Author: Akin Naphtal

Equinix, the world’s leading digital infrastructure company, has officially launched its latest data center expansion in Lagos, further strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy. The new facility, named LG2.3, is designed to support the country’s ongoing digital transformation by delivering advanced colocation and secure interconnection services to enterprises across West Africa. The inauguration was led by Bruce Owen, President of EMEA at Equinix, who joined other company executives for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newly expanded site. The event marks a significant milestone in Equinix’s investment strategy for Africa, reflecting its long-term commitment to enabling scalable, secure, and…

MTN South Africa, in collaboration with Lynk Global, has successfully conducted Africa’s first-ever satellite-to-phone voice call using standard mobile phones. The historic event took place in Vryburg, a small town in South Africa’s North West Province, and was attended by top executives from both companies, including MTN South Africa’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, Rami Farah, and Lynk Global’s Chief Commercial Officer, Dan Dooley. “The beautiful thing about this trial is that using the satellite, you are able to connect large, unreached areas, thereby eliminating the connectivity challenges that traditional terrestrial infrastructure faces,” said Farah. “After this trial and the…

Digital Realty, the world’s leading provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center solutions, has officially launched its first data center on the Greek island of Crete. The new facility, HER1, located near Heraklion, marks a strategic expansion aimed at reinforcing the Mediterranean’s position as a global digital crossroads. HER1 is the first carrier-neutral data center on Crete, making Digital Realty the only global provider with infrastructure on the island. The facility is uniquely positioned to connect Europe with Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa via a dense network of subsea cables, transforming Crete into a key interconnection node in…

According to the United Nations, Africa stands at the brink of a monumental transformation, with the potential to inject $2.9 trillion into its economy by 2030 through the harnessing of artificial intelligence (AI). In a keynote address at the Global AI Summit on Africa last week, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, Amandeep Gill, emphasized AI’s capacity to create 11 million new opportunities and generate 500,000 jobs annually across the continent. While optimistic about AI’s potential, Gill called for a cautious and structured approach. He highlighted the necessity of a multilevel governance framework to ensure that…

Avanti Communications CEO Kyle Whitehill is steering the company through a rapidly evolving satellite industry, where the rise of Starlink has reshaped market dynamics. While traditional geostationary (GEO) satellite operators face mounting pressure, Whitehill sees this transformation as an opportunity to adapt and innovate. “The old model of large-scale satellite investments with uncertain returns is no longer sustainable,” Whitehill explains. “We are shifting towards strategic deployment and partnerships to enhance efficiency and adaptability.” Starlink’s initial focus on rural broadband in the U.S. quickly expanded into aviation, maritime, and military communications, significantly disrupting the industry. Whitehill points out, “They turned up…

Raxio Group has secured $100 million in financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to accelerate the expansion of its Sub-Saharan African regional data centre platform. The funding will enable Raxio to double its colocation data centre deployments within the next three years, responding to the growing demand for AI and cloud services across markets such as Ethiopia, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Scaling Digital Infrastructure in AfricaRobert Skjødt, CEO of Raxio Group, emphasized the importance of financing in bridging Africa’s digital divide. “This funding will allow Raxio to bring digital infrastructure to the regions that need…

AMD has finalized its acquisition of hyperscale server manufacturer ZT Systems for $4.9 billion, following a $1 billion investment the chipmaker previously made. ZT Systems’ U.S.-based data center infrastructure manufacturing business is expected to be sold off later this year, with AMD currently in discussions with multiple strategic partners. The company designs, integrates, manufactures, and deploys servers for major cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, generating an estimated $10 billion in annual revenue and delivering hundreds of thousands of servers each year. A Strategic Move in AI and Data CentersWith the acquisition, ZT Systems will operate…

HabariPay, the fintech arm of Guaranty Trust Holding Co Plc (GTCO), has posted an impressive N3.8 billion (over $2.4m) profit after tax in 2024, marking a significant milestone in its expansion within the financial technology space. The company’s full-year 2024 financial results, released over the weekend, revealed a 23% growth in gross revenue, reaching N5.8 billion, up from N4.7 billion in 2023. The surge was driven by strong performance across all key income lines, reinforcing fintech’s growing influence in Nigeria’s digital economy. GTCO’s Fintech Play Gains MomentumAs competition in Nigeria’s fintech sector intensifies, GTCO emphasized that HabariPay is emerging as…

Vertiv, a leading provider of critical digital infrastructure, has launched the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack, a high-density 1U 50V DC power system shelf designed to meet the rising power demands of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) applications. The new modular system delivers up to 132kW per rack, offering twice the power capacity within the same footprint compared to conventional solutions. With flexible AC and HVDC input support, real-time monitoring, and a peak energy conversion efficiency of 97.5%, the PowerDirect Rack enhances power management while minimizing energy waste and operational costs. Optimized for Scalability and EfficiencyThe PowerDirect Rack is designed…

OpenAI has broadened access to its powerful image-generation tool, making it available to all users, a feature that was previously restricted to paying subscribers. The move was announced by CEO Sam Altman in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “ChatGPT mage gen now rolled out to all free users!” Altman stated . While the exact number of free-tier image generations remains unspecified, Altman previously suggested that non-paying users might be limited to three images per day. Surging Demand and AI CapabilitiesSince its launch, OpenAI’s image-generation tool has witnessed a surge in demand, with Altman humorously remarking that the high usage…