Atr July 2023

ATR July 2023 Cover_Layout 1 27/06/2023 05:28 Page 1
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ECONOMY POWER BRIDGES CONSTRUCTION MINING

AfCFTA’s challenges and Supporting Nigeria’s A new age of Redefining machinery Keeping up with crusher
opportunities P16 telecommunications market P30 planning P36 on the market P38 demand P43
JULY 2023
GENSET REVIEW P24
Helping the continent achieve its potential
POWER IN MINING P46
The search for dependable energy
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE P19
A versatile tool for optimising operations
P26
“We should be capitalising on land

availability to generate more in order to
benefit local communities with
energy access and to fill the gaps in
Europe and elsewhere.”
Mohamed Ismail Mansour, chairman of Infinity Power
59 YEARS
SERVING BUSINESS IN
AFRICA SINCE 1964
S01 ATR July 2023 Start_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 05:34 Page 2
Editor’s Note
elcome to the July issue of African Review, bringing you detailed news, studies and interviews to
W keep you up-to-date for your business endeavours.
This month, economist Moin Siddiqi analyses opportunities that are arising from the African
Continental Free Trade Area agreement as well as the pitfalls that need to be avoided (page 16).
In our power section, you can find our latest review of the genset market, which continues to play a
vital role in keeping Africa on track to meet its economic potential (page 24). Mohamed Ismail Mansour,
chairman of Infinity Power, gives his insights on the continent’s renewable potential following his
company’s acquisition of Lekela Power (page 26), and we take an inside look at the Dangote Refinery, a
facility expected to change the narrative around oil and gas in West Africa (page 29).
Cover picture: A genset being assembled at Mantrac's Elsewhere, we explore the benefits of selecting steel sleepers over wooden and concrete alternatives
facility in Lagos
through British Steel’s work in Guinea (page 34); examine the excavator innovations arriving on the
© Mantrac
Cover Inset: Mohamed Ismail Mansour, chairman of market (page 37); and discover why construction machinery may look and operate entirely different in
Infinity Power the future (page 38).
© Infinity Power Finally, do not miss the mining features investigating the continent’s strong crushing market (page 43)
and the mounting demand for power solutions (page 46).
With African Review at your side, you are well equipped to lead your organisation in the arena of
African business. Be sure, as well, to explore our website for daily updates on the industries that matter
Editor: Robert Daniels
most to you.
Email: robert.daniels@alaincharles.com
Editorial and Design team: Prashanth AP, Sania Aziz, Robert Daniels, Editor
Miriam Brtkova, Praveen CP, Shivani Dhruv, Matthew Hayhoe,
Leah Kelly, Rahul Puthenveedu, Madhuri Ramesh,
Contents
Madhurima Sengupta, Louise Waters and Minhaj Zia
Publisher: Nick Fordham
Head of Sales: Vinay Nair
Email: vinay.nair@alaincharles.com
Magazine Manager: Jane Wellman
Economy
Tel: +44 207 834 7676 Fax: +44 207 973 0076
Email: jane.wellman@alaincharles.com
India TANMAY MISHRA
P13
16 Moin Siddiqi assesses the opportunities and challenges
posed by the African Continental Free Trade Area
Tel: +91 98800 75908 agreement.
Email: tanmay.mishra@alaincharles.com
UK RICHARD ROZELAAR
Artificial intelligence
Tel: +44 20 7834 7676 Fax: +44 20 7973 0076
Email: richard.rozelaar@alaincharles.com 19 The increased use of artificial intelligence is ushering in a
new era of transformation across the continent’s various
Head Office: Alain Charles Publishing Ltd, University House,
11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX, United Kingdom industries.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7834 7676, Fax: +44 (0)20 7973 0076
Middle East Regional Office: Alain Charles Middle East FZ-LLC,
Genset review
Office L2-112, Loft Office 2, Entrance B,
PO Box 502207, Dubai Media City, UAE,
Tel: +971 4 448 9260, Fax: +971 4 448 9261
P29
24 The growing market for diesel generators is highlighting
their integral role in powering Africa and helping it achieve
Production: Rinta Denil, Ranjith Ekambaram, Nelly Mendes and its economic potential.
Infant Prakash
E-mail: production@alaincharles.com
Infinity Power
Chairman: Derek Fordham
Printed by: Buxton Press
26 Following the company’s acquisition of Lekela Power,
Infinity Power chairman, Mohamed Ismail Mansour,
Printed in: JUNE 2023
examines Africa’s enormous renewable potential.
ISSN: 0954 6782
Powering telecommunications
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
To subscribe: visit www.africanreview.com/subscribe
P34
30 The new methods being explored to assist Nigeria’s
growing telecommunications market achieve its ESG
For any other enquiry email circulation@alaincharles.com
objectives.
Bridges
35 The latest projects serving to reinforce Africa’s
infrastructure networks and an exploration of why there
needs to be a digital revolution in bridge planning.
Serving the world of business
Construction
P44
37 Excavators helping to get work done efficiently and at the
right price.
Mining
46 Consistent poor grid supply is forcing mining firms across
the continent to step up their demand for power solutions
in a bid to achieve energy security for their operations.
NEWS | NORTH
EBRD and TIA launch digital one-stop shop AL MAHA TO BENEFIT

The European Bank for
Image Credit: EBRD

EXPORTERS AND IMPORTERS
Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) and Maersk has announced that ocean shipping
the Tunisian Investment service, Al Maha, commenced rotation in
Authority (TIA) have June. The Al Maha service will rotate
launched a digital national between the important ports across the UAE,
investment platform to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Egypt, and
improve the investment Morocco. As a result of this implementation,
ecosystem in Tunisia. Maersk will discontinue the ME3 and ME4
With EBRD support, the services and serve all customers on those
investor platform will be trade routes with the Al Maha service. The Al
transformed into a digital The interactive digital guide for investors will facilitate access to information, Maha service aims to benefit exporters and
opportunities and incentives for business investors.
one-stop shop. It will importers in the region across different
provide fully automated digital services aimed at improving the investor experience, attracting foreign commodities.
direct investment and creating jobs. Services will track the entire investor journey, from declaration of The petrochemical exports from Saudi
investment to the granting of authorisation and aftercare. Arabia have traditionally faced challenges
The EBRD has collaborated with the TIA and Tunisia’s Ministry of Economy to launch an interactive from either a cost or capacity perspective
digital guide for investors to facilitate access to information, opportunities and incentives for business with existing ocean transportation options.
investors. To support improvements in Tunisia’s business climate, the bank has also provided technical The Al Maha service will offer loading
assistance to the Strategic National Investment Council, hosted by the TIA, to boost public-private flexibility from Saudi Eastern Province,
dialogue by proposing policies and reforms to promote the development of the private sector. Several enabling customers to reshuffle between
of the recommendations that sprung from this council have been approved by the Tunisian Dammam and Jubail, providing ample
Government, including the reform of the authorisations regime to make it more investor friendly and a capacity to cater for customers’ needs and
convergence roadmap aimed at unifying the investment ecosystem. with more reliable schedules. The Al Maha
The launch of the platform was attended by EBRD first vice president, Jürgen Rigterink, and TIA CEO, service will offer further connections to
Namia Ayadi. At the ceremony, Rigterink said, “We are very proud of our continued partnership with European, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern
the Tunisian Investment Authority and our joint endeavours to strengthen the business ecosystem and markets for the petrochemical exporters out
improve investors’ experience through this new one-stop platform. We hope the digital tool will of Saudi Arabia.
provide useful guidance to investors and accelerate additional direct business investment in Tunisia.” Oman’s Vision 2040 focuses on economic
Ayadi said, “I’m very glad to announce a project that enables investors to benefit from a digital one- diversification, including creating a world-
stop-shop for all investments services. The EBRD partnership offers a very important opportunity for us class fisheries sector that is ecologically
to expand what has been done in improving the investment climate in Tunisia and we hope this will be sustainable and a net contributor to the
one of many joint actions in support of attracting new foreign direct investments in the country.” economy of Oman. The Al Maha service, with
its enhanced capacity, will be in an excellent
position to support the anticipated growth in
fish exports out of Duqm. At the same time,
SOLAR-POWERED DESALINATION BY KARMWATER it will continue to deliver unmatched
KarmWater’s desalination plant at Marsa Shagra, Egypt, is the first in the region to incorporate solar power reliability to Maersk’s customers.
in its operations. Roughly 30% of its electricity comes from KarmSolar’s Marsa Alam Solar Grid, which was Likewise, the UAE-West Africa market will
launched in 2022. The grid has been powering a string of resorts along the Red Sea coast where it has a also benefit largely from the enhanced
license to distribute 10.9MVA. capacity of Al Maha service. With the
The plan is to have the desalination plant be 100% powered by solar energy in the upcoming decade. The expectation of higher schedule reliability and
company’s water purchase agreements (WPAs) now compliment the power purchase agreements (PPAs) predictability from this service, customers
that is offered to clients in the area, thus getting one step closer to becoming a vertically integrated multi will be able to plan their supply chains well
utility company. Red Sea Diving Safari, the sole off-taker for this project, now enjoys a source of water that in advance and, in return, serve their end-
is 25% cheaper than what they had usually paid. users better.
BRIEFS
Air Algérie, Airbus sign expansion agreement Sercel to deploy digitally advanced equipment
Air Algérie has signed agreements with Airbus to take five A330-900s and two A350- Sercel has announced the sale and imminent
Image Credit: Sercel
1000s powered by the Trent 7000 and Trent XWB-97s as part of the airline's bold delivery of a 60,000-channel 508XT land
expansion and growth strategy. The Trent 7000 and Trent XWB-97 will support Air acquisition system and 25 VE464 advanced
Algérie’s ambitious growth plans by digital vibrator control sets to a major North
Image Credit: Airbus
providing availability, reliability and African geophysical services provider. The

efficiency to its fleet as the airline equipment will be deployed on a 3D mega-
takes longer-range routes. Both crew project in harsh terrain and desert
types of engines go further on less conditions in North Africa. The VE464 control
The 508XT land seismic acquisition
fuel and offer leading performance system can adapt to any field system uses advanced technology to provide
The airline is pursuing an expansion strategy. and noise level reductions. configuration and conditions. the highest levels of control and accuracy.
4 AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY | JULY 2023 www.africanreview.com

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NORTH | NEWS
Radisson unveils new hotels NIGERIA-MOROCCO GAS

Radisson Hotel Group has announced seven PIPELINE PROJECT
Image Credit: Radisson

new hotels in Africa for the first half of 2023
in a bid to accelerate its momentum for
PROGRESSES
growth in Africa. There has been another important milestone
The new initiative will add more than achieved at the Economic Community of
1,400 rooms to its African portfolio in key West African States (ECOWAS) as four
markets such as Egypt and Nigeria. significant memorandum of understandings
The openings include the group’s first (MoU) relating to the Nigeria-Morocco Gas
hotel openings in Reunion Island and Ghana Pipeline Project were signed.
and expanding its resort presence in The MoUs were agreed between the
Casablanca and Saidia in Morocco as well as Nigerian National Petroleum Company
in South Africa, Egypt and Tunisia. Limited (NNPC) and the Office National des
Elie Younes, executive vice president and Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of
global chief development officer at Radisson The new hotels expand the group’s brands, spanning from Morocco on one hand, and the Société
upscale to premium luxury lifestyle.
Hotel Group, commented, “With the Nationale des Opérations Pétrolières of Cote
continent remaining a focus market for us, we are committed to further contributing to the African d’Ivoire (PETROCI), the National Oil Company
hospitality industry, providing more possibilities to our guests and employment opportunities to the of Liberia (NOCAL), the Société Nationale des
local communities.” Hydrocarbures of Benin (SNH-Benin), and the
Ramsay Rankoussi, vice president, development, Africa & Turkey at Radisson Hotel Group, added, Société Nationale des Pétroles of the Republic
“An even better indication of our growth is the materialisation of our pipeline into openings, where we of Guinea (SONAP) on the other hand. Once
have led consistently the biggest market share for the last 36 months, translating to a commendable completed, the project will enhance the
15% growth on our African portfolio, year-on-year, placing us well on track to reach our objective of monetisation of the natural gas resources of
150 hotels within the next five years from 100 hotels today. Our rate of materialisation and openings is the affected African countries while offering a
a testament not only to the quality of our pipeline but also reflects our conversion strategy in new alternative route to Europe. According to
repositioning existing hotels under one of our brands. We are also proud to further entrench our stance ECOWAS, it will contribute to accelerating
as the operator with the most extensive presence in Africa with once again a new market entry as the access to energy for all, improving the living
only hotel operator.” conditions of the affected populations,
The new hotels include: Radisson Collection Resort, Marsa Alam Port Phoenice, Egypt; Radisson integrating the economies of the sub-region
Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja, Nigeria; Radisson Blu Beach Resort & Spa, Banjul, and mitigate desertification.
Gambia; Radisson Blu Hotel Abuja CBD, Nigeria; Radisson RED Lagos VI, Nigeria; Radisson Hotel Group CEO of NNPC, Mele Kyari,
Nairobi Airport, Kenya; and Radisson Hotel Algiers El Mouradia, Algeria. commented, “As a commercial enterprise,
NNPC sees this project as an opportunity to
monetise Nigeria’s abundant hydrocarbon
SONATRACH TO CONSTRUCT PETROCHEMICAL resources, by expanding access to energy to
support economic growth, industrialisation,
COMPLEX IN ARZEW and job creation across the African continent
Sonatrach, the Algerian state-owned oil company, has signed a contract for the construction of a and beyond.”
petrochemical complex in Arzew alongside an agreement for its financing. ECOWAS commissioner for infrastructure,
The contract was signed between STEP Polymers Spa, a 100% subsidiary of Sonatrach, and the JV energy and digitisation, Sédiko Douka, added
Petrofac-HQC. It concerns the construction, at the level of the industrial zone of Arzew, of a petrochemical that the gas pipeline project is significant as
complex spread over 88 hectares intended for the production of 550,000 tonnes per year of polypropylene, it will strengthen the region’s electricity
for a period 42 months of completion. production/generation capacity, stimulate
The polypropylene production expected from this future complex will be intended to cover the needs of industrial and agricultural development, and
the national market and to export the surplus production to the European, Asian and African markets. contribute to the energy transition by using a
Completion of this major project will create nearly 6,000 direct jobs during the construction phase, 450 source of energy that is cleaner than other
jobs during the operation phase and 2,000 indirect jobs. fossil fuels.
BRIEFS
Forbes tower to run on LOHC system Pratt & Whitney launch affiliate
Magnom Properties has announced that the Pratt & Whitney, a leader in design, manufacturer
Image Credit: Magnom Properties
Image Credit: Pratt & Whitney
planned Forbes International Tower will be the and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power
first-of-its-kind project in the world to run entirely units, has revealed that it will launch an affiliate,
on the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) Pratt & Whitney Maroc in Casablanca, Morocco, to
system. The Forbes International Tower, planned in manufacture detailed static and structural
the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, will tackle machined parts for various engine models.
critical energy challenges by utilising clean The investment is part of the company’s strategy
The company signed an MoU with hydrogen produced in a climate-neutral manner Morocco was selected due to its to develop cost-effective sourcing capabilities for
Schneider Electric and H2- growing hub of aerospace
from renewable waste sources to power the needs competitiveness and to optimise operations
Enterprises to tap into the long-term companies, cost of business and
potential of clean hydrogen. of its operations. available talent.
footprint and asset utilisation.
www.africanreview.com JULY 2023 | AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY 5

NEWS | SOUTH
Paratus Botswana completes Gaborone PHALABORWA PILOT PLANT

metro fibre ring COMMENCES OPERATIONS
Image Credit: Paratus Botswana

Paratus Botswana, a leading Rainbow Rare Earths has announced an
telecommunications solutions provider, has update on the pilot plant for the Phalaborwa
announced the completion of its new metro project in South Africa.
fibre ring around Gaborone, providing fully The pilot plant is split into two phases.
secured, high-speed connectivity to businesses Phase one comprises a front end where
and individuals in the area. material from the historic gypsum stacks at
The Paratus Gaborone fibre network also the Phalaborwa site will be consolidated into
strengthens the company’s network resilience a rare earth sulphate, containing economic
and gives businesses uninterrupted access to quantities of the four most important rare
essential services even in the event of an outage earth elements, which are used to make
or network disruption. With its latest fibre The completion of the fibre ring ties with Paratus permanent magnets, being neodymium and
Botswana’s latest ‘Fibre to the Business’ campaign.
investment and the new Gaborone fibre ring, praseodymium (NdPr), dysprosium and
Paratus Botswana connects all critical areas in the city and provides Botswana with a seamless add-on terbium. The front-end process incorporates
to its existing infrastructure backbone. It forms part of Paratus Botswana’s ongoing investment in its the front-end gypsum washing, acid leach,
network infrastructure to meet the growing demand for telecommunications services in the country. fluoride removal through continuous ion-
Moreover, it aligns with the Government’s plan – Botswana Vision 2036 – to transform the country exchange (CIX), rare earth precipitation and a
from an upper-middle-income to a high-income country. sulphuric acid agitated bake (SAAB) to
The three-year project involved the construction of a fiber-optic network that connects business and produce a high-value mixed rare earth
residential areas in Botswana. By circling Gaborone, the Paratus Botswana fibre network also sulphate. This will subsequently be shipped
complements existing services, including national and international network services, Internet, voice, to Rainbow’s rare earth separation plant
satellite, structured cabling, and hosting solutions. Most importantly, it connects to five data centres situated at K-Technologies, Inc. (K-Tech) in
across the city. The completion of the fibre ring also ties in with Paratus Botswana’s latest ‘Fibre to the Lakeland, US, for separation into rare earth
Business’ campaign, which offers Botswana businesses the opportunity to experience the power of oxides.
connectivity and unlock growth opportunities. Phase two of the pilot plant comprises the
Paratus is committed to providing businesses with high-quality, fast, secure network connections, back end situated at K-Tech, which will water
unrivalled uptime, and 24/7 technical support. Their fibre or wireless packages offer reliable Internet, leach the mixed rare earth sulphate into a
value-added services, and productivity tools to take businesses to the next level. Paratus also continues pregnant leach solution (PLS), perform a
investing in its infrastructure, expanding its fibre line and improving network coverage for faster and cerium rejection step to minimise flows
more reliable connectivity. As part of the company’s strategy to help businesses grow, it is designing downstream (thereby further reducing
solutions specific to SME needs with Paratus Business Bundle (PBB) packages, offering significant operating costs and capital expenditure) into
savings over a 24-month period while staying connected and enhancing productivity. the CIX circuit for loading onto the cation
resin before stripping and going into the
final continuous ion chromatography (CIC)
ARDAGH GROUP ANNOUNCES AFRICA CENTRE OF step, which will produce the separated rare
earth oxides using K-Tech’s patented CIX/CIC
EXCELLENCE technology. The back end of the pilot plant is
Ardagh Group, a global supplier in sustainable packaging solutions, has announced the first step towards currently well advanced in terms of its
the creation of a global Centre of Excellence (CoE) to be established in Cape Town, South Africa. Ardagh’s construction at K-Tech’s facility in Lakeland,
new CoE will deliver certain IT services to Ardagh’s businesses across Europe, US and Africa. Ardagh sees with commissioning due to start in Q3 2023.
this as a pioneering opportunity to make a positive difference by developing skills and growing jobs for Rainbow is currently exploring the option
South African youth in the increasingly important field of technology. of permanently establishing its back-end rare
Ardagh will be working with the City of Cape Town, EXL, a leading data analytics and digital operations earth oxide separation process in the US and
company, and CapaCiti. In addition to the CoE, Ardagh will work alongside several local charities as a means has identified a potential site for a
of giving back to the local communities around Cape Town. commercial scale plant.
BRIEFS
Lubu Coking Coal Project begins in Zimbabwe First Green Hydrogen Atlas Southern Africa launched
Contango Holdings Plc, a natural resource development company, has announced that The atlas provides evidence-based information on different resources for the
the production of washed coking coal has commenced at its flagship Lubu Coking Coal production of green hydrogen, which include: water resources, land availability,
Image Credit: Adobe Stock
Project in Zimbabwe. Stockpiles of coking coal have

renewable energy resources and the

already been established by the Wirtgen Surface
levelised cost of hydrogen production.
Miner which can mine at a rate of up to 1,000 tonnes
These are key elements for policy-
per hour of coking coal. The company will continue
to undertake studies on washed coal production to makers, investors, researchers, and
ensure optimisation and samples will also be sent to potential funders for the potential of a
The company expects to announce The Atlas marks a milestone in green
the first sales of washed coking several parties who have indicated they would look hydrogen developments in southern Africa.
green hydrogen development in
coal in June 2023. to enter into long-term offtake contracts. southern Africa.

