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African countries Sri Lanka and Mauritius are working towards digital transformation in finance and the economy, with Sri Lanka advancing its plans for a hybrid sovereign cloud infrastructure while Mauritius is launching its National Fintech Strategy to drive financial inclusion and sustainable economic growth.
Sri Lanka aims to develop hybrid sovereign cloud strategy
Sri Lanka is exploring a hybrid sovereign cloud system as it works to develop its digital economy, with officials saying that sensitive government and financial data must remain within the country’s legal jurisdiction.
At the “GROUNDED: Local Data Sovereignty Cloud Summit” in Colombo on June 17, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne said that Sri Lanka is shifting toward a sovereign cloud framework for its digital public infrastructure (DP), such as its national digital ID and real-time payments system.
“The government is shifting towards a hybrid and sovereign cloud framework to keep highly sensitive financial and government data within local, legally bound boundaries,” Weeraratne said.
The country’s Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) leads the public consultation on the Cloud Policy and Strategy, which is aimed at enhancing Sri Lanka’s digital landscape. The draft documents, released for stakeholder feedback, emphasized the importance of secure, innovative cloud computing practices that align with national interests.
Due to strict data sovereignty regulations, the Sri Lankan government mandates that sensitive citizen and public data must remain within the country’s physical borders. This requirement will be supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS) (NASDAQ: AMZN), which offers tailored solutions for localized, low-latency, and highly regulated environments.
Weeraratne also discussed the potential to develop local artificial intelligence (AI) frameworks like “Sovereign AI” and the “NCINGA AI Factory,” aimed at strengthening the country’s economy and promoting financial inclusion.
Apart from the presence of AWS, the GROUNDED: Local Data Sovereignty Cloud Summit was attended by high-level and private sector executives, financial industry leaders, and technology experts like Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, and the Head of AWS Public Sector for India and Sri Lanka, Mayank Arora.
Mauritius revealed plan for a national fintech strategy
The government of Mauritius, a country in East Africa, has launched its 2026 – 2030 National Fintech Strategy. The strategy was developed by the Ministry of Financial Services and Economic Planning, with technical support from the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Mauritius Africa Fintech Hub, and other stakeholders.
The National Fintech Strategy aims to provide a comprehensive framework to improve the country’s fintech ecosystem, promote responsible innovation, and develop the African nation’s digital economy. It is structured into six pillars: regulatory framework and innovation; digital infrastructure and cybersecurity; talent and skills development; innovation and market growth; international collaboration and positioning; and financial inclusion with consumer protection.
“The launch of the Mauritius National Fintech Strategy 2026–2030 is a powerful demonstration of how African countries can shape their own digital finance futures, anchored in innovation, inclusion and sound governance,” said Eunice Kamwendo, Director of the ECA Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) on behalf of ECA Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete. “Mauritius is setting an important example for the region by demonstrating how fintech can strengthen competitiveness, expand financial inclusion and unlock new opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs and businesses.”
“The launch of this Strategy marks Mauritius’ moment to ignite a broader African fintech transformation and contribute to building a continental model for digital finance that promotes inclusion, innovation and sustainable economic growth,” she added.
In addition, Financial Services and Economic Planning Minister Jyoti Jeetun said the finance sector remains one of the country’s strongest levers for economic democratization and noted that digitalization has been transforming global finance by widening access to credit, enabling cross-border trade, advancing tokenization, and improving regulatory technology.
The strategy will be delivered through a phased roadmap led by the National Fintech Governance Council, starting this year and continuing through 2030. One of the key implementation targets is to reduce licensing turnaround times, broaden unified digital onboarding, develop specialized fintech skills for over 5,000 individuals yearly, strengthen Mauritius’ digital infrastructure, and position the nation as one of the world’s leading fintech innovators.
“The Mauritius National Fintech Strategy demonstrates how African countries can harness innovation, digital technologies and strong institutions to build resilient and inclusive financial ecosystems. By investing in regulatory innovation, digital infrastructure and human capital, Mauritius is creating an enabling environment that will attract investment, expand financial inclusion and strengthen regional competitiveness,” Mactar Seck, Chief of the Emerging and Frontier Technologies, Innovation and Digital Transformation Section at ECA, said.
Watch: Tech redefines how thigs are done—Africa is here for it
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