African Data Centres Association
The African Data Centres Association (ADCA) is a pan-African non-profit trade association, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. It represents Africa's data centre operators, investors, suppliers, and governments through advocacy, publications, events, and sustainability standards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersAbidjan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What African Data Centres Association does
The African Data Centres Association (ADCA) is a pan-African non-profit trade association headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, founded in September 2018 to provide a unified platform for data centre operators, developers, investors, suppliers, and government stakeholders across the continent. The association was launched with 14 data centre operators and 5 suppliers, and by 2020 the African data centre industry comprised 85 operators across 54 countries — a market that today has only 307 MW of live capacity (less than 2% of the global total) and is projected to require at least 1,200 MW of new capacity by 2030. Operating with 1-10 employees under the legal entity "African Actors of Data Center Association," ADCA functions as the central body for industry advocacy, regulatory engagement, knowledge dissemination, and investment promotion, structured as a community-led trade association rather than a commercial enterprise.
ADCA does not develop proprietary technology. Its core offerings comprise (1) industry publications and market reports including the annual "State of the African Data Centre Market" report, the "Data Centres in Africa Focus Report" produced in partnership with Oxford Business Group, and the "Data Centres in Africa INSIDER SURVEY 2025"; (2) major industry events co-organized across Africa and Europe such as AfricaCom, Digital Infra Africa, Datacloud Africa Leadership Summit, Data Centre Forum Afrique, and the Africa Tech Festival; and (3) the African Code of Conduct for Data Centres — a sustainability, PUE-optimization, and energy-efficiency framework developed in collaboration with Smart Africa (an African Union agency) drawing on the EU Code of Conduct template and officially endorsed by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. The association also maintains the interactive African data centre facility map and supports workforce development via coverage of initiatives such as the IBTC Data Centre Academy.
ADCA's non-profit business model is funded through two primary streams: recurring membership fees paid by African and non-African companies joining as data centre operators, developers, suppliers, investors, or supporting members (enrolment via [email protected]), and revenue from events, conferences, and publications. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. The association is membership-governed through an elected Board and does not have venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment ownership. Its customer base is horizontally segmented across four stakeholder groups — Data Centre Operators and Developers (primary), Investors and Financial Institutions, Suppliers and Technology Vendors, and Governments and Regulators — and encompasses leading industry actors including Africa Data Centres, Equinix Africa & Middle East, iXAfrica Data Centres, Caterpillar, and STELLARIX.
African Data Centres Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- African Data Centres Association
- Legal name
- African Actors of Data Center Association
- Website
- https://africadca.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The African Data Centres Association (ADCA) is a pan-African non-profit trade association, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. It represents Africa's data centre operators, investors, suppliers, and governments through advocacy, publications, events, and sustainability standards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
African Data Centres Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industry Trade Association
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IT Governance, Risk & Compliance (IT GRC) Platforms (HDAEALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Supply Chain (Scope 3) Emissions & Supplier Engagement Platforms (EUABAEAE)
Keywords
Where African Data Centres Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Abidjan
Offices1 record
Markets served
African Data Centres Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: ADCA operates as a non-profit organization that generates revenue through membership fees from data centre operators, suppliers, and other industry stakeholders who join the association to benefit from networking, advocacy, knowledge sharing, and industry representation.
- Events and Conferences: The association organizes and partners on events including AfricaCom, Data Centre Forum Afrique, Digital Infra Africa, Datacloud Africa Leadership Summit, and various regional conferences that serve as platforms for networking, deal-making, and industry advancement.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
African Data Centres Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The African Data Centres Association (ADCA) is a pan-African non-profit trade organization representing data centre operators, developers, investors, and suppliers across the continent. It delivers value through membership services, industry publications and market reports, events and conferences, advocacy with governments and regulators, and the development of the African Code of Conduct for sustainable data centre operations.