SOUTH | NEWS
Namibia and Hyphen Hydrogen Energy AIIM ACHIEVES FINANCIAL

sign significant FIA CLOSE ON CASTLE WIND
FARM
Image Credit: Hyphen

Following approval by the
Cabinet of the Namibian AIIM consortium reached financial close on
Government (GRN), Hyphen the 89MW Castle Wind Farm (Castle) to supply
Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) renewable energy to Sibanye-Stillwater’s
and GRN have signed a South African mining operations through an
Feasibility and Eskom wheeling agreement.
Implementation Agreement The consortium consists of African
(FIA) at an official ceremony Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM),
held at State House in GRN and Hyphen sign the FIA at the official ceremony held at State House in Windhoek. through its renewable energy project
Windhoek. development and delivery platform, African
The FIA governs the process for the development, implementation and operation of sub-Saharan Clean Energy Developments (ACED), and
Africa’s largest, and only fully vertically-integrated, green hydrogen project. The partnership between Reatile Renewables (Pty) Ltd.
GRN and Hyphen represents the first step in Namibia’s journey to unlocking its potential of becoming This milestone marks the effective date of
one of the world’s leading green hydrogen production hubs, by leveraging Namibia’s world leading co- the power purchase agreement (PPA)
located wind and solar resource, vast open spaces and stable investment climate underpinned by between the project company and Sibanye-
strong democratic values. The FIA is expected to set a global benchmark for the sustainable Stillwater and the commencement of
development of large scale green hydrogen projects as the world looks to decarbonise its energy construction. The project will result in energy
systems in a manner that is fair, just, economically inclusive and environmentally sustainable. cost savings, increased energy security and
Central to the FIA is a dedication to driving the socio-economic development of Namibia, through decarbonisation benefits for Sibanye-
job creation and local procurement. During the construction phase, it is estimated that the project will Stillwater, a multinational mining and
create around 15,000 new job opportunities and 3,000 permanent positions during the operational metals processing group.
phase. Hyphen is striving for 90% of these jobs filled by Namibian talents, with a specific focus on the The addition of increased power
youth (aged 18-35) of 20%. The project is targeting 30% local procurement for goods, services and generation capacity to the national grid will
materials throughout both the construction and operational phases. contribute to offsetting the power deficit
Under the FIA Hyphen is responsible for the technical, financial, environmental, social and currently being experienced in the country.
commercial delivery of the project. GRN is responsible for providing the land on which the project will AIIM has been a strong proponent of
be established and developing and implementing the required legal, fiscal and regulatory environment increasing the ability of South African
necessary for the establishment and sustainable operation of Namibia’s green hydrogen industry. pension funds to invest in unlisted
“Thank you very much Hyphen for trusting our political system and our corporate governance infrastructure investments.
architecture. Let us now work together and we will deliver for the Namibian people,” said Hage These assets provide an option for pension
Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia. funds to meet their investment return aspirations,
and also help address the significant
infrastructure backlog the country is facing.
Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater,
SOUTH AFRICA’S 2023 LOGISTICS PERFORMANCE said, “This marks our first major step in
South Africa’s trade position has undergone a significant transformation, achieving a surplus of 3.3% of delivering over 550MW of our renewable
GDP in its balance of goods during 2022. According to the IMF, export growth has been 10% during 2021 project portfolio and is a significant
and 7.5% during 2022. This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering the recent disruptions to global milestone in our journey to carbon neutrality
value chains, which have highlighted the critical importance of trade and transport-related infrastructure, by 2040. The project will not only play a
such as ports, roads, railways, and information technology. According to Delphos, South Africa’s score of pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions
3.7 out of 5 is on par with other upper middle-income countries, such as Australia, China, Greece, Italy, and mitigating climate change but also
Norway, and the United Kingdom, and outperforms the 2.5 average score of similar income level countries. results in cost savings on electricity and
Investing in the energy sector and increasing product diversification, together with initiatives that provides energy security benefits for Sibanye-
leverage the existing trade infrastructure, are needed to ensure sustainable growth, Delphos noted. Stillwater's SA operations.”
BRIEFS
Second phase of Lesotho Highlands Water Project launched Mphanda Nkuwa preferred bidder announced
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa was present in The Mozambique Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME) through
Lesotho for the launch of Phase 2 of the Lesotho the Mphanda Nkuwa Hydroelectric Project Implementation Office (GMNK) has
Highlands Water Project (LHWP). The launch is a announced the consortium led by
Image Credit: MIREME
critical step on the journey to greater water and energy Electricity de France (EDF), which
security for South Africans and Basotho, and is a includes Total Energies, Sumitomo
demonstration of the strong relations between the two Corporation and Kansai, as the
countries. It is also a demonstration of the human capital preferred bidder in the tender for the
LHWP involves the construction of and technology that is shared and deployed jointly as selection of the strategic partner for
a network of tunnels and dams to
divert water from the mountains
neighbours, in the interest of improving the lives of The qualification process for selecting the the development of the Mphanda
of Lesotho to South Africa. citizens and economic development in both nations. strategic partner started in June 2022. Nkuwa Project.

NEWS | WEST
Cement facility to boost employment in MOU SIGNED TO

Nigeria IMPROVE AFRICA’S DATA
CONNECTIVITY
Image Credit: IFC

The International Finance Corporation (IFC)
has invested US$500mn for a cement factory
in Nigeria’s Sokoto state. The factory will be Technology group Liquid Dataport and
developed by BUA Cement Plc, and the communications company Viasat have
investment will help the company part- signed an MoU to engage in B2B and B2C
finance and develop two new, service opportunities across West Africa.
energy-efficient cement production lines that The companies intend to focus on the
will create up to 12,000 direct and indirect potential commercialisation and distribution
The financing was announced during the Africa CEO
jobs. Direct jobs include those in of satellite broadband to reduce Internet
Forum in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
manufacturing, engineering, and advanced connectivity costs and improve data
automation systems. Indirect jobs include those in the cleaning, maintenance, mining, and connections across the region. Under the
transportation sectors. terms of the MoU, Liquid Dataport will offer
IFC and its partners will also allow BUA to replace some of its diesel trucks with vehicles that are Viasat’s connectivity services working
run partly on natural gas. As part of the project, IFC will also advise BUA to create more through local partners.
opportunities for women across its operations. As a part of Viasat’s expansion into Africa,
The financing package includes a US$160.5mn loan from IFC's own account, a US$94.5mn loan the company’s next-generation ViaSat-3
through the Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP), and US$245mn in parallel loans from satellite constellation is expected to deliver
syndication partners; the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and connectivity services to Europe, the Middle
the German Investment Corporation, Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG). East, and Africa (EMEA).
The financing was announced during the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. BUA is Nigeria's Viasat and Liquid Intelligent Technologies
second largest cement producer, and its newest plants will run partly on alternative fuels derived from independently announced recent
waste and solar power. Each will produce about three million tons of cement annually when complete, agreements with the Microsoft Airband
serving markets in Nigeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Initiative to deliver Internet access to
Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman and founder of BUA Group, said, “In line with our commitment to millions of underserved people in Africa by
sustainability and ESG principles, this investment will create jobs and contribute to economic and the end of 2025, targeting regions that
infrastructural development within Nigeria and the greater Sahel region. By focusing on greener fuels include DRC, Nigeria, Senegal, Angola,
and enhancing our equipment and logistics platform, BUA Cement is building a foundation for Tanzania, and Zambia.
sustainable infrastructure growth and a more inclusive society.” “The MoU we have signed with Viasat will
“We are pleased to join with our partners to support BUA with an investment that will boost increase the data connectivity options that
industrialisation, create jobs and deliver economic growth in northern Nigeria, a region with businesses and consumers in West Africa can
significant economic potential,” said Makhtar Diop, IFC's managing director. have at their disposal. The reduced costs for
connectivity is good news for our enterprise
customers businesses,” said Hardy Pemhiwa,
Liquid’s president and group CEO.
AFRICA DATA CENTRES TO BUILD FACILITY IN GHANA “Viasat’s ability to deliver affordable and
Africa Data Centres will begin construction on its newly acquired land in the Central Business District of high-quality connectivity where it is needed
Accra. The new facility has been designed for an initial 10MW, which can expand to 30MW depending on most, even in the hardest-to-reach regions,
demand. It will be the largest facility in West Africa to date, outside of Nigeria. continues to expand as we launch our next-
It will be built within the scheme of the Ghana Trade Fair Redevelopment Project at La in Accra, and the generation ViaSat-3 global satellite
first phase is scheduled to be completed within 12 months. The project is part of Africa Data Centres’ constellation. We’re thrilled to work with
continental expansion plans spanning 10 of Africa’s major economic hubs, including South Africa, Zambia, Liquid Dataport to help reduce Africa’s digital
Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Angola. This expansion, partly funded by the gap and create new opportunities through
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), aims to accelerate private sector-led digital digital inclusion,” said Peter Langkilde,
infrastructure and services in Africa. general manager of EMEA at Viasat.
BRIEFS
Amarinth signs PE Energy as West African agent WATT to supply renewable power in Nigeria
Image Credit: Amarinth
Amarinth, which manufactures centrifugal WATT Renewable Corporation (WATT) has

pumps and associated equipment, has partnered announced a US$10mn contract with a major
with PE Energy to expand in West Africa. African bank to deliver 5.6MW of power to
PE Energy provides expertise in upstream, several branches across Nigeria.
midstream, and downstream processes in the oil The new agreement includes the installation of
and gas industry. The new partnership will solar panels, inverters, and batteries to be the
enable oil and gas organisations in the region in main power source for a number of the bank’s
both commissioning and maintaining Amarinth branches, eliminating a reliance on diesel
Daere Akobo, founder of PE Energy,
API 610 and API 685 horizontal, vertical and in- The US$10mn contract will create generators. The contract is expected to create
and Chris Ryan, sales director of
Amarinth. line pumps. 100 jobs. an estimated 100 local jobs.

WEST | NEWS
Odyssey Energy Solutions and REAN aim to VOLKSWAGEN TARGETS

improve solar affordability in Nigeria GROWTH IN SUB-SAHARAN
The Renewable Energy Association of
AFRICA
Image Credit: REAN

Nigeria (REAN) and Odyssey Energy In March this year, Volkswagen took over the
Solutions have signed an agreement in responsibilities of the assembly facility in
Edo to increase effectiveness and Ghana from its licensed importer, Universal
affordability of solar equipment Motors Limited. Ghana is the fourth
procurement for Nigerian solar firms. Volkswagen assembly location in sub-
The partnership details were officially Saharan Africa after Kenya, Rwanda and
announced at the REAN Town Hall South Africa, where Volkswagen has been
Meeting, held virtually. Together, REAN manufacturing vehicles for over 72 years.
and Odyssey will provide REAN members According to the African Development
with US$100mn in equipment financing, Bank, of the world’s ten fastest growing
including a minimal down payment for economies, five are in Africa – Rwanda, Côte
equipment and a 60-day window for solar d’Ivoire, Benin, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
enterprises to pay the remainder once Volkswagen group’s South Africa
equipment has arrived in Nigeria. There Ayo Ademilua, REAN president, and Justin Tinsey, VP of
chairperson and managing director, Martina
is a large need for renewable energy procurement solutions at Odyssey. Biene, affirmed that Rwanda and Côte
sources in the nation. d’Ivoire are also two of Volkswagen’s
However, a lot of solar enterprises have trouble finding equipment and supplies because of lengthy fastest growing markets. Rwanda, with an
lead times, expensive pricing, and restricted access to high-quality goods. The cooperation between economy growing at close to 8%, shows
Odyssey and REAN seeks to address these issues by expediting the procurement procedure and giving significant potential for increased mobility
REAN members better access to high-quality solar products. This partnership could result in cheaper to solutions and electric vehicles due to its
procure high-quality solar products. young, tech-savvy population and growing
Commenting on the agreement, Justin Tinsey, VP of procurement solutions at Odyssey, said, “We are middle class.
delighted to be partnering with REAN to help improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar A number of African countries have
equipment procurement in Nigeria. Our combined expertise and resources will enable us to provide introduced compelling incentive plans for
better solutions to solar companies in Nigeria, helping them to grow their businesses and contribute to locally assembled vehicles to attract OEMs
the development of a sustainable energy future for the country.” like Volkswagen to invest in the development
REAN President, Ayo Ademilua, also expressed his enthusiasm for the agreement, stating that “REAN is of the automotive industry on the continent,
committed to supporting the growth and development of the renewable energy sector in Nigeria, and the company said. Sub-Saharan Africa has
this partnership with Odyssey Energy Solutions is an important step in that direction. We look forward to also become very important for the
working together to provide better access to quality solar products and solutions for our members.” company’s sustainable operations.
Meanwhile, the company has highlighted
Rwanda as an untapped market with high
growth potential.
AVANTI COMPLETES SENEGAL SATELLITE PROJECT “Rwanda has been the success story of our
British satellite company, Avanti Communications, has completed the second phase of its project to build a growth plans in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also
new HYLAS 4 satellite gateway station in Dakar, Senegal. The new Ka-band antenna is 9.2 m in diameter, the innovation hub of our sustainable
stands 14 m and weighs 17,000 kg. It took more than 12 months to build in a state-of-the-art facility in the mobility lighthouse projects on the
USA, before being shipped to Dakar. continent. Our mobility solutions services
The new antenna system offers higher broadband support to deliver backhaul and large-scale business, which includes ride hailing and
connectivity for telecoms and government. Avanti’s local gateway partner, Free in Senegal, will host and corporate car sharing, broke even last year.
support the operations of the new gateway from its Tier III data centre facility in Diamniadio. The new Rwanda was also the first country in sub-
gateway will extend the coverage of Avanti’s HYLAS 4 satellite to Senegal and the surrounding West African Saharan Africa to launch a Volkswagen
countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Liberia and Ivory Coast. electric vehicle with the e-Golfs,” said Biene.
BRIEFS
Climate finance for Egypt and Senegal Multipurpose dam in Nigeria
The United Kingdom has launched the first two Nigeria’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, has commissioned the Kashimbila
Image Credit: African Development Bank
projects under the Room2Run guarantee Multipurpose Dam, along with a 40MW Hydropower Station and Associated 132KV
programme – a US$2bn guarantee provided to the Switchyard, Transmission Line and
African Development Bank (AfDB). It is aimed at Distribution Substation (Phase I)

providing financing for water infrastructure Project. The dam, which is located in
projects. The US$86mn Egyptian wastewater Taraba State, will have a storage
project and US$40mn water sanitation project in capacity of 500 million cubic metres.
Senegal, will focus on water supply and sanitation The dam was initially meant to serve as
Room2Run provides climate and will offer benefits to millions in their respective a buffer to contain possible discharge of
financing for African countries. African countries. The dam will be located in Taraba State. water from Lake Nyos.

S03 ATR July 2023 News, event, web_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 05:43 Page 10
NEWS | EAST
AfDB to support infrastructure and value JS HELD ACQUIRES AFRICA

chains development in East Africa MATTERS LIMITED
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has Global consulting firm, JS Held, has
committed to supporting East African countries to acquired Africa Matters Limited, an Africa-
accelerate structural transformation, reinforce focused strategic advisory firm providing
resilience, and create more decent jobs. business intelligence, stakeholder
This ambition is encapsulated in the Bank's engagement, and sustainability consulting
East Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper services. With offices in London, UK, and
(EA RISP) 2023-2027. Kampala, Uganda, this acquisition
The strategy paper, approved by the bank’s board strengthens JS Held’s reach in Africa. Africa
Image Credit: AfDB

of directors, sets out two priority areas to achieve its Matters Limited advises investors as they
main objective, namely, improving regional grow and expand across the continent. The
infrastructure and supporting regional value chains firm also helps clients and host
development and trade facilitation. governments find common ground and
The pipeline for regional operations during the first
Under the first priority area, the bank will invest points of alignment on investment and
three years of the EA RISP is estimated at US$1.3bn.
in cross-border electricity interconnections to trade issues.
strengthen connectivity and increase cross-border trade in electricity. It will also support regional solar “The acquisition of Africa Matters Limited
energy development through the Desert-to-Power initiative as well as hydroelectric and geothermal expands JS Held’s Global Investigations
energy to harness the region's endowments. Strengthening the capacity of the East African Power Pool Practice and our wider business, further
and regional electricity infrastructure, initiatives such as the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action strengthening our expertise in risk
Programme and Energy in the Great Lakes countries will also be areas of focus. consulting,” said Philip Worman, senior
Investment in the regional electricity trade should enable East African cross-border electricity managing director in JS Held’s London office.
interconnections to increase from seven to nine, and for the regional power pool to become Ross Alexander, executive chairman of
operational. It will also support cross-regional power pools interconnectors such as the one between Africa Matters Limited, noted, “Africa Matters
Eastern and Southern Africa Power Pools. The bank will also commit financial resources to multimodal Limited’s extensive public and private sector
transport systems for roads, railways, air transport and inland waterways while continuing to strengthen networks across the continent, developed
transport management institutions' capacity and regional corridors. Particular emphasis will be placed over 26 years, allow us to deliver proprietary
on the main corridors and feeder roads that link production centres to major markets and promote analysis, gain access and influence, and
intra- and inter-regional connectivity. These initiatives will help reduce transit times along strategic achieve impact for clients seeking to
corridors and enhance trade within the region and under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). maximise opportunities and mitigate risk.
Under the second priority area, AfDB will support the development of regional value chains, “Our global client list in energy, mining,
particularly agro-industry, manufacturing (textiles and clothing) and mining. and financial services, among others,
includes those with a long-established
presence in Africa as well as those making
HYDRONEO EAST AFRICA INVITES FIRMS TO their first investments in the continent.”
Piers Dawson, managing director of Africa
DEVELOP MPANDA HYDROPOWER PLANT IN BURUNDI Matters Limited, commented, “Africa Matters
Hydroneo East Africa, an independent power producer, has invited expressions of interest (EOI) from Limited’s Business Intelligence services
competent and experienced firms for the design and build of the Mpanda Hydropower Plant (10MW) in focused on African markets help clients
Burundi (Lot 1) and the associated Interconnexion Facilities (Lot 2). understand the environment in which they
As outlined on social media, the project is being developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) and are investing or operating.
power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with the Government of Burundi and Regideso. The objective of “Our deep understanding results in
the project is to increase the country's electricity production capacity and provide reliable and affordable bespoke intelligence which facilitates market
electricity to meet the growing demand of the Burundian population. entry, and as appropriate, partner
The deadline for submission of EOIs is 25 July. Hydroneo East Africa reserves the right to reject any EOI identification, while mitigating risk and
that does not comply with the requirements or to cancel the EOI process at any stage. supporting reputational integrity.”
BRIEFS
Kampala to get strong power transmission with Elsewedy Morgan Cargo becomes part of Kuehne+Nagel
The Japan International Cooperation Agency Kuehne+Nagel has signed an agreement to acquire
(JICA) and the Government of Uganda have Morgan Cargo, a leading South African, UK and
awarded a US$3.6mn contract to Elsewedy Kenyan freight forwarder specialised in the
Electric Indonesia to strengthen the power transport and handling of perishable goods. During
transmission network in the Kampala urban 2022, the company handled more than 40,000
area through Africa’s first mobile substation of tonnes of air freight and more than 20,000 TEU of
El Sewedy Electric. sea freight globally, managed by approximately
The unit will be effectively monitored and 450 logistics experts. The acquisition of Morgan
Morgan Cargo is specialised in
The contract was signed at the Uganda controlled from anywhere using any device, the transport and handling of
Cargo complements Kuehne+Nagel's perishables
Electricity Transmission Company office. thanks to the used special automated system. perishable goods. logistics service offering.

