In a strategic move to expand its cloud footprint in Africa, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has partnered with Orange Middle East & Africa (OMEA) to bring AWS Wavelength to Morocco and Senegal. This initiative, announced on Wednesday, marks the first deployment of AWS services in countries without physical AWS infrastructure like data centers. Instead, the services will be hosted in Orange’s data centers, enabling local processing and storage of data.
Revolutionizing Cloud Computing in Africa
AWS Wavelength integrates AWS compute and storage services within telecom providers’ data centers at the edge of the 5G network, reducing latency and enabling customers to access AWS services with the benefit of data residency. This is particularly significant for regulated industries such as telecom, finance, healthcare, and the public sector, which require local data hosting due to stringent data residency requirements.
Jan Hofmeyr, Vice President of EC2 Edge at AWS, emphasized the transformative potential of this collaboration: “Customers of all sizes and all industries in Morocco and Senegal will be able to access local AWS compute and storage for data residency, low latency, and security needs for applications across real-time gaming and regulated industries, helping customers unlock new innovation and accelerate digital transformation.”
Meeting the Growing Demand for Cloud Services
The African cloud market is on a growth trajectory, with the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) sectors expected to grow by 18% annually, reaching $13 billion by 2028, according to McKinsey. This expansion is driven by increasing demand for faster computing from sectors such as banking, telecom, and healthcare, which require robust and secure local data hosting solutions.
The AWS Wavelength Zones in Morocco and Senegal will allow startups, enterprises, and public organizations to leverage AWS services for digital transformation. By processing and storing data locally, businesses can ensure compliance with data residency regulations while benefiting from the scalability, security, and reliability of AWS.
Enhancing Local Innovation and Connectivity
The partnership between AWS and Orange aims to foster innovation and digital transformation in Africa. Jérôme Hénique, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, highlighted the significance of this initiative: “The announcement of AWS Wavelength Zones for North & West Africa is a major achievement in our strategy to foster the cloud transformation of African businesses. We are providing the benefits of AWS to Moroccan and Senegalese organizations, from SMBs to MNCs, while ensuring data residency in secure Orange Datacenters in combination with our best-in-class connectivity solutions.”
Supporting a Diverse Range of Applications
AWS Wavelength enables developers to support a variety of use cases, from real-time gaming to applications in high-trust, regulated industries. The deployment of AWS Wavelength Zones will provide local businesses with access to advanced cloud services, helping them to innovate and compete in the global market.
Swarmio, a telco-grade gaming technology provider, is one of the companies set to benefit from AWS Wavelength. Vijai Karthigesu, CEO and Founder of Swarmio, noted the importance of low-latency cloud services for the gaming community: “AWS Wavelength will help us transform the worldwide gaming landscape by combining the power of AWS with our Swarmio Edge platform to provide an unmatched, low-latency experience that allows creators to connect and delights global game publishers and developers.”
