Tech giant Oracle has revealed plans to establish a public cloud region in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of its wider strategy to expand its cloud infrastructure across the continent.

This will be the company’s second cloud region in Africa, with the first opened in January 2022 and located in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Kenyan investment plans were revealed during a meeting between an Oracle delegation, led by Scott Twaddle, senior VP for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Product and Industries, and Kenya’s president William Ruto. Eliud Owalo, cabinet secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, was also present.

The company said its planned public cloud region in Nairobi underscores its commitment to Africa and added that this will help drive the digital transformation across Kenya, from government and public institutions to universities, enterprises and startups.

“We are delighted to see Oracle planning such an important investment in Kenya,” said Ruto.

He added: “I am excited to see major technology companies like Oracle investing in Kenya and bringing state-of-the-art technologies, like AI and cloud applications, that will benefit Kenyan citizens, especially in creation of jobs.”

Ruto confirmed the country’s government will continue to facilitate tech companies seeking to set up their footprints in Africa.

‘’In line with the government’s strategy to lay 100,000km of fibre optic, provide digital jobs and digitise government services, Kenya continues to be a prime destination for international IT companies’’ he said.

Owalo added: “Oracle’s intent to open a public cloud region in Nairobi will be a key component of Kenya’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda initiative, which is focused on digital transformation, private sector development, agricultural transformation, housing development, and healthcare modernisation.”

Oracle says it will be taking advantage of Kenya’s renewable energy and digital infrastructure, including submarine and national connectivity.

“We already have a strong business in Kenya, and the upcoming public cloud region in Nairobi represents a significant next step forward in helping support the country’s economic goals,” said Twaddle.