Data Lakehouse Training for the DS-I Africa Consortium and Government Institutions
On 22 October 2025, the INFORM Africa Research Hub, in collaboration with the DS-I Africa Coordinating Center, hosted a virtual Data Lakehouse Training for members of the DS-I Africa Consortium and representatives from government institutions. The training was designed to strengthen participants’ understanding of modern data management approaches and build practical skills in data integration, storage, and analysis using the Data Lakehouse architecture.
The session introduced participants to the evolution of data management technologies—from relational databases and data warehouses to data lakes and the modern Data Lakehouse paradigm. Facilitated by Danilo, the training demonstrated how Data Lakehouse architecture combines the flexibility of data lakes with the governance capabilities of data warehouses to support scalable, secure, and reproducible research.
Participants explored a prototype Data Lakehouse platform built with Couchbase, Docker, Python, R, and a web-based interface, gaining hands-on exposure to its capabilities for managing structured and unstructured data, metadata cataloguing, data sharing, and collaborative research. Practical demonstrations highlighted the platform’s APIs, Python and R packages, and integration with Google Colab for data analysis workflows.
The interactive discussions addressed key topics including data quality, harmonization, metadata management, privacy and access control, interoperability, multi-user collaboration, and practical use cases for research organizations. Participants also explored how the platform can complement existing data systems by providing a centralized environment for data management and analysis without replacing established institutional solutions.
The training reinforced INFORM Africa’s commitment to strengthening data science capacity across Africa by equipping researchers and government stakeholders with innovative tools that support data-driven decision-making, collaborative research, and improved public health outcomes.
