A second big data centre story this month has come from the Democratic Republic of Congo as it inaugurates a US$30 million data centre from Raxio Group, said to be Africa’s leading carrier-neutral Tier III data centre operator.

Located in Limete on the southeast of Kinshasa, the two-storey Raxio DRC1 spans 1,542 square metres and is the country’s largest data centre.

DRC1’s modern design can house up to 400 racks and can reliably deliver 1.5MW of IT power to customer equipment. The 24/7 ‘always-on’ facility is located along key fibre routes, delivering best-in-class colocation and connectivity services. 

Multiple paths for power and cooling systems underpin the centre’s Tier III certification, while the usage of cutting edge components guarantees what are described as unmatched levels of efficiency and a commitment to sustainability principles.

The project was announced in 2021 and broke ground on construction in early 2023.

Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group says: “DRC is one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing markets with an existing latent demand for digital products and services that is forecast to soar in the coming years. With this facility, we are providing the critical infrastructure essential to supporting the digital economy and enhancing connectivity – and we expect to expand our presence in DRC through additional capacity and new facilities in years to come.”

The DRC launch aligns with the government’s Plan National du Numerique to make expansive digitalisation a catalyst for economic growth, competitiveness and social inclusion, while enabling a range of public and private sector cloud-based digital services.

The provision of data centres is one of the key pillars of the government plan, improving the digital landscape through reduced latency for real-time applications and providing a reliable backbone for mobile and internet connectivity.

This is not the only recent major data centre news from DRC. Less than two weeks ago we reported that the first phase of OADC Texaf Digital, a joint venture between African data centre company Open Access Data Centres (OADC) and TEXAF, a major long-term investor in the economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was live in Kinshasa.

Neterra, a global communications service provider, has achieved carbon neutrality for 2023 and has been officially certified by the international organization Verra. This significant accomplishment is the result of the company’s dedicated efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and invest in sustainable projects.

The Verra certification confirms that Neterra has offset 74 tons of carbon dioxide by supporting the “Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary” project in Cambodia. This project meets the CCB-Biodiversity Gold and CCB-Gold standards, highlighting its positive impact on biodiversity.

The project covers 167,000 hectares of protected dense forest and a 297,000-hectare buffer zone, home to the indigenous Bunong people and rare, endangered plant and animal species. It also hosts one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants. By supporting this project, Neterra contributes to the preservation of Keo Seima’s unique ecosystem and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

“Achieving carbon neutrality is a strategic goal for Neterra, and we are incredibly proud to see the results of our efforts. This marks the third consecutive year of reporting zero emissions. We will continue to strive for a more sustainable future, support projects with a positive environmental impact, and seek new ways to reduce our ecological footprint,” said Neven Dilkov, founder and CEO of Neterra.

Neterra set its ambition to become a carbon-neutral company at the beginning of 2021. Since then, it has been purchasing and using 100% clean energy for its operations and implementing comprehensive measures. Neterra has built a solar park for its own needs and plans to implement a similar project at its Data Center Park in Stolnik (SDC Stolnik).

The company’s fleet consists of electric or hybrid vehicles, and all documentation processes are digital, eliminating the need for paper. In the offices, Neterra ensures that only reusable dishes and utensils are used—no single-use or plastic items are purchased or provided. Employees also actively participate in reforestation initiatives, planting thousands of trees to help restore Bulgarian forests.

Some automation, some optical, some energy, and some funding: … [visit site to read more]

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News

SpaceX says it will gradually replace its first-generation satellites with larger, more advanced alternatives

This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has confirmed that it will allow SpaceX to gradually replace its existing first-generation Starlink satellites with second-generation satellites.

SpaceX has roughly 6,281 Starlink satellites in orbit around the Earth, which are used to provide global coverage for communication services. The company currently has permission from the FCC to expand this total to 12,000 Starlink satellites, with its ultimate goal being to increase the scale of the constellation to roughly 42,000 devices.

