Expansion by global tech giants into Africa is driving increased investment in “green” data centres in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. By Conrad Onyango In early September, Google and Amazon Web Services executives witnessed the groundbreaking of Kenya’s first renewables-powered, or “green” data centre. Eco-cloud is the country’s first geothermal-powered data centre. Two weeks later, Kenya’s President, William Ruto pitched the country as an investment destination for tech companies seeking to improve their green credentials, during the US-Kenya business roadshow in San Francisco, California. “In San Francisco, United States, met the Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook. Kenya’s green data centre potential…
Author: Bird Agency
Kenya lays out fast-charging corridors for electric vehicles to ease range anxiety and fuel green mobility. By Seth Onyango Kenya is planning fast-charging stations at 25-kilometre intervals along its arterial highways to ease range anxieties among prospective electric vehicle buyers. This marks the nation’s most ambitious move yet to incentivise consumers to switch to EVs and develop a national charging network. Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) unveiled the scheme as part of new guidelines for EV battery charging. “At least one charging station should be available in a grid of three kilometres by three kilometres. Additionally, one charging…
Oil cartel’s developmental fund shells out millions of dollars in intensified focus on Africa. By Seth Onyango The OPEC Fund is ramping up a series of strategic investments in Africa, pushing to position itself not just as a benefactor but as an ally to the continent’s burgeoning growth story. In the past two years, the fund, with its deep pockets and understanding of energy dynamics, has flexed its financial muscle on the continent in various sectors. The oil cartel’s development fund is not just opening its coffers to energy projects to bolster access in Africa but is embedding itself in…
Oil cartel’s developmental fund shells out millions of dollars in intensified focus on Africa. By Seth Onyango The OPEC Fund is ramping up a series of strategic investments in Africa, pushing to position itself not just as a benefactor but as an ally to the continent’s burgeoning growth story. In the past two years, the fund, with its deep pockets and understanding of energy dynamics, has flexed its financial muscle on the continent in various sectors. The oil cartel’s development fund is not just opening its coffers to energy projects to bolster access in Africa but is embedding itself in…
A young Kenyan health investor witnessed long delays for patients requiring specialist healthcare diagnoses and reporting. So he came up with a solution. By Magdalene Mwaniki In 2019, Kenneth Njeru was a travel management expert who had started developing an interest in the stock market.While his interest in stocks and investment grew, he also discovered the potential of the medical sector as an investment opportunity. There was one big problem, however- no stocks were available to trade on his local stock market, the Nairobi Stock Exchange. So, a week before his 21st birthday, he registered a company. “I started with…
Africa’s crypto surges to $117.1 billion in 12 months marked by a strong retail wave as Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa dominate the market. By Seth Onyango Africa accounted for US$117.1 billion in cryptocurrency transactions in the year to June 2023, constituting 2.3% of the global transaction volume. Centralised exchanges in this period, proved to be the go-to platforms, channeling over half of the region’s digital asset volume, according to blockchain analysis firm, Chainalysis. In a notable deviation from global trends, Africa’s digital coin market leaned heavily on retail investors. The bulk of the transactions were pegged under the…
In Africa’s energy landscape, a game-changing strategy is taking shape: harnessing ‘wheeling’ to slash transmission costs by leveraging the national utility grid. According to an expert, this model will encourage more private power producers. By Bonface Orucho Wheeling, an innovative power transmission approach, can significantly alleviate Africa’s power woes, according to energy sector expert Derick Coetzer during a recent webinar. “The ability to wheel onto the grid has led to quite interesting opportunities for private power producing companies … As a continent, we are very well placed to take advantage of this model,” said Coetzer during a webinar hosted by…
Kenya is on a roll, following a 2022 entry into the lucrative China market. The first shipment of its avocados into India means Kenya has tapped two key world markets amid surging global demand for the fruit. By Bonface Orucho Kenya has successfully made its first avocado exports to India, tapping into a promising 1.4 billion consumer market, according to reports by Kenya’s state broadcaster, KBC. In an interview on KBC, Harsama Kello, the Permanent Secretary in the State Department for Crop Development, described the shipment as a “big win” for Kenya because many of its farmers have begun producing…
Kigali teams up with a Canadian-German firm for an innovative nuclear reactor in a push to turbocharge its sustainable energy future. By Seth Onyango Rwanda is looking to alter the region’s energy dynamic after inking a deal with Canadian-German firm, Dual Fluid Energy Inc. to set up an ambitious, new technology nuclear reactor. Rwanda and the company envision a homegrown nuclear reactor production line to power its sustainable energy drive amid climate change challenges. As part of the landmark deal, Kigali, through the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB), will provide the requisite site with Dual Fluid Energy Inc. steering the…
China’s solar panel exports to Africa rose 187% in the first half of 2023, propelled largely by South Africa, which saw an annual increase in rooftop solar installation of almost 350%. By Bonface Orucho The latest report from Ember, an energy think tank, shows that China’s solar module exports surged by a third to 114 GW in the first half of the year. Notably, exports to Africa experienced the most significant growth, an astonishing 187% increase. This surge was primarily propelled by substantial rises in South Africa, where the country imported 3.4 GW, a remarkable leap from 0.6 GW in…