EAST | NEWS
Sun King and Citi collaborate on sustainable ENHY’S HYDROELECTRIC

securitisation transaction INSTALLATIONS TO BOOST
ELECTRICITY NETWORK
Image Credit: Sun King

Sun King and Citi have established a first-of-its-kind,
bank-led and entirely Kenyan-Shilling-denominated Groupe Filatex, an energy, industrial free
US$130mn sustainable securitisation transaction. zones and real estate Malagasy company, has
The transaction leverages Sun King’s existing and announced the creation of ENHY through a
future Kenyan customers’ payments for solar products joint venture with the French
to raise funding for further growth and expansion. hydroelectricity expert Hyvity.
Arranged by Citi and supported by leading ENHY will begin operations through the
development finance institutions and commercial development and repowering of small and
lenders from six countries across the globe, the medium-sized hydroelectric installations,
investment paves the way for future African adding an estimated 100MW or 20% more
securitisation deals and diversifies funding for capacity to the current Malagasy electricity
Kenya’s off-grid solar energy sector. Through the network by the end of 2028. In 10 years,
proposed transaction, customers’ future payments ENHY expects to have a portfolio under
The investment diversifies funding for Kenya’s off-grid
for solar products bought on credit will be development of a further 300MW.
solar energy sector.
securitised and funded by investors. Supported by Groupe Filatex, ENHY
Approximately, three out of every ten Kenyans live without access to electricity. Many off-grid currently has two projects under study in the
households devote 5-10% of their income to kerosene lanterns or gas generators for light and power. Antsirabe region.
Solar energy offers clean and reliable energy as well as long-term cost savings for homes and businesses, If successful, those will be able to produce
but the upfront equipment cost blocks many Kenyan consumers from transitioning to solar energy. 20MW of within three years, expandable to
Sun King designs, distributes, installs and finances solar energy solutions for African and Asian 60MW once the regional grid has been
households and businesses who cannot access, rely on or afford traditional electric grid connections. updated to allow the significant energy
Sun King customers can purchase products using the company’s technology-enabled, pay-as-you-go capacity to run through the network.
‘Easy Buy’ financing service, which breaks payments down into regular, affordable instalments. These Further to the development of major
payments can be made via mobile money or cash for as little as US$0.15 a day. Approximately half of hydroelectric projects, ENHY will work with
Sun King’s registered pay-as-you-go customers in Kenya are women, the majority of whom access JIRAMA, the state-owned utility and water
formal financing products for the first time. services company in Madagascar, to support
Under the securitisation structure, investors are financing the pooled expected future payments the upgrading of the national electricity grid,
from Sun King customers. The structure connects unbanked or underbanked customers to the finance financing the power increase operations and
they require to purchase solar assets and provides investors with access to a steady yet underserved working to ensure the flexibility of the
market that offers risk-diversified returns. energy network at a controlled and stable
cost over time.
Hasnaine Yavarhoussen, CEO of Groupe
Filatex, said, “For each unit of electricity
GRAVITA TANZANIA RECYCLING WASTE RUBBER produced by hydro rather than oil, there is
Gravita Tanzania Limited has officially commenced commercial production and recycling of waste rubber at 99% less carbon released into the
a facility, the company announced on a social media post. This cutting-edge recycling plant marks a atmosphere. ENHY will allow for the best of
significant milestone in its mission to reduce costs and carbon footprints. Malagasy knowledge and French technical
By utilising pyrolysis oil generated during the rubber recycling process, the company is powering its expertise to lead a transformation of the
operations with a sustainable alternative energy source, benefiting both the environment and its battery and Malagasy energy sector, enabling energy
aluminium scrap recycling operation. access for millions of Malagasy people. There
Gravita is committed to achieving ESG goals while boosting operational efficiency. It is thus fostering is no better partner than Hyvity for this
synergy in scrap sourcing and procurement optimisation. exciting joint venture that will radically
The company has plans to establish similar rubber recycling facilities at its other manufacturing locations change the energy production and
as well, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future. consumption landscape in Madagascar.”
BRIEFS
Swissport upgrades cargo centre AGL, Zanzibar Ports Corporation strike maritime deal
Swissport continues to invest in upgrading its air cargo facilities globally. The latest Africa Global Logistics and Zanzibar Ports Corporation have signed a contract for the
example includes the expansion and upgrade of a cargo centre at Nairobi’s Jomo management of the Malindi Container Terminal at the Port of Malindi in Zanzibar.
Image Credit: Swissport
Image Credit: AGL
Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). AGL will be responsible for cargo

The facility now boasts a new 750 sq m handling operations and maritime
interconnected cold storeroom with services at the country's main port
direct access from the perishable’s hub infrastructure. The company is
to the airside. The new cold storeroom committed to implementing an
can hold up to 110 aircraft pallets, which investment programme for the
is equivalent to a load that fits on just modernisation and development of
The facility gets a new cold storeroom. over three B747 freighters. AGL will handle cargo operations at Malindi Port. the Port of Malindi.

EVENTS | CALENDAR
Upcoming Events Calendar 2023

24-27
JULY AFRICA INTERNATIONAL HOUSING
SEPTEMBER
9-13 SHOW 5-10
NOG ENERGY WEEK Abuja, Nigeria IAA MOBILITY
Abuja, Nigeria https://africahousingshow.com/ Munich, Germany
https://www.nogenergyweek.com/ https://www.iaa-mobility.com/
11-13 AUGUST 12-14

WATER EXPO NIGERIA 10-12 PROPAK WEST AFRICA
Lagos, Nigeria 2ND UGANDA BUILDCON Lagos, Nigeria
https://elanexpo.net/waweexpo/ Kampala, Uganda https://www.propakwestafrica.com/
11-13 https://ugandabuildcon.com/ 19-21

MEGA CLIMA NIGERIA 29-30 NIGERIA ENERGY
Lagos, Nigeria DIGITIZING AFRICA Lagos, Nigeria
https://westafricahvacexpo.com/ Johannesburg, South Africa https://www.nigeria-energy.com/
13-15 https://africadigitrans.com/ 28
POWER & ELEC UGANDA UK - AFRICA TRADE AND
Kampala, Uganda INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
https://www.powerelecuganda.com/ London, UK
https://african-chamber.com/uk-africa-events
AIHS aims to achieve affordable housing

After emerging as one of the largest housing and

construction event showcases to come out of
Nigeria, Africa International Housing Show (AIHS)
will return from 24-27 July 2023 to develop the
industry and facilitate the sealing of housing
business deals.
The conference will run at the International
Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigeria, and will
feature product presentations; an exhibition
showcasing building technology for affordable
housing from different parts of the world, home
interiors, modern construction equipment,
chemical and paints products, mortgage
services, as well as innovative projects; and
interactive forums with prominent stakeholders.
The conference was created more than 10
years ago in an initiative to encourage resilient
and affordable housing in Nigeria and the rest of
the continent. It provides a platform to connect
international and local investors in property and The conference was created an attempt to encourage resilient and affordable housing in Africa.
construction and give partners and businesses
an opportunity to showcase their products and Those arriving in Abuja will also benefit from the ambassadors from various countries, high profile
projects. The organisers have estimated that more ‘AIHS CONNECT’ mobile application which will business executives, leading housing finance and
than 100bn Naira (approximately US$210mn) provide a rundown of daily events; connect urban development industry leaders, building
worth of transactions have been conducted participants with speakers, exhibitors and materials and home investors and a range of
across the history of the mega event, based on partners; and create room meetings with banks, international finance agency representatives
the testimonies and feedback from those who government officials, international financial including from the International Finance
have participated in the annual programme. organisations, and more, for people to further Corporation, World Bank, African Union for
This year, attendees will make the most of the network and make sales. Housing Finance, and many more.
40+ visionary speakers who will be participating Previous editions of the conference have
in more than 30 specialised sessions as well as drawn the attendance of vice presidents, Find more information on the 17th edition of AIHS
the 400+ exhibitors from around 21 countries. governors, ministers, legislators and at the website: https://africahousingshow.com/

SPONSORED CONTENT
An ecosystem for the

ecological transition
Six themed macro-areas, a single ecosystem
for ecological transition: Ecomondo 2023.
Image Credit: Italian Exhibition Group

Ecomondo will occupy the entire Rimini
Expo Centre premises this year.
comondo, Italian Exhibition function for human sustenance themed exhibition areas at collection and disposal services as
E Group's (IEG) international

trade show for industrial
technologies and services for the
alongside economic development
will all be covered in Italy.
This is the exhibition layout with
Ecomondo 2023.
Two sectors will be highlighted
from among and alongside these:
well as urban sanitation. Test drives
will be available outside.
circular economy, will be opening which IEG will be presenting the the specific ‘Water’ area and the new Attention to the new
the doors of its 26th edition from 7- most innovative technologies for edition of SAL.VE. In the former, generations
10 November at Rimini Expo Centre, sustainable competitiveness to the visitors will find the entire water Millennials and Generation Z are
Italy, with a new payoff: ‘The market. This year’s edition is also resource supply chain; from capture showing considerable sensitivity
Ecosystem of the Ecological the first in which Ecomondo will to restitution and reuse with a focus towards environmental protection and
Transition’. occupy the entire Rimini Expo on digital transformation (now a key IEG's event acts as a platform of ideas
The conference will cover a range Centre premises since renewable element in improving water to give shape to today's technological
of topics including exploiting waste energies have now found their management). Top national and research and create the jobs of
to make further resources for the independent position on the international utility service tomorrow. With the exchange of
regeneration of soil, agro-forestry calendar of sector expos with K.EY companies and trade associations, knowledge, access to research tenders
and food ecosystems; energy 2023 taking place back in March. including Utilitalia, will be featuring and European funding, Ecomondo
obtained from biomass; and the use Waste as Resource, Sites & Soil in this area with a programme of will address the new generations so
of waste as secondary raw materials. Restoration, Circular & Regenerative accompanying seminars. In the that they can participate in the
Further, the entire integrated water Bio-economy, Bio-Energy & biennial SAL.VE area, organised in ecological transition. ■
cycle, environmental monitoring, the Agroecology, Water Cycle & Blue partnership with ANFIA, leading
protection of the sea and aquatic Economy, and Environmental manufacturers will be exhibiting Find out more at:
environments in their essential Monitoring & Control will be the vehicles for ecological waste https://en.ecomondo.com

WEB SELECTION
AFRICAN REVIEW / ON THE WEB

A selection of product innovations and recent service developments for African business
Full information can be found on www.africanreview.com
DP WORLD, STANDARD BANK DRONES BRIDGE THE GAPS CHAD TAKES STEPS TO AFRICA PROJECTED TO BE
TO EXPAND TRADE FINANCE IN AFRICA’S HEALTHCARE FIGHT WATER INSECURITY SECOND-FASTED GROWING
IN AFRICA INFRASTRUCTURE REGION
Image Credit: Vergnet Hydro

Image Credit: Wingcopter

The report forecasts that the continent will
Access to finance is one of the biggest The solution will adopt the latest in digital Workers from Setra buillding the foundations consolidate its post-Covid-19 recovery to
barriers for businesses. technology. for a water tower. 4.3% GDP growth in 2024.
African companies looking for trade Siemens Healthineers Middle East, Chad’s Ministry of Economy, According to the African Development
finance will now be able to seamlessly Southern & Eastern Africa and Development Planning and Bank’s (AfDB) African Economic
access working capital from Standard Wingcopter GmbH have signed a International Cooperation has awarded Outlook 2023 report, Africa is set to be
Bank via the DP World Trade Finance memorandum of understanding (MoU) a contract for the supply and the second-fastest growing region in
platform. to develop an integrated drone installation of four drinking water the world after Asia in 2023-2024.
DP World Trace Finance connects delivery solution to transport various supply systems (DWS) to a consortium This projected growth
business with financial institutions as laboratory diagnostic materials as well made up of Vergnet Hydro and Setra. demonstrates the resiliency of the
a fintech platform while also directly as other medical supplies in Africa. The equipment to be supplied by continent’s economy despite the
offering trade finance facilities on its The solution will adopt the latest in the companies is expected to provide global shocks of recent years.
own. It offers businesses a single digital technology provided by a long-term and continual water However, it will depend on global
window to access trade finance Siemens Healthineers and Wingcopter, supply to 47,000 inhabitants of the conditions and Africa’s ability to
solutions. from highly automated drone delivery Logone Occidental region. All bolster its economic resilience
Access to finance is one of the to laboratory information systems, installations will be up and running by further.
biggest barriers for businesses which will accurately track and report November 2023. The report forecasts that the
seeking global trade opportunities, results directly to the patients. Romain Dubreuil, area manager at continent will consolidate its post-
evidenced by the struggle that many Ole Maloy, managing director of Vergnet Hydro, said, “These are the Covid-19 pandemic recovery to 4.3%
organisations face in securing the Siemens Healthineers Middle East, first DWS installed in Chad by Vergnet GDP growth in 2024, from 3.8% in
upfront funds required to move Southern & Eastern Africa, Hydro. We are particularly proud that 2022. Around 22 countries are
cargo. By bringing Standard Bank commented, “Our partnership with this first experience is part of the expected to record growth rates above
onto the platform, DP World Trade Wingcopter will look to bridge the ambitious Food and Nutrition Security 5%. To ensure this growth is realised,
Finance now offers an array of existing gaps in healthcare Implementation Plan set up by the 11th AfDB recommends robust policy
financing solutions. infrastructure, providing equitable and European Development Fund.” actions, including incentivising green
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group affordable access to diagnostic testing Vergnet Hydro is the project leader industries and providing guarantees at
chairman and CEO of DP World, said, and medical supplies.” of the initiative and will supply the scale to de-risk private sector
“DP World exists to make the world’s Wingcopter’s delivery drones, equipment while Setra will carry out investments.
trade flow better and this partnership interconnected with Siemens the work. This will include the African Development Bank Group
with Standard Bank is a testament to Healthineers’ laboratory diagnostics installation of four water towers of 50- president, Akinwumi Adesina, said that
that goal. Africa is a key market for us, facilities, will allow for quick and 150 cu/m, perched 12 m high. These African countries must do more,
with this partnership completing our automated two-way delivery of towers will supply 44 community including mobilising domestic
ongoing investment and development samples, medicine and other medical standpipes and 314 private resources and restructuring debt to
across the continent. products. connections through 32 km of withstand global headwinds.
“With the addition of DP World These sustainable drone delivery pipework. “African economies are moving in
Trade Finance into our offerings, we networks will allow for the Underground water will be the right direction, but as we gather
aim to support African businesses of centralisation of sample testing and collected through five submersible here, the world is facing multiple
all sizes for their working capital medical consumables distribution, electric pumps and then treated at challenges, including climate change,
needs. Together with Standard Bank, resulting in improved access to four chloride dosing stations. This inflation driven by higher prices of
we will help African businesses go diagnosis, faster turnaround time, contract also includes setting up an energy, commodities, and disruption of
from strength to strength and grow increased efficiency and reduction in after sales service and the training of supply chains due to the ongoing
their exports to new markets.” costs. four local maintenance technicians. Russia-Ukraine war.”

S04 ATR July 2023 Trade Integration, AI_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 05:48 Page 15
SPONSORED CONTENT
Africa has the potential for a step-
change in prosperity if adequate
investment can be unlocked.