Product overview
The Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA) is a Pan-African trade organization representing data centre operators, developers, investors, and stakeholders across the continent. Founded in 2018, ADCA does not offer a traditional product but provides a suite of services including industry publications and market reports (such as the annual State of African Data Centre Market reports), industry surveys, and white papers on topics like climate, PUE, and operations quality. The association organizes and partners on major industry events including AfricaCom, Digital Infra Africa, and regional conferences. ADCA is developing the African Code of Conduct for sustainable data centre operations, supports talent development initiatives, and provides a collective platform for industry advocacy and regulatory engagement with African governments. The organization focuses on promoting best practices, driving sustainable growth, and accelerating Africa's digital transformation through collaborative industry efforts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ADCA Industry Publications and Reports Annual market reports, white papers, and industry surveys including the State of the African Data Centre Market report, Data Centres in Africa Focus Report, and Quality of African Data Centres Operations assessments, targeting data centre operators, investors, and policymakers.
- ADCA Events and Conferences Organization and partnership on industry events including AfricaCom, Digital Infra Africa, Africa Tech Festival, Data Centre Forum Afrique, Datacloud Africa Leadership Summit, and regional conferences to promote networking, deal-making, and knowledge sharing among data centre operators and stakeholders.
- African Code of Conduct for Data Centres Regionally tailored Code of Conduct framework for data centres, developed in collaboration with Smart Africa and drawing from the EU Code of Conduct, promoting voluntary best practices for sustainable and energy-efficient data centre operations across Africa.
- ADCA Industry Insights and Surveys Annual insider surveys such as the Data Centres in Africa INSIDER SURVEY providing market outlook and business sentiment analysis from Africa's data centre leaders for operators, investors, and industry stakeholders.
- Talent Development and Training Initiatives Workforce development programs and partnerships with training initiatives such as the IBTC Data Centre Academy to build Africa's digital talent pipeline for the data centre industry.
- ADCA Membership Services Membership services providing data centre operators, developers, investors, and stakeholders with networking, knowledge sharing, and professional representation in dealings with African governments on regulation and policies.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40 countries with data protection laws enacted, positioning data centres as critical national infrastructure
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use African Data Centres Association
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
African Data Centres Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
African Data Centres Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- OraclemajorOracle selected iXAfrica Data Centres as its colocation partner for the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) region in Nairobi, Kenya. ADCA featured this collaboration as a significant development in Africa's cloud infrastructure ecosystem, enabling organizations to deploy OCI services locally.
- European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC)coreADCA secured official endorsement from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre for the African Code of Conduct development. The JRC provides vital validation and support for the initiative, with EU CoC best practices serving as a guiding template adapted to African realities.
- Smart AfricacoreADCA collaborates with Smart Africa, an African Union agency, to develop the African Code of Conduct for data centres. Smart Africa leads the governance structure of this initiative, which aims to promote sustainable, energy-efficient data centre operations across the continent through voluntary best practices.
- Platform GlobalminorADCA partners with Platform Global, an annual networking marketplace and premium C-level international meeting for digital infrastructure players, providing opportunities to explore investment opportunities and network with global decision-makers.
- Infrastructure Masons (iMasons)coreADCA partners with Infrastructure Masons (iMasons), a global organization of digital infrastructure professionals, to drive sustainable and responsible digital infrastructure development in Africa. The collaboration combines iMasons' global perspective with ADCA's local market intelligence to enable Africa to lead in responsible digital infrastructure deployment.
- CaterpillarminorCaterpillar joined ADCA as a member, bringing expertise in critical power and data centre infrastructure to support Africa's digital infrastructure development.
- Cloud Solutions AfricamajorADCA partners with Cloud Solutions Africa, an event delivering perspectives from cloud solution providers and companies that have adopted cloud technologies to help optimize their business operations.
- Pan African Data Centres Conference and ExhibitionmajorADCA partners with the Pan African DataCentres Conference and Exhibition organized by Stexp Ltd, featuring a C-level data centre conference with Strategy and Operational streams addressing best practices and technology deployment.
- IOT West AfricaminorADCA partners with IOT West Africa Conference & Exhibition, a beacon for resilient digital services creation and enhancement across the continent, focusing on cloud technology and innovative infrastructure.
- Cybertech AfricamajorADCA partners with Cybertech Africa, the Pan-African event for innovation and networking focused on creating business networks across borders. The event includes lectures, panels, exhibitions, and startup pavilions for new technologies.
- Platform AfricaminorADCA partners with Platform Africa, hosted in Marrakech, which assembles important actors in digital infrastructure with investors, owners, enterprises, and technology experts for valuable insight and investment opportunities.
