Why Africa needs local cloud providers like Nebula

African economies are severely impacted by inflation, which reduces purchasing power and raises operating expenses for companies. In March 2023, food inflation in South Africa reached a 14-year high, defying global patterns of declining food prices. According to a report by Reuters, Malawi's inflation rate soared to 28.5% in January 2025, triggering widespread protests and economic instability. In March 2024, Ghana's inflation rate reached 25.8%, reflecting persistent economic pressures. In December 2024, Nigeria's inflation rate climbed to a near 30-year high of 34.8%, marking the fourth consecutive month of increase.

Businesses, especially those who depend on global cloud services, are immediately impacted by this economic uncertainty. With the constantly shifting exchange rates, African businesses have to deal with unpredictable expenses as many international providers price their services in foreign currencies (typically US dollars). This puts a strain on budgets, innovation, and digital adoption.

How Nebula is building Cloud services for African businesses

The adoption of cloud computing is a catalyst for economic development. It allows businesses to access scalable infrastructure, reduce capital expenditures, and innovate quickly. According to a McKinsey report, African businesses use the public cloud for about 45% of their workloads, which is comparable with or even higher than adoption rates in China and North America.

This adoption rate shows our readiness to embrace digital transformation, and that’s where Nebula comes in.

At Nebula, we recognize that infrastructure built for Africa, by Africa is essential to the continent's digital future. The market has long been controlled by global cloud providers, but African enterprises face obstacles due to their high prices, latency problems, and lack of locally relevant solutions. It’s our goal to change that with:

1. A Cloud built for Africa’s economic realities

For many startups, cloud services represent one of their biggest operating expenses, alongside salaries and tax. The business model of earning in local currency and paying huge bills in dollars is flawed, especially when the local currency is typically weaker in value.

Unlike international providers that price services in foreign currencies, Nebula operates with African businesses in mind, providing affordable, locally priced cloud solutions to protect businesses from the volatile currency fluctuations. By keeping cloud services predictable and affordable, we make sure that businesses can scale sustainably without experiencing unanticipated cost surges.

2. Lower latency, higher performance

One of the main problems African businesses have with foreign cloud providers is the high latency caused by data centers thousands of miles away. By strategically operating with data centers in African cities, Nebula brings cloud services closer to users, resulting in faster load times, more seamless experiences, and higher productivity for businesses across a range of industries.

3. Data sovereignty and security

Africa’s digital economy should be powered by African-owned infrastructure. The history of Africa's economy has been influenced by external scrutiny over its wealth of natural resources. For the digital age to stand a chance of changing this narrative, we have to make sure that data—the new oil—remains under African governance.

Our data is precious; we should guard it and ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands. Regulations like NDPR exist for this reason, requiring that sensitive data like BVN be stored within Nigeria. Besides banks and a few enterprises that run their own on-premise servers, hardly anyone else can comply with this because the big cloud providers serve limited regions across Africa.

These dynamics change when there is an affordable and accessible local cloud (like Nebula), so startups can easily comply with these laws, ensuring the security and integrity of our data. This creates confidence, improves cybersecurity, and is consistent with Africa's rising emphasis on data sovereignty.

4. Empowering innovation and growth

Nebula is committed to fostering a thriving tech ecosystem alongside its infrastructure. With the help of our cloud solutions, government agencies, businesses, and startups can create without limitations. We’re not just offering cloud services; we’re establishing the groundwork for Africa's digital independence and guaranteeing that the upcoming generation of companies can expand at their own pace.

In conclusion, Africa's expanding digital economy cannot afford to continue relying on international cloud providers, who raise worries about data sovereignty, latency, and economic compatibility. Africa clearly needs its own cloud solutions that are built for the local reality and promote long-term growth.

If you're an African business looking to bring your cloud services closer to home, join the waitlist to get started with Nebula.