated in Abidjan. Operators present in the market include Equinix, Raxio, ST Digital, Paix Data Centres, and Stellarix. The launch of a state-owned facility signals a strategic shift toward greater government control over critical digital infrastructure as the country accelerates its digital transformation agenda.

Earlier this month, Cybastion and THEYA Foundation joined Ivorian officials at Lycée Technique d'Abidjan for the launch of the Africa DigiEmpower program, an initiative aimed at training people in the Ivory Coast in digital skills. The program underscores a broader commitment to building local capacity alongside physical infrastructure, positioning the data center project within a wider ecosystem of digital development.