Ecobank

Protecting banking services through geographically separate recovery sites

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Climate and nature-related risk: Weather-related disruption to data centres, electricity, or connectivity affecting access to banking services
Solution pathway: Geographically separate recovery sites; recovery testing; business-continuity planning

Business type: Large pan-African banking group
Sector: Banking and financial services
Geography: Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria

In Practice

Ecobank’s banking services depend on reliable access to centralised technology systems. Its 2023 annual report, pages 124–125, describes testing data protection and integrity through planned and unplanned transfers of services between its Accra and Lagos data centres. A disaster-recovery test demonstrated that centralised services could be recovered and operated from the second centre. 

These arrangements form part of a wider business-continuity programme covering access to critical applications, communications, and the restoration of operations. Subsidiaries and business units are guided to maintain and regularly test plans, with defined responsibilities and recovery time frames.

The approach has potential relevance to climate resilience because separating recovery capacity can reduce dependence on a single exposed location. A techUK report on data-centre climate resilience explains the importance of geographic diversity and resilient infrastructure. Ecobank’s report documents recovery capability but does not establish a climate-driven siting decision or recovery from a specific weather event.

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Why this example was selected

The case describes an implemented arrangement and a reported recovery test, linking infrastructure redundancy with the practical ability to restore banking services. It also provides a pan-African example of coordinating business continuity across locations and operating units. The implementation evidence is company-reported; the external industry guidance explains its climate relevance without independently validating Ecobank’s recovery performance.

Key Lesson

Combine geographically separate recovery capacity with regular tests of essential services. Check whether locations share weather, electricity, or connectivity risks, and define the responsibilities and recovery times needed to restore customer access. 

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