Cloud optimisation drives digital growth in South Africa

Amritesh Anand, vice-president and managing director of Technology Services Group at In2IT Technologies, believes cloud optimisation is now fundamental to digital transformation in South Africa

With the country’s cloud services market expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 24.5% through 2025, the need to optimise cloud investments has never been more urgent. According to Anand, unlocking the full value of cloud technologies requires more than migration – it demands a strategic approach, backed by expert IT partnerships.

Cloud optimisation ensures cloud resources are used efficiently, workloads are balanced correctly, and operating costs are effectively managed. Without this, businesses risk over-provisioning or underutilising resources, which can lead to high costs or performance slowdowns. Anand highlights a typical scenario where a manufacturing company transitions to the cloud without expert input and ends up overpaying for unused services or struggling to meet demand during peak times.

In South Africa, many businesses are adopting hybrid and multi-cloud strategies to achieve flexibility and maintain control over sensitive data. But these strategies bring their own complexity. Anand explains that this is where IT partners play a pivotal role — helping organisations ensure seamless integration between platforms, implementing scalable architectures, and setting up predictive systems to plan resource usage.

Security and regulatory compliance are also top priorities. In a market governed by strict data privacy rules such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), organisations must ensure they are compliant while maintaining system performance. IT partners support this by introducing robust governance frameworks and security protocols tailored to industry requirements. For instance, a healthcare provider managing sensitive patient records would rely on an IT partner to meet compliance obligations while ensuring the integrity and security of data.

IT partners also play a key role in enabling innovation by taking over daily infrastructure management. This allows businesses to focus on developing new products, services, and user experiences. Anand notes that for startups and public sector agencies alike, this can drastically speed up time-to-market. A fintech company, for example, might lean on its IT partner to manage the backend systems while it concentrates on launching customer-facing digital platforms.

Beyond cost efficiency and compliance, cloud optimisation enhances scalability and resilience. A logistics company operating across southern Africa could partner with an IT firm to develop a hybrid cloud solution that integrates real-time tracking with predictive analytics. This not only boosts operational performance but also supports strategic expansion.

Anand emphasises that while South Africa’s cloud landscape is rich in potential, challenges such as skills shortages and fragmented infrastructure persist. Expert IT partners bridge this gap — offering customised solutions, negotiating cost-effective contracts with providers, and helping businesses get the most out of their cloud environments.

As cloud adoption accelerates across industries, organisations that partner with the right IT experts will be best positioned to scale effectively, remain secure, and lead innovation. In today’s fast-evolving digital ecosystem, cloud optimisation is no longer optional — it’s a strategic necessity.