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CSquared Celebrates Connecting Africa through 5 Remarkable Years of Success

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CSquared

This week the Management team of CSquared Group celebrates the company’s 5th Anniversary whilst in Cape Town, South Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, November 7, 2022/APO Group/ — 

In Togo, Société d’Infrastructures Numériques (SIN) and Csquared (https://www.CSquared.com/) formed a joint venture (http://bit.ly/3FOSsfb) in a major digital infrastructure transformation initiative that lands Google’s Equiano Cable in Togo. In Liberia, CSquared and USAID enter into a new partnership to construct an open access fiber backbone connecting Liberia, Ivory Coast & Guinea. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), CSquared now operates 100km of fiber in Kinshasa with Africell as anchor customer. An MoU with Société Congolaises des Postes et Télécommunications (SCPT) will land the country’s 2nd Submarine cable and enhance the National fiber backbone network. CSquared embarks on building its West Africa terrestrial backbone, starting with a partnership with the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) (http://bit.ly/3Teq4WH) connecting major cities within Ghana and neighbouring countries. Across Africa, our Cloud Services team is connecting customers to the public cloud providers via leading data centers (PAIX, iColo, Raxio, ADC, Terraco, MainOne, ONIX), providing simplified & tailored access to multi-cloud services.

This week the Management team of CSquared Group celebrates the company’s 5th Anniversary whilst in Cape Town, South Africa attending AfricaCom (http://bit.ly/3f22ajn) – Africa’s leading digital infrastructure gathering that brings together decision makers across the communications technology ecosystem focused on connecting the next billion people on the continent by inclusive, sustainable growth through tech investments.

Commenting on the Anniversary and the company’s achievements Lanre Kolade, CSquared Group Chief Executive Officer shared “It is not just a company anniversary but a family anniversary that has defied all odds to grow stronger and achieve great things together. I am so grateful to my team, our customers and partners, for their support and trust have been the biggest driver towards our continued growth. For emerging markets to fast track their development, communication is key, and the foundation of reliable communication is broadband infrastructure. Countries are now moving towards e-governance, e-health, e-education and those pillars cannot be achieved without the required infrastructure. That’s the gap CSquared aims to fill, ensuring that all African countries have sufficient broadband infrastructure. Our approach ensures that everyone, both the private and the public sector benefits from the infrastructure that is rolled out by CSquared.”

This year the African Development Bank (AfDB) estimated Africa’s infrastructure financing needs to be as much as $170 billion a year by 2025, with an estimated gap of about $100 billion a year. CSquared and its investors Google, Mitsui & Co (Japan), Convergence Partners (South Africa) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC, World Bank Group) play a critical role in supporting Africa achieve its ambitious digital needs.

A great deal has been achieved since 2017 when CSquared, originally a pilot project [Project Link (https://bit.ly/3ta4ZSR)] in Google, became an independent company with existing operations in Uganda and Ghana.

Fast forward 5 remarkable years of success:

TOGO

In March 2022, in the sunny city of Lomé, Togo, CSquared and Société d’Infrastructures Numériques (SIN), a public telecommunications asset company, announced a strategic partnership to create a joint venture (JV) – CSquared Woezon. CSquared Woezon is a Togolese company with a minority public shareholding, 56% owned by CSquared and 44% owned by SIN. The entity is in charge of maintaining and operating Cable Landing Station for Equiano, Google’s subsea internet cable running from Portugal to South Africa with Togo as its first landing in Africa; as well as the existing Lomé metropolitan optical fiber network [e-Gouv]; and the national fiber backbone network [Communauté Electrique du Bénin (CEB)].

This JV demonstrates the company’s commitment and unique ability to partner with African Governments to achieve their national digital development goals. Public Private Partnerships hold the key to upgrading broadband infrastructure to next generation networks and driving the future advancement of ICT in emerging markets.

It is not just a company anniversary but a family anniversary that has defied all odds to grow stronger and achieve great things together

LIBERIA

CSquared is excited to announce today a new partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish a 350 km national fiber backbone in Liberia, extending from  the nation’s capital city, Monrovia to the Ivory Coast and Guinea borders, crossing more than 13 cities, and enabling the country’s Internet service providers (ISPs) and mobile network operators (MNOs) to reach over one million Liberians and 50+  businesses and social institutions. The backbone will also provide Liberia with critical redundancy to the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable, currently the nation’s single source for international bandwidth and will become part of CSquared’s West Africa backbone carrying traffic from Liberia through to Nigeria.