However, having first been launched in 2019, some of these satellites are nearing the end of their five-year lifespan. As such, SpaceX has been applying to the FCC to be allowed to replace defunct satellites with newer models.

According to SpaceX, these new satellites will be equipped with “advanced beam-forming and digital processing technologies”, which will allow for “narrower beam capabilities to provide more targeted and robust coverage” of broadband services.

This new beamforming tech was a point of contention for satellite operator Dish Network, which said the tech could potentially cause interference with their existing services. However, the FCC dismissed these arguments, noting in its authorisation statement that it ‘disagreed’ that the technology would result “in SpaceX violating Commission and ITU EPFD (equivalent-power flux density) limits”.

SpaceX says it will replace existing satellites only when they reach the end of their commercial lifespan, which is typically around five years. Exactly how fast this means the entire existing constellation will be transitioned is unclear.

It is worth noting here that SpaceX is also in the process of launching satellites cable of direct-to-cell (DTC) connectivity, allowing customers to access their communication services directly via their normal smartphone, without the need for a Starlink terminal. So far, the company has launched over 100 of these DTC satellites, though it is forbidden to use them commercially until it receives approval from the FCC.

Unfortunately for SpaceX, the path to approval could be a difficult one, with both AT&T and Verizon this week writing to the FCC to again raise issues of potential service interference.

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Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with the country’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has launched a data-capturing scheme for Nigerian farmers.

The idea is that by capturing accurate data on farmers, government can better understand their needs and allocate resources, ensuring targeted support to farmers and enhancing agricultural productivity.

The initiative therefore aims to create a comprehensive database of farmers to facilitate effective agricultural planning and intervention. The Nairametrics news site says that the partnership will leverage NIMC’s expertise in identity management to create a robust and reliable database.

A technical working group (TWG), which includes directors from various technical departments and a representative from NIMC, has been established to oversee the implementation of the scheme.

The TWG will build a detailed work plan with clear timelines, roles and responsibilities and design robust data collection tools to capture essential farmer information, such as personal identification, farm size, and crop types. There will also be training programmes for field officers and data collectors to ensure data accuracy and consistency.

This isn’t the first time Nigeria’s federal government has used communications and IT for the benefit of the agricultural sector. In July it announced that it was developing a web application aimed at training farmers on best practices for different crops. The app will be available in major languages.

In March we reported that MTN Nigeria and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had announced plans to disseminate weather and climate information to farmers and other users across Nigeria.

News 

The Chinese government continues to funnel money into its domestic chip capabilities in order to reduce reliance on US technology 

The Shanghai Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund (SSIIF), managed by the local government to support the city’s chip industry, has doubled its size to around $2 billion after a recent funding round.  

The new funds were primarily contributed to by state-backed entities based in Shanghai, in the city’s strategic push to bolster its semiconductor industry amid ongoing US sanctions targeting China’s tech sector. 

This cash increase is expected to enhance the SSIIF’s ability to finance crucial semiconductor projects aimed making China less reliant on foreign technology.  

Since its establishment in 2016, the SSIIF has been instrumental in supporting major players in the local chip industry, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), China’s largest chip maker. 

The latest funding boost into the SSIIF comes on the heels of Shanghai’s launch of a new $6.2 billion Integrated Circuit Industry Parent Fund in July 2024. This fund , part of the Made in China 2025 plan, aims to bring China’s semiconductor industry up to international standards by 2030.  

The move underscores China’s intention to reduce its dependence on foreign technology, particularly after the export controls imposed by Washington. The US has imposed strict sanctions on China, restricting its access to advanced semiconductor technology, including chips, equipment, and software. These measures target Chinese firms like SMIC and block them from acquiring the critical US-made tech required to produce the most advanced chips. 

While China has certainly made rapid technical progress in semiconductors in recent years, the US government remains unphased. Earlier this year, the US secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo dismissed Huawei’s latest chip technology breakthrough powering its latest smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, describing it as “years behind what we have in the United States”. She also confirmed that the US would not trade with China on technologies that affect national security. 

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