Step-changing
Africa’s growth
Sub-Saharan Africa is on the brink of a major
socio-economic transformation, and the role
of resources, trade, and international
investment is increasingly crucial,
says Elise Donovan, CEO, BVI Finance.
Image Credit: BVI Finance

World Bank Africa Overview provided they are managed the British Virgin Islands (BVI) can
A report offers insights into the

dynamic shift awaiting the
region, underpinned by its vast
sustainably and responsibly. The
World Bank report identifies the
management of these resources as a
play a pivotal role.
The report produced by London-
based economic consultancy firm
human and natural resources and critical factor in improving fiscal and Pragmatix Advisory ‘Beyond
bolstered by robust economic debt sustainability in Africa. These Globalisation – The British Virgin
growth in several countries. resources can also catalyse progress Islands’ contribution to global
By 2050, half of the more than one towards universal, high-quality prosperity in an uncertain world’,
billion inhabitants of sub-Saharan energy access – a significant notes the BVI’s pan-geographic
Africa will be under 25 years old, challenge for the continent, where appeal and its capacity to facilitate
translating to a youthful workforce 43% of the population lacked access cross-border investment and trade.
that can fuel economic expansion. to electricity as of 2022. With a robust legal framework,
Elise Donovan, CEO, BVI Finance.
Several countries, such as Kenya, Côte The World Bank also points out the regulation, and compliance in line
d'Ivoire, and the Democratic Republic importance of regional integration with international standards, the GDP and 4% of all sectors’ total
of Congo, have shown resilience and and the implementation of the BVI can act as a crucial bridge, cross-border banking liabilities.
robust growth in recent years. This continental free trade agreement in channelling global investment Beyond financial metrics, this
economic resilience suggests an driving economic transformation flows into sub-Saharan Africa. The activity supports over two million
encouraging trajectory for the region, across sub-Saharan Africa. Such Beyond Globalisation report notes jobs worldwide and contributes
even for non-resource-rich nations, initiatives can stimulate economic that Africa has the potential for a more than US$14bn annually to
which are witnessing substantial growth, increase resilience, and step-change in prosperity if public sector revenues.
growth due to lower import bills and provide domestic markets with access adequate investment can be In summary, sub-Saharan Africa's
service sector expansion. to a larger regional (and even unlocked. prospective growth and
international) consumer base. The BVI has a track record of development lies in harnessing its
Economic transformation success in this area. Assets held in resources, fostering regional
Resources, particularly oil, gas, and Beyond globalisation BVI Business Companies have a integration and partnering with
minerals, offer significant potential In this evolving economic landscape, substantial global footprint, international finance centres such as
for economic transformation, international finance centres such as equivalent to 1.5% of annual global the BVI to attract investment.
This multifaceted approach can
catalyse a step-change in prosperity
With a robust legal framework, regulation, and compliance in line for the region and its people. ■
with international standards, the BVI can act as a crucial bridge, The report, ‘Beyond Globalisation: The
British Virgin Islands’ contribution to
channelling global investment flows into sub-Saharan Africa.” global prosperity in an uncertain
world’, can be downloaded here:
ELISE DONOVAN, CEO, BVI FINANCE https://bvifinance.vg/The-BVI-
Advantage/BeyondGlobalisation

ECONOMY | TRADE
Empowering Africa’s economic growth

Moin Siddiqi, economist, discusses the opportunities and challenges arising from the
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
The AfCFTA could unleash

opportunities in many sectors, such
as transport and logistics.
he African Union (AU) flagship a huge step forward for Africa, The African continent has enable Africa to position itself
T project, the African

Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) agreement connects 1.4bn
demonstrating to the world that it is
emerging as a leader on the global
trade agenda," said Caroline Freund,
capacity to achieve 7-10% growth by
taking advantage of its population
to grow a robust single market, as
among the three largest global
marketplaces,” said renowned US
economist Prof Jeffrey Sachs. AfCFTA
people across 55 countries in a global director of trade, investment China and India have done. goals can unleash opportunities in
US$3.4 trillion economic bloc. It and competitiveness, World Bank. “Building a single market will transport, logistics, energy, ITC, and
envisages vastly increased ‘intra- banking services (trade finance).
continental’ trade in goods and
services by dismantling rigid trade The implementation of AfCFTA would be a Comprehensive charter
barriers, strengthening efficiency in The scope of AfCFTA is ambitious:
customs, leveraging digitalisation huge step forward for Africa, demonstrating progressively eliminate tariffs and
and most importantly, closing the nontariff barriers (NTBs) on goods;
region’s infrastructure gaps. to the world that it is emerging as a leader enhance trade facilitation and
"Creating a single, continent-wide address technical barriers to trade
market for goods and services, on the global trade agenda.” (TBTs); liberalise trade in services
business and investment would and boost competitiveness;
reshape African economies. The CAROLINE FREUND, GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INVESTMENT encourage intra-Africa and foreign
implementation of AfCFTA would be AND COMPETITIVENESS, WORLD BANK direct investments; and develop

TRADE | ECONOMY
regional and continental value chains. AfCFTA also seeks to improve

Member states are phasing out
90% of tariff lines (i.e., items listed
trade facilitation (hard/soft
infrastructure) at borders and along The success of AfCFTA hinges on the
in a country’s tariff schedule) within
5-10 years, while 7% (deemed
corridors between countries.
Optimising the AfCFTA framework ability of African firms to understand and
sensitive) are given an additional
period and 3% are placed on an
requires accepting Niamey
Declaration “to leverage trade
capitalise on trade-related opportunities
exclusion list (see box on p18). Thus
far, 80% of AU countries have
facilitation among AU members to
promote efficient and increased
offered by the AfCFTA.”
submitted their tariff reduction trade flows across the continent.” PAMELA COKE-HAMILTON, INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE
schedules. The signatories will Overall, with lower trade costs,
benefit from reduced tariffs, hence the unit price of imports falls, which
(ITC) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
lower prices of imported goods for boosts competitiveness of local
consumers and producers using production (using imported inputs). preferential trade agreements (PTAs) variation across countries and
intermediate inputs. Concurrently, production shifts to by harmonising rules on competition sectors (see table). Intra-Africa trade
NTBs impose onerous regulations the most competitive sectors, policy, investment protection, is highly concentrated, with 1% of
(red tape) like strict technical and thereby resulting in higher intellectual property rights and tax tariff lines representing 74% of
phytosanitary standards, higher productivity gains and faster administration, as well as dispute imports in an average African
quotas and trading licenses that economic growth. Trade facilitation resolution mechanisms. This, in turn, country. Some protectionist tariffs
raise compliance cost. The average to remove operational constraints will create a single legal framework could remain even if countries
trade-weighted NTBs for goods and yields the largest gains. However, for the continent to facilitate intra- liberalise most tariff lines. Trade in
services in Africa amount to 30% differences across countries depend trade and investment. certain sensitive sectors will only be
(World Bank data). Thus, reducing on the initial level of tariffs, NTBs, liberalised over a longer period, and
NTBs benefits consumers of final and border costs. Reducing tariffs Challenges to regional some goods will be excluded from
(household) and intermediate goods are an easier task, but dismantling integration liberalisation.
(firms). Large cuts in tariffs and NTBs NTBs is time-consuming. AfCFTA offers huge opportunities, According to the Institute of
could increase merchandise trade In addition, AfCFTA’s protocols but also faces significant challenges. Security Studies (ISS), AfCFTA
flows between signatories and real aim to unify eight regional economic Currently, the proportion of trade arguably has higher income
per-capita GDP by 15% and 1.25%, communities (RECs) with overlapping among AU members stands at a disparities between members than
respectively, or more if supported by memberships into one market based mere 16-18% – far below other other continental free trade zones.
an efficient trade environment, on the European Union (EU) model, regions. Trade barriers remain high The big three (Nigeria, South Africa,
according to the International as well as addressing marginal across the continent and average and Egypt) constitute about half of
Monetary Fund (IMF). impact of existing subregional tariffs are about 6%, but with high Africa’s gross domestic product
(GDP). Thus, the potential single
market combines unequal
Tariff barriers in Selected African Countries
economies with varying production
All Products Primary Products Manufactured Products
capacities, which means more
Most recent SMT % WMT % SMT % WMT % SMT % WMT %
advanced countries, cities, and
Country year MRV MRV
Angola 2020 10.5 9.2 19.8 14.2 9.2 7.3 manufacturers will benefit most
Botswana 2020 7.7 0.8 4.1 0.9 8.2 0.8 from liberalised trade.
Cameroon 2019 18.6 15.5 22.0 18.4 18.1 13.8 AfCFTA also suffers from a lack of
Congo DRC 2020 11.6 8.4 11.8 8.5 11.5 8.4 awareness, as indicated by Centre
Cote d'Ivoire 2020 12.1 7.6 15.5 5.9 11.7 8.9 for the Study of Economies of Africa
Egypt 2019 14.4 10.4 99.4 19.5 4.9 6.1 in Nigeria, which revealed over 60%
Ghana 2020 12.8 10.5 15.9 12.5 12.3 9.9 of Nigeria’s entrepreneurs were
Kenya 2020 13.7 9.3 17.3 14.5 13.2 7.5 unaware of free trade benefits.
Mauritius 2020 1.2 0.9 1.3 1.0 1.2 0.9
“The success of AfCFTA hinges on
Morocco 2020 4.3 3.6 7.7 7.7 3.9 2.3
the ability of African firms to
Nigeria 2020 12.8 12.4 15.8 11.8 12.3 12.5
understand and capitalise on trade-
Senegal 2020 12.8 9.1 15.4 8.4 12.4 9.4
South Africa 2020 7.1 4.4 4.5 2.6 7.5 5.0
related opportunities offered by the
Tanzania 2020 12.2 8.9 18.1 22.8 11.7 6.6 AfCFTA,” said Pamela Coke-
Uganda 2020 13.2 8.1 22.2 13.3 12.0 6.2 Hamilton, International Trade
Zambia 2020 11.7 4.8 13.0 2.3 11.5 5.4 Centre (ITC) executive director.
Source: World Development Indicators, 2022 (World Bank Group). The trade potential of AfCFTA
*Simple mean tariff (SMT) is the unweighted average of effectively applied rates for all products subject to tariffs calculated for all cannot be realised without adequate
traded goods. quality infrastructure systems
*Weighted mean tariff (WMT) is the average of effectively applied rates weighted by the product import shares corresponding to each (particularly road, railways, and
particular country.
power). The challenge is to build
MRV = Measurement, Reporting and Verification.
solid regional infrastructure to

ECONOMY | TRADE
AfCTFA could create

17.9mn new jobs.
promote intracontinental trade. A

‘multi-currency’ clearing centre is
needed to facilitate cross-border
transactions, while mitigating risks
from trading in several regional
currencies. The Pan-African Payment
and Settlement System (PAPSS), a
platform that facilitates free trading,
was launched in January 2022, with
the African Export-Import Bank
providing liquidity for the
settlements and the technology.

Making AfCFTA work
Two years after the official launch,
the signatories need to agree on
strategies and processes to expedite
intra-Africa trade and unlock the leading Pan-African bank, has exporters to showcase their a new era of competitiveness.
investment for rural and regional launched ‘The Ecobank Single goods/services and connect with AfCFTA can help diversify exports,
connectivity and value chains. Market Trade Hub’, linking traders buyers and suppliers across Africa. attract FDI, and achieve a
Experience of free trade zones within the framework of AfCFTA. In sum, a unified market is sustainable growth trajectory –
indicates success demands treaty More than 300 businesses from 22 viewed as a game-changer, whereby thereby making Africa resilient to
administration; trade-related execution countries have already joined the 55 fragmented economies are global shocks. The U.N. Economic
support; and smooth transition to a platform for importers and becoming a powerhouse to unleash Commission for Africa echoed, “Sub-
single marketplace, leading to Saharan Africa is still a continent of
increased investment and jobs. enormous potential. Over the
Simultaneous action is required
at both supranational and national
Sub-Saharan Africa is still a continent of medium term, greater integration
across sectors means a bigger
levels to reduce all trade costs
alongside free capital and labour
enormous potential.” market for businesses, financial
institutions and exporters to build
mobility, plus much-improved cross- U.N. ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA new client relationships across
border management. Higher borders.” ■
logistics costs and trade facilitation
bottlenecks hinder intra-Africa trade AFCFTA EXPLAINED
– hence, the biggest gains would
derive by reducing NTBs and On 21 March 2018, at the 10th Extraordinary AU Summit, a majority of countries pledged to create a ‘Pan-African’
implementing a Trade Facilitation bloc envisaged under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The agreement became effective on 30 May
Agreement (TFA) (see box). 2019, after ratification by 22 countries and officially launched on 1 January 2021. AfCFTA, once completed, will
Digitalisation of customs become the world’s largest bloc (by participating countries). As of June, 2023, 54 countries had signed the agreement
procedures and ‘one-stop’ border (excluding Eritrea) and it had been ratified by 46, including major economies Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya.
posts can reduce the cost/time of Tariffs on intra-continental trade are reduced progressively in line with AfCFTA modalities:
moving goods across borders. 1] In 2020, signatories pledged to eliminate tariffs on 90% of tariff lines over a five-year period from 2020-2025
Capacity building (training and (10 years for least developed countries, or LDCs). From 2025, tariffs on an additional 7% are scheduled for
policy advice) to ministries of trade abolition within five years, ie by 2030 (eight years for LDCs). The remaining 3% of tariff lines (comprising 10% of
and specifically customs agencies intra-Africa imports) could be excluded from liberalisation by end-2030 (2033 for LDCs).
tasked with enforcing new 2] Nontariff barriers on both goods and services are reduced on a most-favoured nation (MFN) basis, whereby all
regulations of which they may have MFN trade partners are treated equally and receive the lowest tariffs, fewest trade barriers and minimum
little experience, is equally crucial. import quotas (or none).
The basis criteria of a vibrant 3] AfCFTA will be underpinned by measures to boost intra-Africa trade via implementing a trade facilitation
single market are an enhanced rule- agreement (TFA), which covers provisions for expediting the movement, release, and clearance of goods,
based business climate, affordable including goods in transit – hence making cross-border trade easier, faster, and cheaper.
connectivity, flexible labour markets Implementing the ‘full provisions’ of AfCFTA by 2035, would:
and economic prudence. Ultimately, • Boost Africa’s real income by US$450bn; two-thirds of which (US$292bn) originate from streamlining customs
it falls upon signatories to effectively procedures, and cutting red tape.
implement and administer the • Increase merchandise exports by US$560bn, mostly in manufacturing.
AfCFTA charter. Substantive reforms • Create 17.9mn new jobs; boost wages for skilled/unskilled workers; and lift around 68mn people out of
are needed to make Africa moderate poverty.
competitive with other regions. Source: The World Bank.
More recently, ECOBANK Group,

REPORT | AI
Embracing the use of AI could unlock
Africa’s potential for economic growth.

Overcoming challenges, unlocking potential
As AI gains momentum across Africa, a wave of opportunities and challenges emerges. Minhaj Zia reports.
he growth of artificial US$47.5mn, closely followed by unit Industry Software Solutions and assume a similar role in West Africa
T intelligence (AI) within African

businesses has become a
notable phenomenon, ushering in a
Mines.IO7 with US$17.2mn. While
Nigeria has garnered the largest
share of seed funding, South Africa
Support, announced its recent
partnership as an AVEVA Select
partner for the East and West Africa
as ‘AVEVA Select West Africa’. These
entities are making substantial
investments in establishing training
new era of transformation across boasts the highest number of AI regions. This collaboration enables and demonstration centres aimed at
various industries on the continent. start-ups in Africa, with a count of DI to provide customers with nurturing these skill pools and
With advancements in technology 26. Nigeria follows closely with 20 AVEVA's comprehensive range of equipping system integrators,
and increased accessibility, AI has start-ups, while Kenya maintains a cutting-edge industrial software partner companies, and end-users
emerged as a versatile tool for presence with nine. Additionally, solutions, facilitating their journey with the necessary expertise to
optimising operations, elevating Tunisia and Zimbabwe each have six towards greater sustainability and maximise the utilisation of
decision-making processes, and AI start-ups, whereas Egypt and profitability. technology and customise the
uncovering untapped opportunities. Ghana have five start-ups apiece. The AVEVA Select agreement is available service offerings.
African enterprises are harnessing Surprisingly, although Nigeria has strategically designed to fulfil The highly esteemed designation
the potential of AI to streamline attracted the most significant customers' needs for improved of 'AVEVA Select Partner' empowers
their workflows, enhance customer amount of AI seed funding, Kenya, operational efficiency, enhanced distributors to simplify design
experiences, and extract valuable Tunisia, Mauritius, South Africa, and returns, and increased business processes, optimise production, and
insights from vast troves of data. Ghana (in that order) rank higher in sustainability. To achieve these maximise overall performance. By
This surge in AI adoption not only terms of government AI readiness on strategic objectives within the leveraging the extensive AVEVA
promises to ignite innovation, but the African continent. It is also worth continent, a people-centric software portfolio, AVEVA Select
also holds the key to driving noting that despite fintech capturing ecosystem driving digital partners can take advantage of
economic growth and fostering the lion's share of seed funding, the transformation serves as the key tailored programmes catering to
sustainable development in diverse healthcare sector boasts the highest enabler. DI aims to expand its every product and solution
sectors, propelling Africa to the number of AI start-ups, totalling 21. ecosystem of customers and specialisation within the engineering
forefront of the global AI revolution. Agriculture follows suit with 14 start- partners who aspire to adopt and industrial segments. The
According to a report by the ups, while the manufacturing sector transformative technologies. AVEVA Select programme offers an
Newcastle Business School and showcases five ventures. These Leveraging existing knowledge and effective avenue for partners to
Northumbria University, statistics exemplify the diverse and skills, as well as cultivating new skill penetrate new markets, build upon
approximately 100 AI start-ups have dynamic landscape of AI pools, remains the key existing solutions, and strengthen
emerged throughout Africa as of entrepreneurship in Africa. differentiating factor. local relationships.
2020, successfully securing more In East Africa, the regional The AVEVA Select partnership has
than US$140mn in seed funding, Strategic partnerships operations will be led by Kenyan significantly accelerated the value
with a particular emphasis on Regarding more recent operations under the name ‘AVEVA proposition that DI can offer,
fintech ventures in Nigeria. Notably, developments, Digital Industries Select East Africa’, while the empowering both their customers
Cellulant has raised an impressive (DI), operating through its business Nigerian representative offices will and partners to optimise

AI | REPORT
Image Credit: Alain Charles Publishing

engineering, operations, and asset
performance. A unified digital AI readiness in sub-Saharan Africa
thread, woven across all enterprise
South Sudan 19.45
pillars, unlocks a new realm of
Performance Intelligence by Central African Republic 19.9
harnessing bedrock technologies
Eritrea 20.17
such as AI, the Industrial Internet of
Things (IIoT), big data, cloud Democratic Republic of the Congo 20.22
computing, and hybrid solutions.
Burundi 20.53
“Digital Industries’ customers and
partners will continue to get the Seychelles 39.87
same dedicated local support, now Rwanda 40.2
with the added value of wider access
to AVEVA’s complete portfolio of Kenya 40.36
solutions, which enables a new level World Average 44.61
of Performance Intelligence using
technologies such as AI, IIoT, big South Africa 47.74
data and cloud. The AVEVA Select Mauritius 53.38
programme helps our distributors to
deliver even more value and support 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
their customers’ digital
Top five and bottom five African countries compared Source: Oxford Insight's Government
transformation initiatives,” said AI Readiness Index 2022
to the world average in AI readiness.
Kerry Grimes, AVEVA global head of
partners. “We are pleased to extend
Digital Industries coverage as an Central African Republic, and South million Africans in remote areas lack the continent, with a limited
AVEVA Select partner and look Sudan ranked lowest in AI access to mobile networks, requiring number of trained professionals
forward to developing and readiness within the sub-Saharan an investment of at least US$100bn available. More education and
capitalising on mutually beneficial African region, with respective to bridge this gap. training programmes are needed to
growth strategies.” index scores of 20.17, 19.90, and Secondly, the lack of quality data develop the necessary skills and
19.45. It is evident that numerous poses a significant challenge. Many expertise in AI.
The troubling trade-offs African countries still face African countries are still in the early And perhaps the most permeating
Despite the rapid growth of AI in the significant challenges, lacking the stages of the data revolution, lacking anxiety surrounding AI is job
continent, it does not come without necessary capacity and sufficient data collection mechanisms security; as AI becomes more and
its apprehensions. The Centre for foundational pillars to fully and governance frameworks to more advanced, it increases the
the Study of the Economies of Africa embrace the realm of AI. ensure high-quality data. This likelihood of surpassing humans in
(CSEA) reports that within the '2022 Africa's lag in AI readiness can be shortage affects the accuracy and terms of efficiency when carrying
AI Readiness Index,' sub-Saharan attributed to several factors. Firstly, customisation of AI algorithms, out certain jobs. Certainly, this
Africa recorded an average score of limited digital infrastructure hinders impeding the development and explains the level of anxiety and
29.38 – indicating that many African AI development as internet implementation of AI solutions distrust a workforces could have
countries ranked towards the lower penetration across the continent tailored to the local context. concerning the technology.
end of the spectrum. Regionally, remains low, with only 28% Ethical and legal considerations The growth of AI in Africa
Mauritius claimed the top position estimated in 2019. Insufficient also hinder AI progress in Africa. The undoubtedly holds promise for
with an index score of 53.38, access to electricity and inadequate absence of clear regulatory transformation, but challenges such
followed by South Africa (47.74) in investment in infrastructure, such as frameworks surrounding AI creates as limited infrastructure, data
second place and Kenya (40.36) in fibre-optic cables and cell towers, uncertainties and limits innovation. scarcity, ethical concerns, high costs,
third place. contribute to this issue. The World Issues related to safety, and skill shortages can hinder its
On the other hand, Eritrea, the Bank estimates that around 100 transparency, informed consent, progress. Balancing opportunities
algorithmic fairness, biases, and and challenges, Africa's journey
data privacy need to be addressed to towards AI readiness offers promise
foster responsible AI development. for innovation and development.
The AVEVA Select programme helps our Furthermore, the high cost of AI As the rest of the world embraces
distributors to deliver even more value and technologies, coupled with a

shortage of skilled professionals,
the modernisations AI brings to its
industries, Africa has the potential
support to their customers’ digital poses challenges. The expensive

hardware and software components
to not only catch up to, but thrive in
the global AI revolution. With
transformation initiatives.” of AI systems make it difficult for

many African countries to fully
increasing investment, strategic
partnerships, and a focus on a
leverage these technologies. There is skilled workforce, Africa can
KERRY GRIMES, GLOBAL HEAD OF PARTNERS, AVEVA
also a scarcity of AI specialists across overcome these obstacles. ■