This follows CSquared’s hugely successful partnership in 2017 with the Government of Liberia and USAID to bring best-in-class, reliable broadband infrastructure to Monrovia and its environs. The new partnership falls under USAID’s Digital Invest program, part of the U.S. Government’s Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership and a flagship project of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment announced by President Biden in June 2022. These interventions are crucial to helping USAID fulfill its mission to help Liberia end extreme poverty and build resilient democratic institutions and to build open, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystems.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The company’s focus has also shifted to include Africa’s 2nd largest country by land mass, DRC, where at a recent World Bank connectivity conference held in Kinshasa, it was estimated that between 8 to 9 billion US Dollars will be needed to fully fiberise the DRC. CSquared with its development partners intends to significantly participate in this funding opportunity. In October, CSquared kicked off this commitment with the signing of two major deals.

The first was an MoU with SCPT (Société Congolaises des Postes et Télécommunications), enabling the Government’s goal of driving the country’s digital transformation by leveraging government assets through Public Private Partnerships. Our Accord Cadre will initially have 3 key components: to facilitate the landing of a 2nd Submarine Cable in DRC similar to our successful collaboration with Google and the Government of Togo landing Equiano in Lomé, Togo; the construction of a second Cable Landing Station [CLS] to connect to the Equiano Cable; and to expand and upgrade the National Fiber backbone network.

The second was with Africell, CSquared’s first anchor customer in DRC. Africell is a fast-growing mobile network operator with a pan-African footprint. Providing fast and reliable mobile network coverage and related technology services to over 16 million subscribers with a mission to make a positive everyday difference to customers, Africell and CSquared partner to impact lives through the provision of affordable, accessible and good quality telecoms products and services.

CLOUD

In the cloud connectivity and data center ecosystem, CSquared is a forward-thinking enabler. As an open-access network provider, CSquared has partnered with carrier-neutral data centers to make reliable connectivity available on demand to all ISPs and MNOs, who access large amounts of critical data in these data centers and the public cloud. These providers can then focus on delivering quality services to their end users while benefiting from our open access network, providing wide and seamless coverage to data centers and hosting facilities across the continent. A data center located PoP caters for layering Cloud offerings to provide simplified and tailored access, migration & consumption of multi-cloud services to businesses cost effectively to drive digital transformation across Africa.

Africa is undergoing impressive urban growth and is envisioned to reach a population of 2.4 billion people within the next few decades, favouring cities over rural areas. By 2030, it is expected that 6 of the world’s 41 megacities will be African. The urbanization process undoubtedly has the power to transform an economy. However, it also comes with a set of challenges such as the need for mobility and access to urban services, access to clean water and sanitation, public health, safety issues as well as policy-related matters.

Lanre Kolade remains enthusiastic about the company’s future and its role in directly tackling this challenge because as he states “If there is one thing CSquared has proven over the past 5 years, it is that we build broadband-enabling infrastructure for the future that guarantees a better, safer, faster customer experience, democratizing connectivity and achieving #InternetForAll. Get ready Africa, the future is promising and exciting.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CSquared.

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Not Just a Sporting Event, but Also a Technological Test: Insights into the World’s First Human-Robot Co-Run Marathon

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April 10, 2025

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E-Town

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 April 2025 – A scene even science fiction has yet to depict—humans and humanoid robots running side by side in a half-marathon — will become reality on ​April 13 in Beijing E-Town. Every spring, marathons sprout across China like bamboo shoots after rain. In Beijing, the world’s only “Dual Olympic City” and a global hub for science and innovation, the ​2025 Beijing E-Town Half-Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon, scheduled for ​April 13, will pioneer a “sports + technology” format. For the first time, humanoid robots will register alongside human runners, start simultaneously, and share the 21.0975-kilometer course in an unprecedented fusion of innovation.

Li Quan, Member of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Beijing E-Town, revealed that the event has already attracted over ​30,000 human applicants. On the robotics front, global humanoid robot companies, research institutes, robotics clubs, universities, and other innovators have shown immense enthusiasm, with registration numbers soaring.

Notably, to ensure safety, ​physical barriers will separate human and robot runners, with distinct race rules and completion time standards. Yet this groundbreaking human-robot collaboration undeniably signals a bold leap for “technology stepping into reality.”

During a visit to training facilities, reporters observed teams racing against time to upgrade robotic components and intelligence levels, tackling technical challenges to enhance mobility. Some competing robots now reach a ​top speed of 12 km/h. To mitigate the physical strain of road running, some models have added shock-absorbing mechanisms, while others wear customized running shoes.

