Telecom
Africa Data Centres Breaks Ground on New Sameer Facility in Nairobi
Africa Data Centres has broken ground on its new facility in Nairobi; The new build will expand its existing data centre by up to 15MW of IT load; The facility will be built in the company’s leading-edge modular design.
Africa Data Centres, a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, is pleased to announce it has officially broken ground on an additional data centre facility in Nairobi. The new build will see the existing facility on the adjacent piece of land expanded up to an extra 15MW of IT load.
ADC’s expansion at the new site will be completed in the first half of 2024 and will bring five times more capacity than is currently installed.
“We believe that data centres will play a significant role in digital transformation and economic growth on our continent. Without them, the push towards a digital economy in Africa will be missing a key pillar. Our decision to increase our investment in our data centres in Kenya is in recognition of the position the country now occupies as a leader in the adoption of digital technologies in Africa” says Hardy Pemhiwa, Group President & CEO of Cassava Technologies.
During the ground-breaking ceremony today, Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres, said, “The expansion will enable Africa Data Centre clients to grow and scale depending on their requirements. They can start small, increase to a medium capacity, and even benefit from a hyperscale type of deployment in a few years if they choose to. This will enable customers to operate multiple deployments across our sites with a single operations team, campus, and infrastructure they are familiar with”.
Kenya is the country that pioneered mobile money, and today boasts of a wide range of incubators and tech startups, a clear sign of an innovative tech culture. The focus on Kenya as a key region aims to take the region further into the digital era and uplift the country’s profile globally as an attractive investment destination for international cloud providers, hyperscalers, and other ICT companies.
The new data facility will begin with 5MW of IT load and will be built in Africa Data Centres’ leading-edge modular design – an innovative approach that sees the entire facility, including all critical plant rooms, prefabricated off-site. This ensures the highest possible quality, whilst local contractors will still benefit from contracts to lay foundations, assemble, and complete the build.
He stresses that sustainability is at the heart of everything Africa Data Centres does. In terms of cooling, even as the largest network of interconnected, carrier- and cloud-neutral data centre facilities on the continent, ADC has a strict policy of not using adiabatic systems. “We do not use water in any of our cooling systems and are one of the few colocation providers who have taken this step,” said Durvasula.
While the common belief might be that water and adiabatic systems are more efficient than air cooling systems, this simply is not the case. “With the newest technology, if free-cooling capacity is maximised, it becomes far more efficient and saves water which is becoming a critical commodity, particularly in Africa.”
He added that Africa Data Centre is fortunate in Kenya as almost 70% of grid power is from green energy sources. “This helps us to meet our sustainability objectives because we understand no organisation can achieve zero carbon emissions by itself. We understand that sustainability is about ensuring that we conduct ourselves in a manner that minimises our impact on the environment. We extend this ethos to all of our partners, and constantly look for ways to ensure that all elements of the business contribute positively to the sustainability of the planet”.
Today’s event is a step forward in the company’s expansion plans announced in 2021, which will see Africa Data Centres investing $500m into building hyperscale data centres across Africa with the support of the US Development Finance Corporation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has dismissed claims of a telecommunications tariff hike allegedly set to take effect in January 2025.
The Commission described the reports as false and unfounded, urging subscribers to disregard the misinformation.
A senior NCC official, emphasised that the regulatory body operates under a transparent framework guided by the Nigerian Communications Act, according to Punch Newspaper.
According to the official, this framework requires stakeholder consultations and strict adherence to due process before any tariff adjustments are approved.
“These rumours are baseless and misleading. The NCC is committed to protecting consumers and ensuring that any potential tariff changes are communicated clearly and transparently,” the official stated.
“Subscribers can rest assured that no tariff increase has been approved,” he added.
The NCC also appealed to journalists and industry stakeholders to verify information before publication, stressing the importance of accurate reporting to avoid unnecessary public panic.
Reiterating its commitment to consumer interests and the stability of the telecommunications industry, the Commission assured Nigerians that updates on tariffs or related matters would always be communicated through official channels.
The Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) also addressed the rumours.
