The document summarizes key findings from a research project that interviewed 300 IT decision-makers at medium and large enterprises in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa about their use of cloud computing. Some of the main findings are: 1) Cloud computing usage has more than doubled over the past five years across Africa's major markets, though the benefits are experienced differently in each country. 2) Companies in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa are allocating more budgets to cloud computing to make up for previous lack of adoption. 3) Respondents in Nigeria and Kenya cited business efficiency and scalability as the most important cloud benefits, while South African respondents prioritized time-to-market and speed of deployment.

1. By Arthur Goldstuck (Twitter: @art2gee)
F5 Networks, 18 April 2018
Cloud Africa 2018

2. Nairobi movie hire and digital accessories store, July 2011
Then …

3. Now…

4. Hub,
Incubator,
Accelerator,
Co-sharing,
Workspace
… only the
beginning.

5. African
innovations
transforming
farming,
fishing,
financial
services

6. The Cloud Africa
research project

7. Interviews with 300 IT
decision-makers at medium
and large enterprises in Kenya,
Nigeria and South Africa.

8. Cloud computing has taken off
dramatically across Africa’s
major markets, but its benefits
are experienced very differently
in each region.
Cloud is not a country

9. Use of the Cloud among
medium and large
organisations has more than
doubled in five years.
Fewer than 50% in 2013.
In 2018, use is pervasive.
Massive intensification

10. Companies in three of
Africa’s major information
technology markets are
making up for lost time in
allocating budgets to cloud.
Cloud is the leapfrog

17. Government at the party?

18. Respondents in Nigeria (80%) and
Kenya (75%) named Business
efficiency and Scalability by far the
most important benefit.
Only 61% in South Africa.
Dictates of infrastructure

20. In SA, Time-to-market or speed of
deployment came in as the most
prominent, at 68% of respondents.
Only 48% of companies in Kenya
and 28% in Nigeria named it as a
key benefit.
All about competition

22. Internationally, cloud is ideal for
establishing a global footprint. In
these 3 markets, benefits are being
recognised, but a long way from
being a priority. The cloud is here,
but not yet its full benefits.
Not yet a Netflix

23. Nigeria is impact central

24. Cloud = Innovation

26. Service apps critical to 68% of
Nigerian, 67% of Kenyan
companies; only 40% in SA.
43% in SA named HR apps as
critical; Kenya 19%; Nigeria 10%.
Apps reveal cloud
psyche

30. The Word Cloud

32. Ultimately, the cloud is about
better ways of doing business.
That is reflected in cloud priorities
and budgets across Africa.
Business is a country

33. Thank you
Arthur Goldstuck
(011) 7827003
arthur@worldwideworx.com
www.worldwideworx.com
Twitter: @art2gee