In an increasingly digitalised financial environment, banking institutions and microfinance establishments face unprecedented technological challenges. Rising cyberattacks, strengthened regulatory requirements from the BCEAO and UEMOA, internal infrastructure failures, high modernisation costs, and growing dependency on digital services — all of these factors undermine the operational continuity of actors whose primary capital is trust. In Côte d'Ivoire, the UEMOA leader, the banking sector recorded a total balance sheet approaching 25,000 billion FCFA at end-2024, illustrating the scale of the stakes involved.
It is in this context that ST Digital, a company specialising in the integration of digital solutions and services, invited IT directors from financial institutions on 25 February last to a Digital Breakfast in Cocody. The chosen theme: "Digital resilience of financial institutions: why infrastructure colocation is becoming essential?" A high-level meeting to present a concrete response to the challenges facing the sector.
Colocation, a strategic response to security and continuity requirements
Colocation is a service that enables businesses to host their equipment and infrastructure in a secure datacenter, while retaining ownership and control over their hardware.
"They access their equipment as if they were at their own site. It is simply a change of location, but the equipment is situated in a far more secure environment that complies with the standards imposed by regulators", declared Maurice MONSO, New Business Sales Director at ST Digital.
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Furthermore, colocation significantly strengthens the physical and logical security of infrastructures. Sites are protected by strict access controls, continuous monitoring, and advanced cybersecurity measures. This reduces the risks of intrusion, sabotage, or data loss — threats that are particularly critical for the financial sector.
The advantages are both financial and technical. From a financial perspective, colocation enables a significant reduction in CAPEX by eliminating the need for heavy investment in proprietary server rooms, while optimising operational costs. From a technical standpoint, ST Digital's data centres are certified to international standards (Tier III, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS) and offer full redundancy: multi-layer power supply, secure cooling systems, independent network connections, and advanced physical and logical security with 24/7 monitoring.
Another major advantage lies in business continuity and recovery. In the event of a disaster, cyberattack, or local catastrophe, institutions can quickly switch their operations to secure systems without significant disruption to customers. This rapid recovery capability is essential for preserving public trust and complying with regulatory requirements. Business continuity and incident recovery thus become operational realities rather than mere promises.
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ST Digital, a pan-African player committed to digital transformation
It is with this conviction that the Commercial Director launched a now memorable phrase addressed to the financial institutions present: "Give us your headaches." A message that encapsulates the entire philosophy of ST Digital: relieving IT teams of the heavy burden of infrastructure constraints so they can focus on their core business, innovation and value creation.
The Chief Executive Officer, Yann-Gabriel N'ZI, emphasised that in such a competitive market, "digital resilience is today a factor of sustainability. It enables financial institutions not only to survive technological crises, but also to adapt, innovate and remain competitive in a constantly evolving ecosystem."
ST Digital is not limited to colocation alone. The company, whose vision is that of "international standard service quality for a leading pan-African group", offers a 360-degree portfolio structured around six pillars: digital transformation, infrastructure and cloud, cybersecurity, business solutions, collaborative work and training. These services extend well beyond financial institutions, also covering public administrations, healthcare, energy, industry and education.
As a reminder, ST Digital is a company specialising in supporting organisations through their digital transformation. Its offering is structured around six key areas: digital transformation, infrastructure and cloud, cybersecurity, business solutions, collaborative work, as well as adoption and training. At the heart of this framework is its Grand-Bassam datacenter, certified to international standards, which constitutes the cornerstone of its colocation offering and a strategic lever in its positioning on the 100% African Cloud.
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Present in seven countries — Congo, Cameroun, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, RDC, Togo and Bénin — the company reinforces its regional footprint through several strategic infrastructures, including datacenters established in Abidjan, as well as in Cameroun and Gabon, thereby consolidating its role as a key player in the African digital ecosystem.
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Source: ST Digital places infrastructure colocation at the heart of digital resilience