Liang Liang, Deputy Director of the Beijing E-Town Administrative Committee, explained that as the event is a ​global first with no prior experience or data to reference, both logistics and participants face significant hurdles. To support the robots, organizers have deployed dedicated support vehicles and robotic aid stations. Additionally, they are working closely with each team to refine technology, troubleshoot functions, and achieve developmental goals through pre-race collaboration.

At the ​2024 Paris Olympics, artificial intelligence revolutionized real-time data monitoring, 3D motion capture, and referee decision-making—boosting athlete training efficiency and competitive fairness while showcasing how technology elevates life’s value.

The upcoming human-robot “half-marathon” collaboration represents a ​new frontier where the humanoid robotics industry intersects with humanity, sports, and endurance challenges. Industry experts note that half-marathons strike an ideal balance between “challenge and accessibility”: the event’s low entry barrier contrasts with its rigorous test of physical stamina and mental resilience, culminating in profound personal achievement. By completing the same course, humanoid robots aim to validate industrial progress and refine human-centric technologies.

“This isn’t just a sports competition—it’s a ​stress test for technological breakthroughs and industrial growth,” asserted Xiong Youjun, CEO of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center.

A participating robotics executive stated that “marathon-running robots” could accelerate technical maturity, spur industry standards, and drive innovation. On one front, the effort pushes upgrades in high-torque motors, flexible joints, and wear-resistant materials. On another, running’s demand for full-body coordination forces tighter integration of hardware-software systems and deeper partnerships between manufacturers and AI algorithm firms.

These advances promise to unlock ​transformative applications: deploying humanoid robots in disaster relief, long-range inspections, hazardous operations, smart manufacturing, and even elderly home care. As capabilities grow, such robots could also serve as AI training partners for elite athletes, “giving back” to sports development.

Industry experts emphasize that humanoid robots—comprising thousands of components—still face significant hurdles in maintaining stable, prolonged running.

Xiong Youjun explained, “Real-world road conditions differ vastly from lab environments.” To complete the race, robots require ​high-density integrated joints and bodies capable of enduring long distances with efficient heat dissipation. Second, precise coordination of all joints is critical for running, positioning, and dynamic obstacle avoidance—a test of core algorithm development and adaptability. Third, the marathon’s demands on stability, reliability, and battery life are immense, with slopes, turns, and uneven terrain pushing machine performance to its limits.

Given ​persistent technical challenges requiring breakthroughs in industrial development, alongside the disruptive impact of complex outdoor environments on robotic operations, current capabilities allow robots to run alongside humans but not truly compete with them. Thus, this event functions more as an ​industry dialogue and a ​robotic stress test than a traditional race.

For human participants and spectators, sharing the track with robots offers sensory thrills and intellectual expansion. These benefits are concrete: the “constructive interplay” between technology and society clarifies the boundaries of human-robot collaboration, reinforces the principle of “technology for humanity,” and accelerates the shift from ​coexistence to ​co-prosperity.

“As the essence of this event, humanoid robots ‘running marathons’ symbolize humanity’s imagination and dreams in motion—that’s the ultimate highlight,” said Li Quan. “Regardless of rankings or speed, the footprints left by these robots at the finish line hold greater value than any medal. The 21-kilometer course will end, but our quest for human-robot synergy never will.”

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Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to Speak at Mining in Motion Conference

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April 9, 2025

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Critical Minerals Africa

Mining in Motion will feature Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in high-level panel discussions on trends and opportunities within the gold mining sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 9, 2025/APO Group/ —

The Mining in Motion 2025 Summit is pleased to announce the participation of Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Ghana as a keynote speaker.

Held under the theme Sustainable Mining & Local Growth – Leveraging Resources for Global Impact, the summit brings together Ghana’s policymakers, gold mining stakeholders and international investors to explore strategies for unlocking Ghana’s full mining potential.

Minister Buah’s participation will be instrumental in highlighting opportunities across Ghana’s gold mining value chain, discussing regulatory reforms designed to attract new investments and promoting local content development. The event will showcase Ghana’s initiatives to formalize and strengthen the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.

Under the leadership of Hon. Bauh, Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has driven the growth of the ASGM sector and its contribution to economic growth and community development. The sector employs over one million people and has generated $5 billion in gold export revenue in 2024, strengthening the mining sector’s contribution to revenue generation.

