Gabon’s digital future: president oligui nguema unveils nation’s first data center

Yesterday, in the Nkok Special Economic Zone, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema officially opened Gabon’s inaugural data center, a state-of-the-art facility developed by ST Digital Data Center Services. The inauguration ceremony was further highlighted by the signing of a pivotal Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Digital Economy, Digitalization, and Innovation and ST Digital, aimed at fostering the growth of Gabonese startups.

This dual undertaking is designed to significantly bolster local data hosting, enhance cybersecurity measures, and accelerate the nation’s digital transformation. The new infrastructure, proudly certified as Tier III compliant with stringent international standards, is poised to dramatically improve national data storage capabilities, facilitate robust cloud computing services, and provide crucial support to both governmental bodies and private enterprises. Ultimately, this strategic move by the head of state underscores a clear commitment to guiding Gabon towards an era of undeniable digital sovereignty.

The collaborative agreement specifically outlines privileged access to professional services for emerging businesses. Selected startups will gain access to a dedicated virtual machine, ample 120 GB SSD storage, 8 GB of RAM, four virtual processors, a public IP address, an essential SSL certificate, comprehensive technical support, and advantageous preferential rates.

The Ministry will play a crucial role in identifying eligible beneficiaries, actively promoting local hosting solutions, and conducting vital cybersecurity awareness campaigns. Laïka Mba, the Director General of ST Digital, powerfully articulated the significance of this milestone, stating, “possessing a national data center in Gabon transcends mere technological triumph; it represents a profound act of sovereignty.” She further emphasized, “it is the sacred assurance that our state secrets, national archives, public services, and the personal data of our citizens will no longer be reliant on foreign infrastructures.”

—

—

ST Digital commits to ensuring the robust security of data and providing continuous technical assistance. This strategic public-private collaboration is set to significantly foster the development of innovative digital solutions, meticulously designed and securely hosted within Gabon, thereby cultivating a more dynamic environment conducive to innovation, job creation, and increased investment.