Speaking in Lagos, Mr Sina Bilesanmi, national president, ATCIS, stated that the association sought clarification directly from the NCC on December 24, 2024.
“The NCC confirmed there is no truth to claims of call charges increasing to N15.40 per minute from N11, SMS charges rising to N5.60, or 1GB of data costing N1,400 instead of N1,000.
“Any changes in tariffs, if necessary, will follow due process and involve input from all stakeholders, including ATCIS. There is no cause for alarm,” Bilesanmi said.
Both the NCC and ATCIS emphasised their commitment to consumer protection and urged subscribers to rely on verified information from credible sources.
Telecom
UnoTelos and Niral Networks Forge Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Connectivity in Africa
UnoTelos, a leading telecommunications innovator in Nigeria, has announced a groundbreaking strategic partnership with Niral Networks, an advanced Private 5G and EDGE AI computing solutions provider from India.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in addressing connectivity challenges and driving digital transformation across Africa.
Transformative Connectivity Solutions
The partnership between UnoTelos and Niral Networks emerges from a shared vision to overcome critical network infrastructure limitations that have traditionally hindered technological progress in the region. By combining UnoTelos’ deep understanding of the African market with Niral Networks’ cutting-edge NiralOS 5G Core and Edge AI technology, the collaboration aims to deliver secure, low-latency, and scalable connectivity solutions.
“This partnership is more than a technological alliance—it’s about empowerment,” said Jude Egbokwu, Founder & CEO of UnoTelos. “We are not just solving connectivity problems; we’re creating opportunities for businesses to innovate, grow, and compete on a global stage.”
“Our collaboration with UnoTelos represents a pivotal moment in the digital transformation journey across Africa. By integrating Niral Networks’ advanced Private 5G and Edge AI technologies with UnoTelos’ profound system integration capabilities and market insights, we are not just deploying telecom infrastructure—we are engineering ecosystems for innovation. This partnership is strategically designed to address the continent’s most critical connectivity challenges, enabling industries from mining to oil & gas to leapfrog technological barriers and compete on a global scale,” said Abhijit Chaudhary, Founder & CEO of Niral Networks.
Strategic Focus and Initial Deployments
The initial partnership will concentrate on pilot projects across key strategic sectors, including:
- Mining
- Oil and Gas
- Manufacturing
- Shipping & Ports
- Aviation & Airports
- Logistics & Warehousing
The modular design of NiralOS Private 5G and Edge provides the flexibility to customize solutions that meet the unique requirements of each industry, ensuring efficient and targeted deployment.
Technological Innovation and Market Differentiation
By leveraging NiralOS Private 5G and Edge, UnoTelos is positioning itself at the forefront of telecommunications innovation. The partnership enables enterprises in Nigeria to access advanced connectivity solutions that were previously unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
Key technological advantages include:
- Secure and reliable private network infrastructure
- Low-latency communication
- Scalable edge computing capabilities
- Tailored solutions for specific industry needs
Economic and Developmental Impact
The partnership is expected to catalyse digital transformation across multiple sectors. Potential applications include smart factory solutions, enhanced remote operations, and sophisticated IoT-enabled systems that can dramatically improve operational efficiency and competitiveness.
Future Outlook
Looking ahead, UnoTelos and Niral Networks envision expanding their collaboration, with plans to:
- Increase deployment scope
- Develop more advanced connectivity solutions
- Support the development of Private 5G & EDGE infrastructure
- Advance critical sectors like telemedicine and autonomous systems
Since Friday, December 27, 2024, when Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, announced an increase in its monthly subscription prices across Nigeria, effective immediately for new customers and starting January 27, 2025, for existing users, the industry regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is yet to react officially.
In an email to its subscribers on Friday, the company stated that the price adjustments are necessary to enhance its network infrastructure and maintain the delivery of high-quality internet service across the country.
The new pricing structure is as follows: Standard (Residential) ₦75,000, Mobile – Regional (Roam Unlimited) ₦167,000, and Mobile – Global (Global Roam) ₦717,000.
“These changes reflect our commitment to investing in the infrastructure needed to support and improve your experience with Starlink,” the company said.
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