In partnership with the World Bank, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is implementing the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project to empower District Mining Committees and formalize the ASGM sector. Additionally, Ghana is establishing a Gold Board to improve access to finance and markets for small-scale miners. The Cooperative Mining Policy of 2024 further strengthens the sector by fostering community mining cooperatives and enhancing their technical and financial capacity.

Minister Buah will use the summit as a platform to position Ghana as a model for ASGM formalization and sustainable sector growth. Beyond panel discussions, he will also participate in exclusive networking sessions and high-level meetings with global investors, exploration and production firms, government representatives and key mining stakeholders. These engagements will facilitate deal signings and partnerships aimed at accelerating the expansion of Ghana’s mining sector.

Stay informed about the latest advancements, network with industry leaders, and engage in critical discussions on key issues impacting ASGM and medium to large scale mining in Ghana. Secure your spot at the Mining in Motion 2025 Summit by visiting www.MiningInMotionSummit.com. For sponsorship opportunities or delegate participation, contact Sales@ashantigreeninitiative.org.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power

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South Africa Approves Renewable Energy Masterplan, Targeting Enhanced Energy Security

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April 9, 2025

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African Energy Week

African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 will examine the impact the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan will have on the country’s power generation landscape

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 9, 2025/APO Group/ –The South African Cabinet has approved the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) for implementation, targeting energy security and broader industrial growth. The plan seeks to address challenges associated with local capacity, infrastructure and investment by providing a roadmap for developing renewable energy and battery storage technologies. For investors, the plan identifies a clear pathway to advancing power projects as South African electricity demand is expected to rise two-fold by 2040.

The upcoming African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 – taking place September 29 to October 3 – will examine the impact the SAREM will have on the country’s energy mix. Uniting African government and policymakers with energy operators and investors, the event seeks to drive investment in African energy, in alignment with broader goals of making energy poverty history.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

South Africa targets ambitious growth across its renewable energy market, striving to strengthen grid resilience through large-scale investments in generation and transmission infrastructure. Led by policies such as the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) – revised in 2023 – the country envisages 29.5 GW of new capacity by 2030. Of this, 14.4 GW will be derived from wind while 6 GW comes from solar. The latest procurement round of the IRP targets 6.8 GW of renewable energy, 3 GW of natural gas and 1.5 GW of coal.

To realize these goals, the SAREM aims to leverage rising demand for renewable energy and storage technologies, with a focus on solar, wind, lithium-ion battery and vanadium-based battery technologies to drive industrial development in South Africa. The masterplan is anchored on four primary areas: supporting local demand for renewable energy and storage by unlocking system readiness; driving industrial development by building renewable energy and battery storage value chains; fostering inclusive development by driving transformation of the industry; and building local capabilities in terms of skills and technological innovation.

The SAREM is expected to fuel the already-growing South African renewable energy market. According to the African Energy Chamber’s State of African Energy 2025 Outlook, South Africa – alongside Egypt – is expected to continue leading Africa’s power generation in 2025. The continent has over 500 GW of renewable energy capacity in concept phase, 80% of which are in the North African region and South Africa. South Africa is also one of several countries leading in nuclear-based power generation. The SAREM will support growth by facilitating partnerships across the value chain, implementing targeted training programs while addressing challenges associated with regulatory barriers. While the SAREM provides significant benefits to the renewable energy landscape, Cabinet has directed that additional work be done on the masterplan to incentivize investors to fund projects. This includes the development of green hydrogen to meet international obligations of 5% blended fuel in aviation and maritime sectors by 2030.

During AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, a multi-track program will explore how policies such as the SAREM will shape Africa’s energy landscape. A dedicated Energy Transition stage will investigate Africa’s strategic approach to driving a just transition, tackling key topics including Energy Security in Africa; Driving Local Value; Scaling-up Renewable Energy; and many more. A Powering Africa stage will address fundamental challenges and opportunities surrounding Africa’s electricity market. For South Africa, panel discussions on Bridging the Electricity Gap; Energy Efficiency; Strengthening Public and Private Sector Collaboration; Energy Diversification, and more, will identify opportunities for investors and project developers. Meanwhile, an Invest in African Energies: Country Spotlight on South Africa will examine the country’s energy landscape, including the advancement of oil and gas projects and the implementation of utility-scale renewable energy projects. From green hydrogen adoption to battery storage solutions to solar, wind and natural gas, the spotlight will explore the role an integrated energy mix will have on the country’s energy future.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber

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