In the late rainy season of Gambias capital, Banjul, 24-year-old Kumba Njie is a few weeks into her six-month diploma in cloud computing at the Indian Institute of Hardware Technology. Cloud computing, which enables businesses to manage and process data online rather than relying on physical servers, is transforming industries globally and contributing to a market valued at over 600bn.
Were learning about cloud concepts, security issues, networking in the cloud, and other topics, within eight modules, says Njie. I love all things tech, and Im hoping this will lead to a job with Amazon or Microsoft once Im done.
Cloud technology is revolutionising how companies store and process data It offers increased flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. Businesses adjust resources in real-time, scaling their data and storage needs up or down as needed, without the heavy investments required to maintain physical servers on-site.
According to data firm Xalam Analytics, the demand for cloud computing services in Africa is soaring, with annual growth rates of 25 to 30. This pace far exceeds projected growth in Europe and North America, where cloud service uptake is expected to grow at 11 and 10, respectively, between 2023 and 2028.
Levelling the playing fieldThis shift is helping level the playing field for African businesses, allowing them to compete globally without the financial strain of maintaining expensive individual data centres. The impact of cloud technology has been especially profound for Africas fintech and telecommunications sectors.