S05 ATR July 2023 Power I_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 05:51 Page 21
POWER | NEWS
New technique boosts solar power- AFC AND JBIC COLLABORATE

conversion efficiency of organic solar cells TO BOOST ENERGY
TRANSITION IN AFRICA
Image Credit: PolyU

Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
have achieved a breakthrough power-conversion efficiency
(PCE) of 19.31% with organic solar cells (OSCs) which will help Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the leading
enhance applications of these advanced solar energy devices. infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, and
The PCE is considered a benchmark for the performance of Japan Bank for International Cooperation
photovoltaics (PVs) in power generation. The improved (JBIC), Japan’s policy-based financial institution,
efficiency of more than 19% that has now been achieved have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
constitutes a record for binary OSCs which have one donor and (MoU) to collaborate on infrastructure projects
one acceptor in the photo-active layer. The research team, that contribute to accelerating energy
which was led by PolyU’s Li Gang, professor of energy Li Gang invented a novel technique to transition in Africa and promoting economic
conversion technology, and Sir Sze-Yen Chung, endowed achieve a breakthrough efficiency with sustainability on the continent. This agreement
organic solar cell.
professor in renewable energy, invented a novel OSC was signed on the sidelines of the 58th Annual
morphology-regulating technique by using 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene as a crystallisation regulator. This Assembly of the African Development Bank in
new technique boosts OSC efficiency and stability. Egypt.
The team developed a non-monotonic intermediated state manipulation (ISM) strategy to The collaboration aims to develop and
manipulate the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) OSC morphology and simultaneously optimise the finance infrastructure projects on the
crystallisation dynamics and energy loss of non-fullerene OSCs. Unlike the strategy of using traditional continent that contribute to accelerating
solvent additives, the ISM strategy promotes the formation of more ordered molecular stacking and Africa’s path to net-zero in a pragmatic way.
favourable molecular aggregation. As a result, the PCE was considerably increased and the undesirable Priority projects include renewable energy
non-radiative recombination loss was reduced. Non-radiative recombination lowers the light technologies/systems (including green and blue
generation efficiency and increases the heat loss. Gang commented, “Challenges in research came from hydrogen and ammonia), highly energy-
the existing additive-based benchmark morphology control methods, which suffer from non-radiative efficient powerplants and carbon capture and
recombination loss, thus lowering the open-circuit voltage due to excessive aggregation.” The research storage (CCS) technology among others.
team took about two years to devise a non-monotonic ISM strategy for increasing the OSC efficiency AFC plays a crucial role in financing the
and lowering the non-radiative recombination loss. The publication of the study – in Nature continent’s energy transition by investing in
Communications – promises to galvanise OSC research. renewable energy projects, supporting the
“The new finding will make OSC research an exciting field, and this will likely create tremendous development of energy infrastructure, and
opportunities in applications like portable electronics and building-integrated PVs,” Gang continued. providing financing for energy efficiency
projects. The corporation recently closed the
acquisition of Lekela with Infinity Power,
CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT EXTENDS LEAD OVER making AFC and its partners the largest
renewable energy provider in Africa, with a
FOSSIL FUELS combined gross capacity of 1.27GW, powering
According to a new IEA report, investment in clean energy technologies is significantly outpacing spending more than 1 million homes and offsetting 2.7
on fossil fuels as affordability and security concerns triggered by the global energy crisis strengthen the million tons of CO2 per annum.
momentum behind more sustainable options. “Through this collaboration, we envision a
Annual clean energy investment is expected to rise by 24% between 2021 and 2023, driven by transformative alliance that harnesses the
renewables and electric vehicles, compared with a 15% rise in fossil fuel investment over the same period. expertise, resources, and innovative financing
About US$2.8 trillion is set to be invested globally in energy in 2023, of which more than US$1.7 trillion is solutions of both institutions, to drive a
expected to go to clean technologies. greener future for the continent whilst
Clean energy investments have been boosted by a variety of factors in recent years, including periods of continuing to advocate for African
strong economic growth and volatile fossil fuel prices that raised concerns about energy security. Enhanced industrialisation," said Sanjeev Gupta,
policy support through major actions like the US Inflation Reduction Act and initiatives in Europe, Japan, executive director & head of financial services
China and elsewhere have also played a role. at Africa Finance Corporation.
BRIEFS
AIF presents four renewable projects The key to a hydrogen future?
Image Credit: Africa Investment Forum
The Africa Investment Forum (AIF) presented four A team of scientists from Penn State have found
renewable energy and sustainability projects that coal may represent a potential way to store
worth nearly US$1.5bn to investors on the hydrogen gas, addressing a major hurdle in
sidelines of the African Development Bank developing a clean energy supply chain. “We
Group’s 2023 Annual Meetings, held under the found that coal can be a geological hydrogen
theme, ‘Mobilising Private Sector Financing for battery,” said Shimin Liu, associate professor of
Climate and Green Growth in Africa.’ The curated energy and mineral engineering at Penn State.
The investment roundtable
projects, which are drawn from all of Africa’s Developing hydrogen storage in coal mining
attracted a range of private
investors, including venture regions, are sourced from the Africa Investment Coal could be a suitable place to communities could bring new economic
capital and private equity firms. Forum’s pipeline. do geological hydrogen storage. opportunities to associated regions.

NEWS | POWER
GDC lauded for helping in Kenya’s green BBOXX’S NEW SMART

energy development SOLAR SYSTEMS
Image Credit: GDC Kenya

GDC has played host to Rigathi Bboxx, the data-driven super platform
Gachagua, Deputy President of Kenya, as announced the launch of its new range of
he officiated over a Globeleq 35MW four Solar Home Systems designed to seize
powerplant groundbreaking ceremony the opportunity of new advances in
at Menengai Geothermal Project. technology to deliver universal energy access
The Deputy President lauded GDC for in Africa. The new GPS and IoT-enabled
its role in helping to develop green range is designed to further Bboxx’s mission
energy, promising government’s support to transform lives and unlock potential by
to enable GDC to competently deliver on bringing innovative energy solutions to
its mandate. “We will continue to underserved communities worldwide.
support GDC to effectively play its role; Bboxx already positively impacts the lives
more importantly, these efforts will help Paul Ngugi, managing director and CEO of GDC, cheers as Deputy of 3.5 million people with clean energy in 10
Kenya meet its international obligation President Gachagua breaks ground at the Globeleq site for the African markets. The company’s new Solar
construction of a 35MW powerplant.
on decarbonising the economy on Africa Home Systems were developed for
and global front as we push to exploit the full geothermal potential,” said Gachagua adding the households and small businesses which
Government was keen on lowering the cost of power. Affordable power will help spur economic require a reliable solution for diverse energy
development and reduce the cost of doing business.” needs. From providing enough power to
The Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir, expressed delight that he will see the fruits of what he support life-changing lights, cooling
initiated 10 years ago. He expressed full confidence in GDC to help the country drive the geothermal appliances, large televisions and radios for
agenda. On his part, the GDC board chair, Walter Nyambati, noted that GDC was greatly honoured by communities in Africa to supporting small
the presence of the Deputy President. He assured attendees that GDC, with the Government and businesses in urban areas with weak grids,
financiers’ support, will excel. Bboxx’s new bPower80-240 range can serve a
The event was also graced by other top government officials including Alex Wachira, PS State wide range of energy requirements.
Department of Energy; Susan Kihika, Governor, Nakuru County; Members of Parliament, and The four new modular systems offer an
ambassadors. improved customer experience through an
The event ended on a high note as the GDC representatives presented framed pictures of Menengai interactive screen, allowing customers to check
to the Deputy President and the outgoing UK Ambassador to Kenya, Jane Marriot. remaining credit, and feature state-of-the-art
“This groundbreaking a future of lowered cost of power and more revenues for GDC. I want to lithium batteries and improved tamper
assure the GDC staff that our company is great; it has potential and what we need is to all, in one protection. The models are plugged into Bboxx
accord, support each other and pull forward together,” commented, Paul Ngugi, managing director Pulse, the company’s fully integrated
and CEO of GDC. operating system which drives the data-driven
super platform, enabling flexible payment
plans that adapt to customers’ incomes.
CIP INVESTS IN CWP’S GREEN HYDROGEN BUSINESS
Image Credit: Bboxx

CWP Global and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) have announced the recent completion of CIP’s
strategic investment in CWP’s development portfolio of ultra-large-scale green hydrogen hubs, including
projects across Africa, Australia and the US. Under the deal announced today, CIP, through its Energy
Transition Fund I, has acquired a 26.67% stake in a development platform within CWP’s green hydrogen
business, thus seizing the opportunity to invest in the latter’s pipeline of green hydrogen hubs under
development globally. The investment brings together CWP’s leading green hydrogen team and CIP’s Bboxx’s Solar Home
expertise in financing and developing large-scale green transition infrastructure. Systems bPower80-
CIP’s backing represents a significant vote of confidence in the emerging green hydrogen sector from 240 range.
one of the world’s largest renewable energy infrastructure investors.
BRIEFS
UMDF funds Namibia solar project OpenMod4Africa addresses energy poverty challenge
Image Credit: AfDB
Image Credit: OpenMod4Africa
The African Development Bank’s Urban and OpenMod4Africa, an EU project aimed at

Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) has developing sustainable and reliable energy
approved US$485,000 for a solar electricity systems in Africa, is set to make a significant
project in Namibia that will power some 50,000 impact on the continent's energy landscape.
households in the capital city. The municipal The project will develop an open modelling
council of Windhoek requested the fund’s support toolbox, leveraging state-of-the-art models
to upgrade services in its informal neighborhoods, adapted to the African context and needs. These
a key priority under the metropolis’ Strategic Plan. OpenMod4Africa will focus on the models will enable comprehensive analyses of
The programme will directly countries included in the West
With this new project, the UMDF is expanding its long-term energy pathways, tailored to different
benefit around 200,000 people in Africa Power Pool and in the East
Windhoek. support to southern African countries. Africa Power Pool. regions, cities, industries and countries.

S06 ATR July 2023 Power II_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 05:55 Page 24
Image Credit: Mantrac

POWER | GENSETS
The market for diesel

generators is growing.
Generating growth
Generators are continuing to play a role as an essential piece of equipment, helping
the continent achieve its predicted economic potential.
n today’s world, there are few regions which the result of developments in South Africa where an IKEA store in Morocco, HIMOINSA has delivered
I are regarded to have as promising a future as

Africa. While this of course encapsulates a
wide spectrum of countries and markets, and,
the country is grappling from persistent power
outages stifling virtually all industries from retail
and services to manufacturing and mining.
two new generator sets (one HDW-750 T5 Doosan
engine and one HFW-125 T5 Iveco engine) to cope
with possible power failures and guarantee a
indeed, this is not the first time the continent has With power at the top of list of priorities for stable power supply. In, Egypt, Kohler celebrated
been projected as a future economic juggernaut, countries and companies operating across the the supply and installation by its partner for four
its ability to weather the storm of the pandemic continent, a full spectrum of solutions is being units of 3000KVA PRP 11KV, one KD1100F 400V
has left more commentators assured of its deployed, from extensive geothermal engagement and one V550 400V at a multipurpose terminal in
positive trajectory. in the East, to a renewed interest in solar in the Alexandria port. The company also supplied and
According to the African Development Bank’s West. While the capacity around such sources is installed two genset 1900KVAs equipped with ISO
(AfDB) Africa Economic Outlook 2023, the shocks built, however, it is the tried and tested diesel 40 FT Container with fuel system for a Tier 3 Data
of the pandemic and war in Europe have weighed generators – in the face of grid unpredictability – centre in the country. Ghaddar Machinery,
on the continent’s momentum with growth in real that are providing a lifeline for businesses to meanwhile, has delivered the first batch of a
domestic product (GDP) estimated at 3.8% in function and a platform for the continent to grow. project with a total capacity of 14MW for the
2022, down from 4.8% in 2021. However, this It is no surprise, therefore, that the market for Ministry of Energy in Sierra Leone. Ghaddar
growth is still above the global average of 3.4% diesel generators continues to thrive. According to Generators powered by Cummins KTA50-G3 &
and all but two countries in Africa posted positive research from MarkNtel Advisors, the continent’s KTA19-G4 engines and Leroy Somer LSA50.2M6 &
growth rates. The bank noted that, despite diesel generator market is projected to grow at a TAL0473C alternators will be distributed across
significant headwinds, Africa has shown CAGR of around 5% during the 2022-2027 period, seven stations across the country. Zest Weg has
remarkable resilience and its outlook remains driven primarily from infrastructural also made headlines by agreeing to manufacture
positive and stable with a projected rebound to development projects and the need to meet daily and deliver a complete substation E-house with
4% in 2023, up to 4.3% in 2024. As part of this, 18 energy requirements through small-capacity distribution transformers and a diesel generator
African countries will experience growth rates diesel generators. In addition, many of the set to Sasol in Mozambique. The package, to be
surpassing 5% in 2023, and 22 in 2024. continent’s key industries such as mining, completed in the last quarter of 2023, will include
There are many avenues and instruments to be construction and oil & gas cannot function one 1,250kVA Zest Weg diesel generator set for
addressed and pursued in order to realise and effectively without uninterrupted power supply, backup power which will be manufactured at its
build on this potential, however at the top of this and diesel generators provide one the most facility in Cape Town.
list is something the continent has – and reliable means of achieving that. Other market
continues to – struggle with to this day: power. commentators, such as Grand View Research, has On the ground
Without a sufficient and reliable supply of estimated an increase above 6%, pointing Generators Kenya Limited is a company which has
electricity, all sectors of a country will struggle to especially at the rise in data centres across the been enabling institutions to increase their
grow and compete in the modern world. This region as a point for high growth. efficiency and effectiveness by installing high
point has been most keenly demonstrated in Indeed, there are no shortages of examples quality generator sets, power backup solutions
southern Africa where, according to AfDB, growth relating to generators being purchased, delivered and maintenance services for more than 20 years.
has decelerated to 1.6% in 2023. This dip is largely and installed across the continent. By example, for Providing some insight on how it has found the

GENSETS | POWER

diesel genset market in recent years, the
company actually noted a slight decline in diesel
generator sales compared to last year due to a
high dollar exchange rate affecting the cost of
importing equipment. It noted, however, that of
the brands it distributes, Cummins and Perkins
generators have been standing out due to their
reliability, advanced technology and fuel
efficiency – especially important given the
current energy crisis. A representative also
explained that this year, residential generators
ranging from 10-20kVA and commercial
generators ranging from 20-200kVA have been the
most popular and purchased equipment.
Providing an insight from Nigeria, Mantrac
explained how Caterpillar large power generators
are playing a key role in meeting the electricity
demands as the country strives to improve
electricity access across the country. However, to
provide energy for their small businesses,
residences or farms, many Nigerian
entrepreneurs are relying on off-grid Cat small
capacity diesel generators which are known to be Mantrac manufactures canopies, attachment, electrical devices, and assembles generators in Nigeria.
robust, reliable and low in fuel consumption. The
Mantrac representative noted that the growing certified technicians and custom made solutions. The Mantrac representative added that
market is vast in the country, giving rise to Through customer feedback, Mantrac has between premium Caterpillar products from
competitors from all sorts vying for a share. noted how aftersales support and response time Mantrac (offering lower cost per kVA, lower
Therefore, it is in this light that its sister to emergencies is one of the most important consumption, and more), Delta Perkins Nigeria
company, Delta Group, has launched a new priorities that is influencing generator purchase (offering well-known, competitive products and a
flagship Perkins dealership in Nigeria to deliver decision making in the country – hence the timely stronger support to a larger market) and CKD/CSD
the best aftersales support to all customers using announcement by Perkins and Delta. It was also factories (manufacturing products locally to offer
a Perkins-powered generator and has invested pointed out that Mantrac has a factory which large availability and support as fast as possible),
millions in a brand new facility that offers a large manufactures canopies, attachment, electrical it can truly support the growing market demand
stock of genuine Perkins parts and engines, devices, and assembles generators. when it comes to power generation. ■
Image Credit: Generators Kenya Limited
Generators Kenya Limited explained that Cummins and Perkins generators have been standing out due to their Perkins appointed Delta Industrial Equipment Limited
reliability, advanced technology and fuel efficiency. as an authorised Perkins distributor in Nigeria.

