• TCS, Sybyl, and iXAfrica signed an MoU to establish sovereign cloud infrastructure in Kenya and East Africa.

• TCS provides AI-powered cloud architecture and security. Sybyl handles local deployment and support. iXAfrica supplies the scalable, AI-ready data center infrastructure.

• The regional sovereign cloud market is set to grow from $6.8 billion in 2024 to $42.8 billion by 2033. This partnership positions the companies to capture a strong share of that growth.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global technology provider, announced on November 13 that it has joined forces with Sybyl, an enterprise IT solutions provider, and iXAfrica Data Centre Limited to establish and scale sovereign cloud infrastructure across Kenya and other East African nations. Through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding, the partners aim to deliver secure, locally hosted cloud solutions that uphold national data residency and sovereignty requirements—empowering governments, enterprises, and innovators across the region.

"Data sovereignty is the cornerstone of Africa's digital future," said Snehar Shah, CEO of iXAfrica. "By hosting Sovereign Cloud infrastructure within iXAfrica's AI-ready campus, we are ensuring that African data stays in Africa, secure, sustainable, and ready to power the next generation of innovation."

TCS will deploy its Sovereign Secure Cloud, a customized solution for governments and regulated industries that integrates AI to enhance data, operational, and digital sovereignty. . Sybyl will lead local implementation and customer support, leveraging its deep regional experience in enterprise technology and managed services. Meanwhile, iXAfrica will supply the secure, scalable, AI-ready data center infrastructure to anchor the initiative.

The partnership addresses urgent data sovereignty needs across Africa. As Africa doubles down on its digital transformation agenda, data sovereignty has become a defining issue across the continent. Several national governments and enterprises are increasingly seeking solutions that ensure data is housed within a country's borders, regulated as per regional laws, and managed through secure and robust infrastructure.

Initiatives like Unicloud Africa’s sovereign cloud rollout across six countries—including Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa—reflect this shift, offering AI-integrated infrastructure that aligns with regional regulations. In November 2024, DataConnect Africa, a subsidiary of New Digital Africa (NDA), partnered with Clever Cloud, a French PaaS (platform as a service) provider, to launch a sovereign and secure cloud platform in Côte d'Ivoire.

In November 2025, Inmanta, a global leader in telecom and cloud orchestration, showcased its sovereign cloud automation platform at AfricaCom 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. The platform is designed to help telecom operators and data center providers improve operational efficiency, agility, and service delivery while maintaining strict data sovereignty controls. This growing emphasis on locally governed, secure, and scalable infrastructure underscores the continent’s commitment to digital independence and regulatory alignment.

According to Grand View Research, the Middle East & Africa sovereign cloud market is projected to grow from $6.8 billion in 2024 to $42.8 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23%. With this agreement, TCS, Sybyl, and iXAfrica are positioned to secure a substantial share of this rapidly expanding market—provided their initiative delivers on its promise.

Hikmatu Bilali