Against a backdrop of accelerating digital transformation and growing pressure on energy resources, data centres are emerging as critical infrastructure with a significant carbon footprint. The European Code of Conduct for Energy Efficiency in Data Centres is a voluntary framework designed to improve energy performance, reduce emissions and promote sustainable practices.

This paper analyses the contribution of adopting this framework in the context of the Lomé Data Centre, highlighting gains in energy efficiency, reductions in operational costs and improvements in infrastructure resilience. Beyond these benefits, the study adopts a broader approach to sustainability by exploring the potential role of carbon capture technologies in reducing indirect emissions linked to energy consumption, particularly in environments where energy sources remain partially carbon-based.


Furthermore, the article examines the importance of policy and market frameworks in supporting this transition. It highlights how alignment with international standards, combined with regulatory incentives, carbon pricing mechanisms and green financing initiatives, can accelerate the adoption of responsible energy practices in data centres across West Africa. These measures also foster the emergence of a competitive ecosystem conducive to sustainable investment and technological innovation.

The study emphasises that achieving the European Code of Conduct is not merely a technical improvement, but constitutes a strategic lever enabling Beninese data centres to become part of a global dynamic of energy transition, decarbonisation and integration into international markets.