POWER | INTERVIEW
Image Credit: Infinity Power

Africa’s energy birthright
Mohamed Ismail Mansour, chairman of Infinity Power,
examines Africa’s lucrative renewable potential and how
his company is helping the continent seize this opportunity.
here are few who refute energy sector market.
T Africa’s potential to play a

critical role as an enabler of
the energy transition and, thus,
Perhaps most notably, in March
this year, the company completed
the acquisition of Lekela Power – an
become a dominating presence in independent power producer which
the future global power mix. operates 1GW of wind power Mohamed Ismail Mansour is the chairman of Infinity Power.
According to the International projects in South Africa, Egypt and
Energy Agency (IEA), Africa is home Senegal and boasts a 1.8GW project Lekela brings extensive expertise build 10GW of capacity by 2030.
to 60% of the best solar resources pipeline in various stages of around wind energy and ticks the While the chairman conceded these
globally, the sub-Saharan region developments. Funded through box when it comes to market are high targets, he noted that with
alone has 1,300GW wind energy equity investment from capacity. Adding this to Infinity the dynamics of the market the way
potential and the continent has the shareholders and debt from Absa Power helps us to develop our they are – and taking into account
capacity to produce 5,000 CIB and the Mauritius Commercial expertise in-house – it is a perfect fit the onset of new technology and
megatonnes of hydrogen per year. Bank, the initiative was part of the and I have been very happy with the grid evolution on the continent –
With the prospects firmly company’s promise at COP27 to management team at Lekela. they are achievable.
established, it is now a case of become the fastest-growing “This transaction accelerates our “Our two key markets at the
realisation and setting the continent renewable energy company in Africa mission in Africa which is to provide moment are Egypt and South Africa.
on the right path to live up to these and was described as “a major step cheap electricity for communities We are looking at Morocco as a
high expectations. forward for Africa’s future” by Nayer across the continent. We have a high possible third but that decision has
One organisation that is firmly Fouad, CEO of Infinity Power. bar; ideally we would like a not been made yet. Through the
dedicated to this pursuit is Infinity Exploring the acquisition in more presence in all 54 countries and the Lekela acquisition, the company
Power, a company which few can detail in an interview with African combined experience of both now is firmly established in the
match in terms of time spent in the Review, Mohamed Ismail Mansour, companies (Infinity Power and Senegal market as well. These are
media spotlight across 2023. The chairman of Infinity Power, Lekela) on the continent will help us our bases across the continent from
joint venture between Infinity and remarked, “I see this as a very to meet this ultimate mission.” which we are looking to build and
Masdar targets power generation strategic acquisition which Exploring this journey, Mansour take on projects as they come.”
projects through renewable energy complements our core competency noted that the company is projected Mansour explained that while the
sources and has been making base. Infinity Power has been very to develop, install and operate 2GW company is on the lookout for new
significant waves within the African successful, predominantly in Egypt. of projects by 2025 and is looking to opportunities to expand their
portfolio on the market, the two
defining boxes that must be ticked
Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye is Senegal’s
first large scale wind energy project. are bankability and grid evacuation
capacity at location. “Many of these
opportunities come from our
company knocking on the door
itself. We like to take the initiative
and see what can be done in terms
of development. However, for all
prospects, those are the two
conditions that projects need to
meet. We try to speak with
stakeholder to make sure PPAs are
bankable and we are doing this on
an almost daily basis. Then, on the
other hand, we need to make sure
the venture is in a suitable location.”

Fortunately, Mansour expressed,
Infinity Power holds a competitive
advantage that helps to give projects

INTERVIEW | POWER
the best possible chance to be possibility of developing renewable economic growth and further energy Allam Utilities) reach their target of
developed: its shareholding energy projects and provide the development. The chairman noted a 4GW electrolyser capacity by 2030,
companies. In Masdar, it has access Greece-Egypt electrical that while this MoU was signed for with an output of 480,000 tonnes of
to a wealth of technical and interconnection (GREGY) with a export from Egypt, there is a real green hydrogen per year.
professional experience in project source of green energy. business case for using this model At the time, Mansour commented,
development; the European Bank GREGY involves the electrical elsewhere on the continent and “The project is expected to facilitate
for Reconstruction and interconnection of Egypt directly Infinity Power would be ready to economic growth for the country as
Development (EBRD) can provide with mainland Greece via a action this elsewhere should the well as help position Egypt as a
guidelines towards identifying and submarine cable of 3,000MW chance present itself. green fuel hub.”
establishing bankable PPAs; and capacity and the possibility of Reflecting some months on,
Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), bidirectional energy transmission. It Boundless possibilities Mansour noted that this is but the
with its extensive investment will carry 100% green energy from With Infinity Power now established start of the company’s relationship
projects across the continent, is the Egypt to Greece and then onwards to as a wind and solar powerhouse and with hydrogen and that “if a
first place turned to when grid Europe, reducing the continent’s well on its way to becoming a company – perhaps a technology
constraints require additional dependency on fossil fuels. significant green energy supplier in provider – has an advantage to the
infrastructure to be established – Such a project is indicative of the Africa, Mansour was keen to market and wants to discuss, we will
enhancing the feasibility of possible leading role Africa could have in the emphasise his company’s intention be more than happy to have
sites. Of course there is also Infinity global future energy network, should to expand their frontiers ever further. conversations with them. We are
adding its experience of planning,
designing, executing, testing and The Benban Solar Park in Egypt.
integrating a range of projects
helping to transform the energy
industry in Egypt.
This wealth of talent has also led
to the confirmation of an
agreement with Egypt’s New and
Renewable Energy Authority to
secure land to build a 10GW
capacity onshore wind farm in
Egypt. The significant project, led by
Masdar, Infinity Power and Hassan
Allam Utilities, was originally
explored at COP27 last year.

When operational, it is expected
to produce 47,790GWh of clean
energy per year and reduce around
9% of Egypt’s annual carbon
emissions by displacing 23.8mn
tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. it sufficiently claim its renewable This drive has taken the open to making the best solution
At a project value of more than birthright. Mansour remarked, “What company to examine the and generating the cheapest
US$10bn, it is set to be one of the Africa has – and Europe does not – is possibilities around green hydrogen we can.”
largest onshore wind farms in the land. You need this space for hydrogen, another resource which Through wind and solar
world. renewable energy projects and so we offers the chance to enhance development, Infinity Power is
should be capitalising on this land Africa’s prospects. Indeed, there has positioning itself into a prime
The European market availability to generate more in been mounting interest on the role position to drive and profit from the
The acquisition of Lekela and the order to benefit local communities the continent can play in a green forthcoming energy transition and is
confirmation of the Egyptian wind with energy access and to fill the hydrogen future with significant doing so with the primary aim of
farm were not the only gaps in Europe and elsewhere.” deals emerging in relation to enhancing the communities in
announcements from Infinity Power Once the infrastructure is in place, Namibia most notably. At the end which it is operating. Its projects in
in recent months as the company Mansour continued, the demand for of 2022, Infinity Power entered this Egypt are early forerunners of this
has also signed a MoU with more generation capacity will only arena by signing a framework strategy and the country will no
Copelouzos Group over the increase, stimulating wider agreement with Egyptian state- doubt further benefit from taking a
backed organisations for the leading role in the green hydrogen
development of a 2GW programme. future that is looming. Indeed,
We are open to making the best solution and The two signed MoUs relate to the
development of two green hydrogen
many will no doubt be keeping a
close eye on the growing prospects
generating the cheapest hydrogen we can.” production plants in the country,
which will help the consortium
of Infinity Power as a reflection of
the boundless opportunities open to
MOHAMED ISMAIL MANSOUR, CHAIRMAN OF INFINITY POWER (Infinity Power, Masdar and Hassan the continent. ■

S07 ATR July 2023 Power III_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 14:50 Page 28
POWER | BATTERY STORAGE
Battery storage projects to empower Africa's grid

According to Synergy Consulting, a global financial advisory firm with extensive expertise in advising developers and
governments on the deployment of battery storage worldwide, Africa must look to battery storage projects as a way
to enhance grid stability and make the most of its renewable energy potential.
Image Credit: Synergy Consulting

Combining renewable energy sources with battery storage
helps enable the establishment of microgrids in areas where
connection to the main grid is challenging.
frica in recent years has the potential to be a game-changer enable peak shaving and load establishment of microgrids in areas
A witnessed a rapid increase in

the adoption of renewable
energy sources such as solar and
and could transform Africa's grid
infrastructure in the years to come.
Battery storage projects not only
management, thus optimising
electricity utilisation. This
optimisation of renewable energy
where connection to the main grid
is challenging, thus bringing reliable
and affordable electricity access to
wind power to meet its growing enhance grid stability by mitigating usage not only minimises the off-grid communities, thereby driving
energy demands. However, the fluctuations caused by intermittent reliance on fossil fuel-based power economic development and enhancing
intermittent characteristics of these renewable energy sources but also plants but also fosters a cleaner and the quality of life for millions.
sources present significant ensure consistent and reliable power more sustainable energy mix. Overall, battery storage projects
challenges pertaining to supply by storing excess energy in Another significant advantage of have the potential to revolutionise
maintaining grid stability. periods of high generation and ensure battery projects lies in their Africa's grid infrastructure and pave
Battery storage projects, with grid stability by releasing it during contribution to Africa’s rural the way for a sustainable and
their ability to offer a reliable and low-production times, thus decreasing electrification efforts. Combining resilient energy future in Africa.
efficient solution to harness the the likelihood of power outages. renewable energy sources with Therefore, it is important that
potential of renewable energy, have Battery storage projects also help battery storage helps enable the governments, investors, and
stakeholders continue to support
and promote the deployment of
Battery storage projects, with their ability to offer a reliable and battery storage systems to unlock
the full potential of renewable
efficient solution to harness the potential of renewable energy, have energy and power Africa's growth. ■
the potential to be a game-changer and could transform Africa's grid This article is authored by Synergy
Consulting IFA. For more information,
infrastructure in the years to come.” reach out to:
synergy@synergyconsultingifa.com

OIL & GAS | POWER
Nigeria The project 650,000 bpd project has been

under construction for nearly seven years.
commissions
momentous oil
refinery
The recently commissioned
Image Credit: Dangote Industries

Dangote Oil Refinery is expected to
change the narrative around oil and
gas in West Africa.
n a ceremony attended by numerous African a new journey in the self-sufficiency in refined Nigeria, added, “In September 2013, when
I heads of state, the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd)

Dangote Oil Refinery was finally commissioned
after nearly seven years under construction.
petroleum products and exportation. Acknowledging
the current fuel crisis that is impacting the
nation’s economy, Dangote noted that the refinery
Dangote announced his plans for the refinery, it
was estimated to cost about US$9bn, of which
US$3bn was projected as equity investment by
The integrated project is said to be the world’s would serve to change this narrative and would the Dangote Group and the balance financed
largest single-train refinery and the largest oil run at the highest effective and efficiency levels through commercial loans. Due to an array of
refinery in Africa. It boasts 1,100 km of pipeline for maximum benefit for all Nigerians. factors, the project was eventually completed
infrastructure capable of handling 3bn standard Attending the event, former Nigerian President with a total of US$18.5bn with funding
cubic feet of gas per day and the refinery alone Muhammadu Buhari said that the feat, at this distributed into 50% equity investment and 50%
has a 435MW power plant. To deliver it, a roster time in the nation’s development, represented a debt finance.
of international and local firms were brought notable milestone for the economy and a game- “I am proud to state that the commercial loan
together to contribute including the likes of changer for the downstream petroleum products component of the project was financed majorly
Hyundai Heavy Industries, Sulzer Chemtech, sector not only for Nigeria but the entire African by our domestic banks with the balance sourced
SOFEC, Schneider Electric, Man Diesel & Turbo, continent. He said that the Dangote Group has from foreign banks. The Central Bank of Nigeria
Wabag, Mammoet, and countless others. helped transform the economy from heavy also partnered, as always, with the Dangote
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Aliko import dependence to a net exporter in some Group in ensuring the successful completion of
Dangote, president of Dangote Industries Limited, critical industries including cement and fertiliser. the project… The Dangote Group has started
remarked that the facility marks the beginning of Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of repaying some of the commercial loans even
before the commissioning of this facility… I am
Image Credit: Dangote Industries
pleased to inform everyone today that, following

extensive repayments, outstanding debt has
dropped appreciably from over US$9bn to US$3bn.”
While the plant began refining in June,
uncertainty does still remain over its operational
timelines and the supply of crude that the facility
requires. However, once fully operational and
with a secure supply, Dangote Industries
anticipates the facility to create a market of
US$21bn per annum of Nigerian crude.
The long-awaited project has certainly
captured the attention of the international oil
and gas community (and beyond) and has
received goodwill messages from multiple heads
of state including from Ghana, Senegal, Niger,
Benin, and Chad. With expectations high for the
facility’s future, only time will tell if it will live up
Former President Buhari cuts the tape at the commissioning of the Dangote Refinery alongside Aliko Dangote and to its substantial potential and change the West
other esteemed attendees. African oil & gas landscape as projected. ■

POWER | OPINION
Achieving ESG objectives in Nigeria’s growing

telecommunications market
Sherisse Alexander, chief business officer at WATT Renewable Corporation, discusses new
methods being explored to power the telecommunications industry.
aking a positive impact on Balancing growth with ESG
Image Credit: WATT Renewable Corporation

the communities that it However, one of the biggest
serves has always been at challenges that business leaders face
the very heart of the in achieving ESG impact is how to
telecommunications industry. There balance it against growth targets
are many social benefits to and shareholder expectations. Over
increasing connectivity between recent years, the
people – from improved access to telecommunications industry has
health and education, to increased experienced a high level of growth.
economic opportunities. The need There are now more than 225
for businesses to think above and million active mobile phone
beyond business growth and subscribers in Nigeria according to
shareholder returns has increased the Nigerian Communications
significantly over the last several Commission and the number of
years, with the importance of telecommunications towers has
environmental, social and grown to match.
governance (ESG) matters rising Over the last five years, the
swiftly on the agenda of many deployment of third and fourth
Nigerian companies. Now, 79% of generation towers in Nigeria has
the N100 include ESG or grown by 73.2%. Towercos are
sustainability information as part of rapidly making network upgrades
their annual report. and extensions to provide a better
There is both a push and a pull at service to customers, and to gain
play. ESG metrics are becoming market share. With the introduction
increasingly important to of 5G last September, this trend will
international investors – a recent only continue. At present, only 13
PwC survey found that four in five cities are covered by 5G, but MTN
institutional investors plan to Nigeria is targeting 40% coverage by
increase their allocations to ESG 2025 – an increase its competitors
products over the next two years. are no doubt planning to match.
But this increasing importance is
also social – with 83% of consumers Powering communications
saying that companies should be with solar
actively shaping ESG best practices. Sherisse Alexander is While diesel generation was
the chief business officer at
Almost all business leaders WATT Renewable Corporation. historically the only choice for
believe that they have a creating a relatively reliable power
responsibility to act on ESG issues, supply for towers, a hybrid solar and
and in Nigeria’s telecommunications storage solution is becoming an
industry there have been some increasingly popular option.
highly creative ways of driving In Nigeria’s telecommunications industry Naturally, a solar solution supports
socioeconomic impact. MTN
Foundation’s Y’ello Doctor Mobile there have been some highly creative ways towercos and mobile network
operators to meet mandates to
Medical and IHS’s work with Save
the Children to improve access to of driving socioeconomic impact.” reduce carbon emissions. However,
it has several additional benefits.
better education in North-Eastern As diesel no longer needs to be
Nigeria are just two excellent
SHERISSE ALEXANDER, CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER AT WATT bought and transported to site, a
examples. RENEWABLE CORPORATION significant cost and time saving is

OPINION | POWER
achieved. Further, by applying AI- subsidised power has the potential CEO who established virtual together will be increasingly
enabled remote monitoring and to improve the quality of life for healthcare sessions so that nurses in important as digital banking
automation, the operation and hundreds of thousands of people. his home village could connect becomes more popular in Nigeria.
maintenance staff gain insights that Telehealth, for example, has remotely with doctors. This would Providing subsidised power to
keep them ahead of any potentially taken off rapidly since Covid-19 – not have been possible without communities to improve digital
outage-inducing failures before they offering a potentially lifesaving both power and connectivity. banking would improve access to
happen. Altogether, the business service… but only to those that can Imagine if this approach was taken finance, giving people more
case for solar instead of diesel is access it. There was a particularly many more times over. independence to choose how they
compelling. What’s more, it has the passionate telecommunications Providing connectivity and power manage their money and increase
potential to create even greater opportunities for businesses.
socio-economic value by extending a
tower’s sole purpose beyond
sending and receiving signals.
Providing connectivity and power together The financials stack up
ESG benefits aside, what is
will be increasingly important as digital particularly compelling about
Reimagining the tower role choosing to power telecommunications
As with almost all tower power banking becomes more popular in Nigeria.” through a hybrid solar storage
solutions, there is an element of solution and then providing
redundancy built in to ensure the SHERISSE ALEXANDER, CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER AT WATT subsidised power to the local
tower’s power demands are always RENEWABLE CORPORATION community is the financials.
met. The same is true for a hybrid Most alternatives, such as nano
solar and storage solution. Any and microgrids, are not financially
residual power is first used to charge viable without their own subsidy in
the tower site’s batteries. However, place – whereas the residual power
oftentimes, there is further residual from tower sites is already there.
power that can be offered to the Thousands of towers are being
community at a subsidised rate. newly constructed, upgraded or
What that power is used for will replaced across Nigeria in the next
depend on the individual needs of few years. That money is already
the community. accounted for within the business
For some communities this model plan and very little further investment
has brought light to villagers for the would be needed to make this
first time, while others are potential ESG impact a reality.
benefiting from improved access to But why limit this potential to
education, healthcare, and digital just the residual power?
banking. In Kano State, the residual Sustainable development partners
solar power from one of WATT’s could access an exceptionally
telecommunications power affordable way of fully electrifying a
solutions is being used to electrify a community to the modern energy
market, supporting a variety of minimum by investing in the
small traders, while at another addition of a few solar panels to an
tower the power is used to offer already planned installation.
small device charging. American Communities would feel a sense of
Towers has a similar ESG initiative ownership and an urge to protect
that fosters Digital Communities the asset from damage and theft –
around the base of its towers, creating a layer of security for tower
supporting people of all ages to owners and operators.
benefit from “access to the Internet Over the next few years, the
through digital devices, educator-led telecommunications industry will be
instruction, and self-guided kiosks.” increasingly pressured to meet both

growth and ESG objectives. By
Improved quality of life reimagining the role of the tower
With more than 50,000 towers site as a community asset, the
across Nigeria and counting, the industry can drive socioeconomic
potential ESG impact of this value across numerous metrics,
approach is huge. Many towers are from healthcare and education
in rural or semi-rural areas which to new business ventures and
typically have the most finance – meeting ESG objectives
economically disadvantaged and A solar solution can support towercos and mobile network operators to meet while also increasing network
underserved communities. As such, mandates to reduce carbon emissions. penetration and quality. ■

SOLUTIONS | POWER
BONDLYNX CAN MAKE PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS MORE EFFICIENT

New research has demonstrated that perovskite (60°C), untreated PSCs demonstrated poor
solar cells (PSCs) can be made more efficient. thermal stability, losing 27% efficiency after 600
The study, published in sustainable energy hours of continuous operation. In comparison,
research journal Joule, demonstrated that PSCs BondLynx-treated PSCs maintained nearly 98%
treated with BondLynx can achieve greater efficiency under the same conditions. Overall,
efficiency and stability. BondLynx-treated PSCs achieved a high certified
Bondlynx is a small-molecule bonding agent efficiency of over 24% with long operational
manufactured by Canadian chemicals company stability over 1,000 hours.

