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Verdant Capital advises Open Access Data Centres (OADC) on landmark Joint Venture Agreement with Texaf

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Verdant Capital

Verdant Capital acted as WIOCC Group and OADC’s strategic and financial advisor on the joint venture transaction with TEXAF

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 30, 2023/APO Group/ — 

A landmark joint venture agreement (“JVA”) between Africa’s leading data centre operator, Open Access Data Centres (“OADC”), a WIOCC Group company, and TEXAF, one of the DRC’s oldest business groups, was signed this past July. The JVA crystallizes the two parties’ intention to usher in the next evolution of the DRC’s digital ecosystem by launching the country’s first open access, carrier-neutral data centre. The joint venture will be operated through their co-owned subsidiary, Open Access Data Entres-TEXAF Digital (DRC). The JV brings together OADC’s pan-African data centre operating expertise, coupled with the WIOCC Group’s continent-wide hyperscale connectivity infrastructure and capabilities, with TEXAF’s deep knowledge and experience investing and operating businesses in the DRC for almost a century.

The new data centre is a key piece in the new epoch of the DRC’s digital ecosystem.

OADC Kinshasa, is well-advanced and is scheduled to launch data centre operations in Q4 2023. The facility will be 2MW-capable and will ultimately have capacity for more than 550 racks across 1,000 square meters of white space. Certified as a Tier III facility by the Uptime Institute, OADC Kinshasa has already attracted significant interest in the market from major local and multinational corporates seeking to collocate in the new facility, including banks and telecommunications operators. Furthermore, OADC Kinshasa is already luring large international digital content providers seeking to expand their services in the vast and fast-growing DRC market.

OADC Kinshasa will be the first to house a vibrant and comprehensive interconnection and peering ecosystem in the country

OADC’s entry into the DRC will have a multi-faceted and long-term impact on the economy of the country. OADC Kinshasa is a true example of converged open digital infrastructure, or “CODI”, as it merges the provision of carrier-neutral and “open access” data centre facilities connected to hyperscale data networks (subsea and terrestrial networks form the core of WIOCC Group’s business). A rich and vibrant digital ecosystem meets at the intersection of these two key infrastructure components (data centres and hyperscale data networks), bringing a boost to the DRC’s economy and expediting digital transformation across the country.

The first of the ongoing and lasting impacts is already evident as OADC Kinshasa will be the first to house a vibrant and comprehensive interconnection and peering ecosystem in the country involving multiple telecommunications carriers, ISPs, content providers and internet exchanges, transforming the nation’s digital infrastructure ecosystem. OADC Kinshasa is expected to boost the country’s internet penetration which Internet World Stats reports was only 17.4% at the start of 2022, compared to 43.0% for Africa as a whole and 68.6% for the rest of the world. Likewise, cloud and internet services can be expected to increase consumer use of online applications such as Facebook which, according to Internet World Stats, had only 5.4% of the country’s population as subscribers versus 18.6% for Africa as a whole and 38.1% for the rest of the world.

Verdant Capital acted as WIOCC Group and OADC’s strategic and financial advisor on the joint venture transaction with TEXAF.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Verdant Capital.

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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Sinclair

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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PAPSS

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Sonangol

Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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