- ITW AfricamajorADCA partners with ITW Africa, the region's dedicated meeting for the digital infrastructure community designed to facilitate deal-making, networking, and learning between decision-makers and international connectivity providers.
- Data Centre World ParisminorADCA partners with Data Centre World Paris, an international data centre event that provides opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing between African and European markets.
- Data Center Forum Afrique (DCFA)majorADCA partners with Data Center Forum Afrique, which provides updates on the latest data centre news in Africa, evolution of the sector, and impacts within organizations. The second edition was held in Casablanca, Morocco.
- Digital Infra NetworkcoreADCA collaborates with Digital Infra Network on the 'Digital Africa Talks' series, a 5-part series addressing the state of data centre and infrastructure industries, opportunities, challenges, and requirements in Africa. The partnership brings together African players and international perspectives.
- BroadGroupmajorADCA partners with BroadGroup, which organizes the Datacloud Africa Leadership Summit and other industry events. The partnership hosts the annual forum for insight, networking, and deal-making for investors and industry players in Africa's data centre ecosystem.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
African Data Centres Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AFCOM: Long-standing data centre community and trade organization serving facility operators and IT professionals. Comparable as a membership-driven community-led body focused on data centre operations and best-practice sharing.
- EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres: European Commission/JRC-led voluntary Code of Conduct for energy-efficient data centres. The explicit template for ADCA's African Code of Conduct and a close functional peer on sustainability standards.
- 7x24 Exchange: Membership organization for mission-critical and data centre professionals. Comparable as a community-led trade body focused on knowledge sharing, education, and networking for data centre operators.
- Uptime Institute: Global data centre industry standards body and certification organization. Most directly comparable peer to ADCA's standards, sustainability frameworks and tier-classification mission for the African market.
- The Green Grid: Industry consortium advancing resource-efficient, sustainable data centres worldwide. Highly comparable to ADCA's Code of Conduct and PUE/climate-adaptation workstreams, operating in the same standards-development niche.
- Infrastructure Masons (iMasons): Global non-profit community of digital infrastructure professionals. Already a strategic partner of ADCA, with an identical mission of convening operators, suppliers and investors to advance digital infrastructure sustainability and skills.
- Data Centre Alliance: UK-based industry association for data centre operators and suppliers. Directly comparable as a national/regional trade body that advocates for the industry, shares best practices, and convenes members.
Regional players
- EuroCloud: European non-profit cloud and digital infrastructure industry association. Comparable as a regional trade body promoting cloud/digital infrastructure ecosystems, though operating in a different geography than ADCA.
Broad incumbents
- Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA): US-headquartered trade association developing standards across ICT and digital infrastructure. Comparable as an established industry body with overlapping standards-development and policy advocacy mandate, though broader in scope than data centres alone.
Emerging players
- Cloud Industry Forum: UK-based industry body promoting trust, transparency and standards in cloud and digital infrastructure services. Comparable as a membership-driven advocacy and standards organization for adjacent digital infrastructure stakeholders.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
African Data Centres Association social profiles
Digital presenceAfrican Data Centres Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
African Data Centres Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
African Data Centres Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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African Data Centres Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about African Data Centres Association
What does African Data Centres Association do?
The African Data Centres Association (ADCA) is a pan-African non-profit trade organization representing data centre operators, developers, investors, and suppliers across the continent. It delivers value through membership services, industry publications and market reports, events and conferences, advocacy with governments and regulators, and the development of the African Code of Conduct for sustainable data centre operations.
Is African Data Centres Association a public or private company?
African Data Centres Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was African Data Centres Association founded?
African Data Centres Association was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is African Data Centres Association based?
African Data Centres Association is headquartered in Abidjan.
How does African Data Centres Association make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are events and Conferences.
Who are African Data Centres Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AFCOM, EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres, 7x24 Exchange, Uptime Institute, The Green Grid, Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) and Data Centre Alliance. EuroCloud is listed as a regional player. Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Cloud Industry Forum is listed as an emerging player.
Does African Data Centres Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for African Data Centres Association.
What industry is African Data Centres Association in?
African Data Centres Association's product category is Industry Trade Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEALAK, IT Governance, Risk & Compliance (IT GRC) Platforms, with a secondary code of EUABAEAE, Supply Chain (Scope 3) Emissions & Supplier Engagement Platforms. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.