XlynX Materials. According to XlynX, the reason BondLynx is
Compared to conventional silicon solar cells, effective is because it forms chemical covalent
PSCs are lightweight, flexible, cheap to produce bonds with the organic components in PSCs to
and easy to manufacture. strongly immobilise them, thereby reducing the
The results showed that after 200 hours of losses of efficiency, stability, and performance
continuous operations under 1 sun illumination typically seen in PSCs. With no significant
(1KW/sq m), untreated control PSCs exhibited a PSCs are cheap to produce and manufacture.
reduction in performance over the course of the
35% loss in power conversion efficiency. In study, the stability improvements realised by
comparison, BondLynx-treated PSCs retained 1,000 hours of continuous illumination. BondLynx are expected to extend far beyond the
nearly 99% of their initial efficiency even after Moreover, when exposed to constant heat 1,000 hour mark.
EST-FLOATTECH RECEIVES Sharp Energy Solutions unveils enhanced

CERTIFICATION FOR glass solar panel
MARITIME APPLICATIONS
Sharp Energy Solutions Europe has announced the launch of its newest Bifacial TOPCon (Tunnel
EST-Floattech’s Octopus Series Battery System Oxide Passivated Contact) Solar Panel with 570 Watt, called the NB-JD570. It is a Glass solar panel
has received Lloyd's Register and Bureau Veritas with N-type 144 M10 half-cells featuring 16 busbars. The N-Type TOPCon module bifacial ratio is up
Type Approval for maritime applications. to 80% with a module efficiency of 22.07%.
According to EST-Floattech, the first projects The new solar panel includes several benefits of N-TOPCon technology, including higher power
for this newly designed and assembled marine and efficiency, better low light performance and higher bifaciality. The higher power and efficiency
Energy Storage System are already being of the N-TOPCon technology results in improved energy production, making the panel more cost-
delivered. effective for users. In addition, the enhanced low-light performance ensures that the panel
Both Lloyd's Register and Bureau Veritas continues to produce energy even in sub-optimal lighting conditions, increasing its overall efficiency.
witnessed the rigorous tests that EST-Floattech It also features a low temperature coefficient of -0.30%/°C for power output, ensuring high
conducted on the Octopus Series Battery System performance at elevated environmental temperatures, a factor which is increasing in importance as
to ensure its compliance with the latest industry a result of climate change and the resulting rise in temperatures. It is also LID-free, reducing
standards and regulations. potential power loss during its lifespan.
The large and experienced classification The safety, quality and durability of the panel have been recognised and IEC seals have been
societies approved the tests performed and awarded (IEC61215 and IEC61730). The modules have been rigorously tested for compliance with
showed by granting marine Type Approval that international standards and for endurance under extreme conditions, passing tests for ammonia,
the safety and performance of the system meet salt mist, sand and PID resistance. The module is covered by a 30-year linear guarantee on the
their standards. nominal power output and a 15-year product guarantee, for those within the EU and various other
Marine Type Approval for a battery system countries. This guarantee starts from delivery of the panel to the final customer.
from neutral third-party organisations such as
Image Credit: Sharp Energy Solutions
DNV, Bureau Veritas, and Lloyd's Register is The NB-JD570 has

better low light
important for shipowners and shipbuilders to
performance.
ensure that the products they are considering
meet the highest standards in the industry.
EST-Floattech, established in 2009,
specialises in developing, producing, and
installing reliable, sustainable, and safe battery
systems for maritime applications. The in-house
developed software and hardware is integrated to
assure reliable operation of the Octopus Series
battery system on board.
More than 200 projects employ EST-
Floattech’s Green Orca and Octopus Series,
which involve ships that have been sailing with
their batteries for more than a decade.

S08 ATR July 2023 Construction I_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 06:02 Page 33
CONSTRUCTION | NEWS
HD Hyundai Infracore seeks to expand BENTLEY SYSTEMS

DEVELON brand in MEA ANNOUNCES PROGRAMME
HD Hyundai Infracore has announced that it is TO DEVELOP IOT
Image Credit: HD Hyundai Infracore

targeting the Middle East and Africa (MEA) market INNOVATIONS FOR STARTUPS
with its new brand, DEVELON, formerly known as
Doosan Construction Equipment. Bentley Systems Inc. has announced the
The company recorded revenue of US$330mn last launch of iTwin Activate, a 20 week co-
year in the MEA region, which is a sharp increase of development programme designed to
116% compared to US$150mn in 2020. accelerate early-stage startups in
The number of machines sold has also exceeded infrastructure engineering software.
2,400 units, marking a 60% increase over that in The programme is organised in cohorts
2020, mainly due to the company’s focus on aligned to industry sectors and is managed
securing large scale customers with new advanced by Bentley iTwin Ventures, a US$100mn
technology equipped machine launches and DEVELON wheel loader to exported to Angola.
corporate venture capital fund that fosters
customised services. innovation by co-investing in startups and
The construction equipment market volume in MEA increased from 16,720 units in 2020 to 32,786 emerging companies. By collaborating with
units in 2022, which shows that the market is experiencing a steep growth with a 96% increase over the Bentley technology, the iTwin Activate
past three years. programme assists startups in identifying
HD Hyundai Infracore has recently established a new African office in Accra, Ghana, to expand its and developing market-relevant solutions.
network and secure more customers in western and central Africa where the market is growing. As a This is done by providing financing for
result, the company has signed supply contracts for a total of 29 new machines in the Republic of programme, assistance, and access to
Angola which include 20 excavators and nine wheel loaders. Bentley executives for commercial insights.
This is the largest contract for the company since starting business in Angola and takes up around The first cohort included four startups:
8% of the country’s total market when considering its average market volume is around 370 units per Spatial Data.AI, Virtual Technology
year. The machines will be supplied to one of the largest construction companies in Angola and used Simplified, Rebase Energy, and SurPlus Maps.
for building hydroelectric power dams. Spatial Data AI’s solution automates the
With the launch of its new brand, DEVELON, HD Hyundai Infracore also hosted its ‘2023 MEA Dealer processing of LiDAR data from point clouds
Conference’ in Cairo, Egypt, to discuss sales strategies. The dealer conference will be the first regional into ready-to-use vector formats, including
meeting since launching DEVELON, where over 90 key stakeholders and 26 MEA dealers attended. SPIDAcalc models and various other CAD
Seunghyun Oh, HD Hyundai Infracore president, commented, “Along with the new brand launch, we formats. This project focused on building a
will work on developing different next generation technologies and strengthen the current line up to connector to Bentley’s pole analysis solution
maximise our sales capacity in order to reach our goal of becoming a Global Top 5 player by 2025.” (SPIDAcalc).
iTwin Activate's second cohort will focus
on solutions for Infrastructure Internet of
Things (IIoT) use cases and is open for all
CATERPILLAR EXPANDS ITS RECLAIMER LINE interested parties to apply. Cory Baldwin,
Caterpillar has unveiled its new RM600 and RM800 reclaimer/stabiliser product line. The RM600 has up to Bentley’s vice- president of Infrastructure
17% greater power than the RM500B due to its powerful turbocharged Cat C18 engine. The RM800 IoT, described his goals for this cohort. “We
produces up to 23% and 42% more power than the RM600 and RM500B, respectively. are particularly interested in working with
For consistent cutting and mixing, these reclaimer/stabiliser models use critical rotor system components teams focused on creating predictive
from Cat cold planers. The machine can flush-cut on the right side thanks to its belt-driven rotor drive analytics or deriving insights from the sensor
mechanism. The new System K rotor provides higher material quality on a variety of applications by utilising data federated in the iTwin Platform, as well
the same cold planer fastener-free, dual-taper toolholder, and base block components. Exit and return-to- as those creating novel sensors or sensing
cut functions make use easier, take up less time, and guarantee that the machine keeps the same depth of technologies that can be brought into our
cut. Apart from this, the new models contain standard and optional cameras, which augment performance digital twin ecosystem as part of a software-
and safety. led motion.”
BRIEFS
Yanmar gets new MD RHEINZINK to reduce carbon footprint by 50%
José Cuadrado has been appointed managing Zinc manufacturer RHEINZINK said its latest
director of Yanmar Compact Equipment’s Europe, product line prePATINA will reduce the
Middle East and Africa (EMEA) organisation. In his company’s carbon footprint by 50%. The
Image Credit: RHEINZINK
new role Cuadrado is responsible for further electric energy for producing low carbon zinc
developing the regional capabilities, as well as ingots is generated without CO2, from resources
Image Credit: Yanmar
driving customer success. Cuadrado brings with such as water and wind power. The new
him a wealth of relevant construction, industrial products called ECO ZINC. help build up a
and automotive experience. A Spanish national, patina, protecting the material making it long-
Cuadrado holds a master’s degree in Business & Low carbon zinc ingots will be lasting for generations. These products will be
Yanmar’s José Cuadrado. Economics from University of Valladolid (Spain). produced using renewable energy. perfect for roofing and facade cladding.

STEEL | REPORT
Strengthening railways with steel sleepers

Steel sleepers are being introduced to upgrade a railway line at a bauxite mine in Guinea.
arlier this year, British Steel, a
E leading steel manufacturer,

announced that it had won
its largest ever order for rail
sleepers with a major export deal
in West Africa.
This entailed a contract to deliver
20,000 tonnes of its 436 profile steel
sleepers to the Guinea Bauxite
Company (CBG) to upgrade a railway
line at a mine. With the country
estimated to possess more than a
quarter of the world’s supply of
bauxite, the deal will help upgrade
its existing freight lines in order to
meet increased export capacity.
To fulfil the contract, the UK
manufacturer has partnered with
Trackwork, which processes the
rolled sleeper into its finished form
alongside Pandrol, which is
providing the railway fastenings to
secure the sleepers.
Upon being selected, British
Steel’s export sales manager, rail,
Image Credit: British Steel

Jérôme Bonef, exclaimed it was a
great achievement given the high
level of competition faced to secure
the contract and added that the
company’s steel sleepers are the Steel sleepers have tangible advantages over alternatives such as wood and concrete.
“perfect technical solution” to the
challenges facing rail operators in concrete sleepers as the body of will be manufactured at British Steel supply chain is working very
the region. ballast within the sleeper provides in Scunthorpe, UK, before being efficiently and the project deliveries
Providing more detail to African the necessary support to distribute pressed into shape by Trackwork. are on time and budget. We feel that
Review, Bonef explained that the the load. The Pandrol components come from this will lead to new opportunities
company’s steel sleepers have a Bonef was also keen to highlight the UK and Australia. All products for steel sleeper and rail supply
number of advantages that set them the environmental benefits, noting will be delivered into Guinea via the within Africa and across other
apart from the competition and that the steel sleepers are 100% customer’s specific logistics centre in international mining communities.”
similar products made of different recyclable, making it easier for Belgium. All components have been The company’s steel sleepers have
material. For instance, they are far companies to hit their sustainability designed to comply with the customer enabled railways around the world
stronger and more durable than targets. specifications for train speed, axle to transport heavier loads with
wooden sleepers that are He added, “When combined with weight and life cycle benefits.” reduced maintenance costs and a
traditionally used in African regions our technical solution, commercial lower carbon footprint. As the
and they are lighter and easier to offering and logistic track record, it Further opportunities worldwide demand for bauxite
stack than concrete equivalents, led to a clear value choice for the Concluding, Bonef highlighted that continues to rise (primarily due to
making transportation much more Guinea Bauxite Company to partner the contract is continuing the its use in the production of
efficient. Indeed, according to with British Steel.” company’s long history of supplying aluminium), by enhancing its
British Steel, road vehicles can Giving an insight into the specifics rail and sleeper components. He infrastructure in a similar way,
carry three times more steel sleepers of the agreement, Bonef remarked, said, “We have a specific trading Guinea is looking to corner more of
than concrete sleepers, meaning “The sleepers will be provided relationship with the Guinea Bauxite the market and capitalise on this
lower logistics costs, and they throughout 2023 and into the first Company and were monitoring opportunity to encourage further
require less ballast than traditional half of 2024. The steel sleeper plate timings for this mine expansion. The development. ■

BRIDGES | CONSTRUCTION
Bridging the infrastructure gap

Across the continent, a number of bridge projects are being pursued in order to reduce the infrastructure deficit.
lack of key infrastructure such
Image Credit: BESIX

as bridges is a well-known
issue which persists in
checking African business
development, limiting trade and
increasing traffic congestion. Indeed,
a report by Wilson Center has
indicated that weak infrastructure
can add 30-40% to the costs of goods
traded among African countries and
constrain economic growth by 2%
every year across the continent. In
addition, weak infrastructure can
serve as a deterrent to attracting
foreign investors.
However, efforts to make up this The Pont de l’Enfance bridge in Cameroon.
deficit are determined and few days
go by without a story surfacing on continues to build for the Fourth construction work which is expected the sod for the construction of the
bridge building endeavours. Mainland Bridge project, a proposed to last for up to 36 months. BESIX Garwama, Gendema Bridge,
Currently, there are a range of 37 km structure connecting Lagos will be in charge of all civil works connecting the Simbaru and Wandor
remarkable projects – in varying island by way of Lekki, Langbasa and Matiere, through its Belgian Chiefdoms in the Kenema District.
scope and sizes – aiming to and Baiyeku towns and across Lagos subsidiary, MBB, will be in charge of The ceremony was conducted after
revitalise local transportation Lagoon to Itamaga in Ikorodu. the supply of all the steel structures. the Government signed a US$30mn
networks. These projects bring Featuring an expected three toll Besix and Matiere have previously grant contract with Sino-Hydro
hopes of renewed economic plazas, nine interchanges and an partnered for the construction of the Bureau 9 JV Construction Company
prosperity and offer opportunities to eco-friendly environment, CCECC- Pont de l’Enfance bridge and the to replace the 50-year-old ferry
the range of contractors, equipment CRCCIG Consortium emerged as the Mungo bridge in Cameroon. service as the only means of
suppliers, consultants, and more preferred bidder for the project last A Besix representative reported to transportation linking Gendema
that are required to deliver them. year with Mota-Engil, CCCC & CRBC African Review that while there have with other communities. The
consortium, as the reserved bidder. been no major developments since President expressed that when
Here and there When presiding at the inauguration the announcement, both parties are completed, the transport link would
One of the most noteworthy stories of the newly-upgraded Oba working on financing and impact ease the burden of movement on
in recent months has emerged from Sekumade Road, Lagos State studies are ongoing. school pupils, farmers, business
Tanzania where the Government is Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Elsewhere, in Sierra Leone, people and connect them with the
reportedly planning to build a expressed that in the coming President Julius Maada Bio turned rest of the country. ■
bridge connecting the Dar es Salaam months the groundbreaking for the
Image Credit: Sierra Leone State House
with the islands of Zanzibar. Fourth Mainland Bridge would be

The proposed landmark bridge undertaken and the Government
project would span approximately is committed to delivering this
50 km and cost an estimated project to completely open Ikorodu
US$2.7bn to deliver (which would be to the world.
delivered through a public-private International construction group
partnership). Talks are reportedly Besix had reason to celebrate in
underway between the government Gabon after a consortium led by the
and a Chinese contractor. While it company signed a provisional
would certainly promote trade and agreement for the design and build
provide a safe, fast way of of two flyovers and four pedestrian
transporting people and goods bridges in Libreville as well as a new
between Dar es Salaam and Ebel-Abanga steel bridge. The
Zanzibar, reservations about the consortium – made up of Besix,
economic viability remain. Matiere and MBB – will, once
In Lagos, Nigeria, momentum finalising is complete, begin the Sod turning for the construction of the Gendema bridge in Sierra Leone.

CONSTRUCTION | BRIDGES
A new age for bridge planning

Nemetschek Group has outlined why there needs to be a digital revolution in bridge planning.
According to Kaufmann, the solution to efficient

bridge construction lies in more digitalisation.
riting in a blog A new kind of bridge solution that does not rely on Parametric design solutions,
W contribution, Stefan
Kaufmann, product
manager BIM strategy & new
construction
To overcome these challenges,
Kaufmann wrote, a digital
thinking in silos and two-
dimensional plans, but on
collaboration and 3D models. This
Kaufmann continued, are
revolutionising bridge construction
by relying on communication and
technologies at ALLPLAN, a revolution in bridge planning is not only ensures quality, deadlines collaboration instead of silo
Nemetschek company, outlined how required. According to the product and cost targets are met, but can thinking and fragmentation. This
the delivery of bridges is often manager, the challenge with bridges also be used to reduce material not only enables cost savings, but
anything but collaborative, with lies in their structure; geometrically consumption and thus lower CO2 also a massive reduction in planning
planning data often coming in from complex and the design must be emissions. An optimal solution is times. More projects can be
different sources and in various adapted to the alignment and therefore based on a common, completed in less time with the
formats from different participants. ground. With traditional 2D tools, detailed, and fully parametric 4D same number of employees. In view
This can mean that individual planning changes had to be model that not only represents the of the shortage of skilled workers,
bridge models (geometric, static, repeatedly updated manually in geometry of the bridge in 3D, but innovative IT solutions make an
structural and detailed models for hundreds of drawings and also supplements it with the important contribution to
tension cables for example) do not calculations, resulting in planning construction sequence and the accelerating the processing of
match exactly and multiple models errors and inconsistencies. structural analysis and verification. the investment backlog in
are worked on in parallel, by Therefore, many industrialised Furthermore, it should combine infrastructure construction.
globally distributed teams. countries began making use of all the information in such a way Kaufmann concluded that the
Bridges, however, are very complex building information modelling that changes to the planning solution in bridge construction, not
structures and any modification (BIM) mandatory. However, there model can also be implemented only in terms of construction
process can be time-consuming were initially no BIM-enabled design quickly, consistently, and intuitively methods or materials, lies in more
while possible inconsistencies and tools suitable for bridge at any time. This means that digitalisation – in model-based,
misinformation can run through construction. multiple models or versions do not collaborative planning and in
the planning phases. This can It is time, expressed Kaufmann, to have to be created, calculations innovation. The digital
ultimately delay construction, usher in a new phase of bridge can be derived directly from the transformation of bridge planning is
inflate costs and enlarge the carbon construction. This requires an end- model, and planning errors can the key to a new kind of bridge
footprint of the project. to-end, model-based planning thus be avoided. construction. ■

S09 ATR July 2023 Construction II_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 06:06 Page 37
EXCAVATORS | CONSTRUCTION
Proof of concept tests for Komatsu’s new

hydrogen excavator began in May 2023.
Breaking
the mould
A roundup of the latest excavator
innovations enhancing the
Image Credit: Komatsu

performance of a staple piece of
construction and mining machinery.
hen selecting an excavator for pollution. Furthermore, the excavators are of remanufacturing the booms and arms of ultra-
W construction and engineering projects

on the continent, it is paramount to pick
a machine that will be able to get the job done,
designed with easy access to key components for
maintenance while the operator’s cab has been
delivered complete with air conditioning, adjustable
large hydraulic excavators and the need to repair
cracks when they have materialised has caused
bottleneck in reducing CO2 emissions and extending
do so efficiently, and at the right price. While, due seats and a high-resolution display screen. the service life of machines. With the improvement
to the relentless effort given by talented Goscor has highlighted their pride in to durability, this bottleneck should be eliminated
engineers, in today’s world most machines distributing these machines to their customers at no expense to operating performance.
arriving on the market are more than capable to and recognises SANY as a strong choice for those
meet these requirements, there remains space for prioritising comfort, safety and high-performance. A new Komatsu concept
improvement and manufacturers remain Indeed, the excavators that the brand continues In a demonstration of its own commitment to
steadfast in their pursuit of maximising excavator to make available put it as a reliable and efficient minimising the environmental impression of its
performance. choice for those in need of such a machine. business – for which it is targeting a 50%
Recently, Goscor Earthmoving Equipment reduction in CO2 emissions from use of its
outlined why the SANY range of 20-ton excavators Hitachi strengthens offering products and production by 2030 – Komatsu has
represent some of the most powerful and durable Looking to enhance the durability of its development a new concept medium-sized
machines on the market. The SANY SY210C and machinery, Hitachi Construction Machinery has hydraulic excavator.
the SANY SY215C models, with operating weights announced the development of an enhanced The model is unique in that it combines a
of around 20,000 kg, are designed for a range of boom and arm for its range of ultra-large hydrogen fuel cell and Komatsu-developed key
construction and excavation tasks. hydraulic excavators. components to achieve carbon neutrality at
Specifications of the machines include bucket According to the company, the durability has construction sites. The company is advancing
capacity ranging from 0.9-1.2 cu/m, a maximum been improved by expanding the applicability of proof of concept tests started in May 2023 in an
digging depth range from 5.9-6.5 m, and a boom steel castings to the boom and arm connecting attempt to accelerate its efforts to embark on the
and arm length from 5.5-6.5 m. Powered by a part and is applicable to backhoe front commercial production of medium-sized and
Cummins or Isuzu engine, which provide high excavators. Serviceability has also been improved large construction equipment powered by
power and torque for efficient digging and by equipping the boom with an access hole that hydrogen fuel cells in the near future.
loading operations, they benefit from advanced can be opened and closed with a bolt for easier For the new concept machine, Komatsu
fuel injection inspection and welding strength and part of the adopted a hydrogen fuel cell system and
Image Credit: Hitachi Construction Machinery
technology, ensuring thickness of the boom and arm has also been hydrogen tank, which were produced by Toyota
fuel efficiency, reinforced. This results in reduced repair Motor Corporation, on Komatsu's medium-sized
reduced emissions downtime of the equipment, lower maintenance hydraulic excavator. In addition to Komatsu's
and minimal costs and an extension of the service life by up to comprehensive control technology, the
noise 1.5 times compared to previous models. combination of Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell system
The newly designed boom and arm will be and Komatsu key components, Komatsu is
applied as standard equipment to the EX5600-7 working towards zero exhaust emissions and a
backhoe excavator from March 2025 before being significant reduction in noise and vibration, while
expanded to other applicable models. In the delivering the same digging performance and
meantime, tests will be carried out from August high operability as engine-driven excavators.
2023 under actual operation loads at Rio Tinto While it may be some time before the Komatsu
The EX5600-7 iron ore mine in Australia. hydrogen-powered excavator becomes a familiar
ultra-large
hydraulic backhoe The initiative is partly being driven by the sight, it does provide an insight into the kind of
excavator. company’s ambition to minimise its impact on machines that may be making their mark across
the climate. Hitachi has noted that the difficulty the continent in years to come. ■

CONSTRUCTION | MACHINERY
Rethinking construction machinery

According to sector consultants from abcg, a business consulting and services company, the race to electrify construction
equipment is just the first step in a longer campaign to redefine how machines are designed, look, and operate.
The Volvo DD25 Electric asphalt compactor

made its debut at CONEXPO-CON/AGG
earlier this year.
Image Credit: Volvo CE
riting in a detailed opinion premium positioned OEMs to find years, noting that the difference in these key buying criteria now tend
W piece, abcg consultants

Alan Berger and Carl-Gustaf
Goransson proposed that the
new ways to demonstrate their
value to customers.
“Indeed, we have commented on
performance and fuel efficiency
between different brand and model
machines has been declining. With
to be small, and price competition
has been intense when supply is in
balance with demand.”
universal competence of machinery this topic several times in recent only a few exceptions, increments in Now, change is afoot and one of
is posing a problem to leading the most obvious developments is
manufacturers and their ambitions the incorporation of alternative
to maintain their premium positions energy sources to power products.
over ‘lesser’ brands. Construction equipment has been on By the consultant’s count, there are
“Construction equipment has more than 20 different potential
been on a path towards a path towards commoditisation for energy sources that could make up
commoditisation for many years, the global portfolio and electric
simultaneously increasing the many years.” products in their various forms will
importance of the dealer-customer represent a large part of the change.
relationship and challenging the
ABCG CONSULTANTS “So, why are we talking about

MACHINERY | CONSTRUCTION
Image Credit: Case Construction

electric products and difficult to come up with something
commoditisation at the same time? that the competition has also not
We believe that electric machines thought of. It’s not just the
bring the potential to forestall the powertrain, even the fundamental
complete commoditisation of the shape of machines is dictated by the
bulk of the construction equipment physical constraints that these
market for at least a decade. technologies bring.”
“The overall commoditisation
effect that we see in the traditional Outside the box
diesel products is the result of 70+ For example, the abcg
years of refinement of the same representatives considered the
basic technologies – diesel engines backhoe loader, a machine where
applying power through mechanical the loader is wrapped around the
geartrains and hydraulics. After engine that sticks of the front of the
seven decades of refinement of this machine, leaving the rear the only
package, even with the advent of logical place to put the backhoe
software control, it is increasingly loader.
Image Credit: JCB
Case Construction unveiled the 580 EV, fully-electric backhoe loader at the end
of 2020.
“The tractor part itself is performance potential that a more

constrained by the need to fit an software-controlled machine could
engine, transmission, and axle to offer. In addition, the pair
drive the machine, while leaving a explained, battery electric
comfortable place for the operator componentry is quite immature and
to sit. So, what happens when you the opportunity to optimise this
In 2019, JCB launched its first-ever fully-electric mini excavator, the 19C-1E. remove the diesel engine and its creates potential for a new race to
need to have a relatively straight develop the best machine for each
line to the axle, which needs a application.
At is recent Demo Days, Bobcat
straight line to the wheels? While Berger and Goransson concluded
showcased the all-electric S7X mechanical energy needs to route that electrics’ relative simplicity
compact track loader. through rigid gears and shafts and compared to ICE combined with the
hydraulics through relatively stiff consequent lower investment
hoses, electrical energy is required means that barriers are
transmitted through wires that falling. Although, the largest OEMs
can bend around corners. Perhaps are aiming at gaining first mover
even more importantly, there are advantage and trying to maintain or
countless ways to control these improve their current position in the
electric systems through new hierarchy.
software.” What is also clear is that Chinese
Currently, electrified machines OEMs hold a significant lead in
are still in their infancy and most electrification and while they have
simply substitute the diesel engine not been able to make significant
for a battery and some motors. As a progress penetrating certain regions,
result, there has been little thought the rewriting of the machinery
Image Credit: Bobcat
put into redesigning the rulebook could be the opportunity

fundamental structure of these for them to gain a significant market
machines and exploit the share foothold. ■

SOLUTIONS | CONSTRUCTION
BOBCAT DISPLAYS BROAD PORTFOLIO

At this year’s Bobcat Demo Days, customers, Bobcat took the opportunity to test market
dealers and press from across Europe, the interest with two new wheel loader concepts in
Middle East and Africa (EMEA) witnessed the the form of the L40 and L35. The former weighs
latest solutions that Bobcat has to offer. The less than 2.5 tonnes and is designed as a
Image Credit: Bobcat

wheel loaders were just some of a number of powerful load and carry, application-focused
innovations on display, that represented the machine. The L40 is designed for heavy duty
significant growth the company has achieved in applications such as road maintenance and
the past five years. constriction. The L35 represents a new small
The L35 and L40 wheel loader concepts.
Demo Days 2023 provided a unique articulated loader concept machine that is an
opportunity to try out the full range of Bobcat and larger sized wheel loader models, developed extension of the existing portfolio to cover the
wheeled and tracked loaders, mini-excavators, in line with Bobcat’s commitment to become a market segment for high perfomance machines
telehandlers, light compaction products and compact wheel loader full liner in the near future. which are easy to transport on a trailer.
attachments in working conditions. In addition The new L95 compact wheel loader will be the “With the new L95 loader and the smaller
to this lineup, the company also showed how next addition to the Bobcat wheel loader line- wheeled loader concepts, we are once again
the recently acquired Doosan industrial Vehicle up, following on from the L85 machine launched demonstrating our commitment to offer the
forklifts and Doosan Portable Power products in 2021. The L95 is powered by a Bobcat 75 HP most complete loader portfolio in the world,”
will look in Bobcat white and orange branding. engine and offers a top speed of 40 km/h and an said Jaroslav Fiser, product line director loaders
Front and centre of the event was the smaller increased lift capacity. for Doosan Bobcat EMEA.
JOHN DEERE EXPANDS P-

TIER WHEEL LOADER LINEUP Greater flexibility
Addressing the needs of customers looking for with Parker's 85CE- Parker's 85CE-PDP:
compact solutions that provide enhanced Portable Hose Crimper Unit.
maneuverability, stability and power, John Deere PDP Crimper
has expanded its Performance Tiering offerings
with the shift from L-Series to P-Tier for the 244, Parker Polymer Hose Division
324 and 344 Compact Wheel Loader models. Europe, a division of Parker
The new P-Tier compact wheel loaders will Hannifin, a global leader in
carry over all L-Series features and will introduce motion and control
new productivity-enhancing qualities, including technologies, has launched a
standard ride control in base models and optional flexible crimper power unit
factory-installed features, including an auto- (85CE-PDP).
reversing fan option. Additional optional features The new unit joins the wide
Image Credit: Parker Hannifin

include attachment assist controls, which include array of portable crimper
integrated electrical (three-pin) controls for power units from Parker, to
attachments and combined creep control and increase productivity and
throttle lock. versatility for smaller hose
“As we continue to make the shift from past assembly needs, with more
generation machines to our current generation of flexible options for customers.
Performance Tiering models, we aim to keep the Parker’s new 85CE-PDP
same features our customers know and trust on crimper power unit offers an efficient and flexible way of crimping hose anywhere, independent of
the L-Series models, with the added benefits of power and air supplies. This will make hose crimping far more productive, as it will be possible to
new productivity enhancements only available on crimp hose electrically rather than manually.
the P-Tier machines,” said Luke Gribble, The 85CE-PDP works with any commercially available cordless screwdriver. This makes it flexible
solutions marketing manager, John Deere. in use, especially in agriculture, forestry, construction and mobile hydraulic applications. It can be
Previously offered as an optional upgrade on used anywhere, without the need for special power units, other power sources or air supply.
L-Series models, ride control is now standard on Together with existing crimping tools from Parker, Karrykrimp 1 and 2, it provides even more
all P-Tier compact wheel loaders. flexible and productive options for crimping hose fittings.
Ideal for customers moving materials over The 85CE-PDP crimper power unit offers a flow rate of up to 2.2 (0.68) l/min and a nominal pressure
long distances, or on hard surfaces, ride control of 70 MPa (700 bar). The pressure can be measured with the integrated pressure test point. It has a pre-
cushions boom movements during transport, set pressure relief valve at 700 bar, which is manually adjustable, and a Hex SW 13 mm drive shaft. The
acting like a shock absorber to help minimise 85CE-PDP can be operated in a temperature range from +10°C to +35°C. With an oil volume of 2.5 l,
material spillage. Increasing operator comfort the unit has a weight of 9 kg, meaning it can be carried easily with the integrated shoulder strap.
and productivity, this feature is applied with a flip “With our enhanced portfolio of crimper power units, Parker Polymer Hose Division Europe
of a switch in the cab and can be set to can service all kinds of crimping demands. Together with the Karrykrimp 1 and 2, our offer
automatically engage and disengage at a includes tools to maximise productivity and flexibly crimp hose wherever needed,” said Thomas
predetermined speed. Troeller, product manager fittings, Parker Polymer Hose Division Europe.

CONSTRUCTION | SOLUTIONS
TRELLEBORG UNVEILS NEW MFS NEXUS MECHANICAL FACE SEAL

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has unveiled the providing flexibility against mud compression
Image Credit: Trelleborg

MFS Nexus mechanical face seal for improved which over time can degrade components and
performance and increased service life. shorten an asset’s expected working life. It also
Light and flexible, the new MFS Nexus seal is has increased sealing performance for
ideal for drive systems, gearboxes, and applications where peripheral speed is limited.
undercarriages in construction and agriculture In-house testing of Trelleborg’s MFS Nexus
applications where excavators operate at low seal has demonstrated exceptional performance
rotational speeds and the risk of wear and in tough conditions. After 2,000 hours
ingress of contaminants is high. The seal is also submerged in mud at rotational speeds of one
Effective sealing for low-speed rotating applications in
capable of protecting the bearings of machines meter per second, the seal continued to work
construction and tunnelling equipment.
used for other heavy-duty work, including tunnel effectively without any sign of failure. Further
boring and mining. in servicing and repairs over time. Offering this testing also revealed minimal contamination to
Nicolo Olivetti, product manager at Trelleborg level of durability represents a step-change for the machine’s oil lubricant, with the presence of
Sealing Solutions, said, “The MFS Nexus heavy industry.” iron, lead and other impurities well within
mechanical face seal delivers exceptional The simplified design of the MFS Nexus seal acceptable limits.
performance under some of the most aggressive incorporates two spring steel rings mounted The MFS Nexus mechanical face seal is easy to
working conditions. Our team of engineers has face-to-face on a lapped seal face within install and does not require any specialist tools
worked closely with customers to determine specially designed housings, as well as two due to its conventional geometry. It operates at
where points of failure most often occur and elastomeric O-Rings to center the metal rings speeds of up to 1.5 meters per second at
what can be done to eliminate unexpected within the housings. The seal protects the inner temperatures up to +200 °C/+392 °F and up to 3
downtime. shaft and other important components from bar as differential pressure. External diameters
“By using the new MFS Nexus mechanical face debris while also preventing inner lubricants range from 50 to 460 millimeters. Elastomeric O-
seal, excavators and other machinery can from escaping. Rings are available in a range of material types
continue working without risk of damage or The unique light and flexible spring steel including Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR),
contaminant ingress, issues that can not only material used for the housings is an alternative Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (HNBR),
delay projects but can also cost businesses more to traditional bearing steel and cast-iron rings, Silicone (VMQ), and Fluoroelastomer (FKM).

S10 ATR July 2023 Mining I_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 10:39 Page 42
NEWS | MINING
Komatsu and Toyota to develop autonomous

THE ERA OF REINVENTION
light vehicle
Image Credit: Komatsu

Komatsu Ltd and Toyota Motor Corporation have According to PwC's 26th Annual Global CEO
announced the launch of a joint project to develop Survey, 41% of mining CEOs believe that their
an autonomous light vehicle that will run on companies will not remain economically
Komatsu's Autonomous Haulage System. To realise viable in ten years if they continue on their
further safety and productivity improvements in current path.
mines by running autonomous haul trucks and This highlights the urgent need for mining
automated ALV controlled by AHS, Komatsu and companies to find a new formula for success
Toyota are launching an effort to jointly develop in the era of critical minerals. It is the most
new technologies. Both companies are currently momentous change the industry has
testing a concept ALV at their proving grounds, and witnessed in decades, necessitating a
plan to have a proof of concept at a customer site by Komatsu autonomous haul truck and Toyota reinvention of strategies and practices. The
concept ALV.
around January 2024. fiercely competitive and dynamic landscape
Minerals and energy resources are essential in daily lives and industries. Autonomy offers the demands a departure from yesterday's
opportunity to remove people from harm's way and enhance safety. It can allow our mining customers portfolios and practices to create value. The
the ability to continue the hard work of providing critical minerals despite the ongoing challenge of era of critical minerals presents a
labour shortages in the mining industry. It can also provide additional safety measures to mine sites on transformative opportunity for mining
which multiple pieces of equipment are operated, in an effort to reduce accidents due to human error. companies to adapt, innovate, and thrive in
Since the launch of the world's first commercial application of an AHS in 2008, Komatsu has this new and challenging environment.
established proven performance in various mine environments and has earned a reputation for safety One shift that demands a response is the
and productivity. emergence of an important new player in
Currently, when AHS-enabled autonomous haul trucks and manual light vehicles used for maintenance the critical minerals market: government.
or transport are running on haulage roads at the same time, autonomous haul trucks may decrease their After seeing rapid demand growth and risky
speed or stop when passing light vehicles to avoid possible collisions caused by human error. On the levels of supply chain concentration,
other hand, customer demand for improved productivity in mine operations when it comes to governments have formed alliances,
autonomous haul truck operating efficiency remains an issue. instituted new policies and mobilised
In light of those circumstances and in an effort to solve those issues quickly, Komatsu and Toyota have funding to secure access to critical minerals.
joined together to accelerate autonomy in mines. Komatsu will develop a new management program for The inflow of public funds, for example,
ALVs on its AHS supervisory system, and Toyota will develop ALVs running automatically under AHS means that miners must rethink the rates of
control. Komatsu and Toyota share a vision for developing an affluent and sustainable society to pass return they can expect on mining or supply
on the next generation. chain assets.
Then there’s the urgent task of
decarbonisation. Miners will have to ramp
SINGIDA GOLD MINE ACHIEVES COMMERCIAL up production to meet rising demand for the
critical minerals and other commodities that
PRODUCTION are required for the energy transition. But
Shanta Gold, the East Africa-focused gold producer, developer and explorer has announced that its Singida they also know they must reduce their
Gold Mine in Tanzania has achieved commercial production. carbon emissions. More than one-third of
Eric Zurrin, chief executive officer of Shanta Gold, commented, “I am delighted to announce that mining CEOs see their company as highly or
commercial production has been declared at Singida following what has been a rapid ramp-up period after extremely exposed to climate-related risks.
first gold pour. The mine delivered steady results against production KPIs including consistent gold There is an increasing number of miners
production and higher than expected gold recoveries, culminating in several successful gold shipments. boosting efficiency with low-carbon
“I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our team, which has successfully designed technologies and methods, partnering with
and delivered the project over the past two years from construction through to commercial production,” processors to produce the green metals that
Zurrin remarked. customers increasingly want.
BRIEFS
Motheo Mine successfully produces first concentrate Lindi Jumbo Graphite Mine progress update
Image Credit: Walkabout Resources
Sandfire Resources Limited has successfully As part of the operational readiness planning for
produced first copper concentrate at its Motheo Lindi Jumbo, Walkabout resources has optimised
Copper Mine in Botswana. Construction of the the initial three-year mine plan to generate
Motheo Copper Mine is nearing completion, with sufficient waste for TSF walls, while creating
equipment commissioning activities over 92% sufficient grade ore stockpiles for blending and
complete for the initial 3.2 Mtpa processing commissioning.
capacity. The Motheo team will now focus on Improvements to the approach has led to a
The processing plant is expected completing commissioning activities and substantial reduction in operational waste rock
Installation of previously delivered
to be commissioned in September ramping-up the processing plant to its initial 3.2 mining and total tonnes mined, potentially
mechanical equipment is
quarter of FY2024. Mtpa processing capacity. resulting in cost savings.
progressing well.

CRUSHERS | MINING
Keeping up with crushing

New equipment and ambitious expansion policies are indicating a strong market for
Africa’s mining industry with crushing particularly excelling.
A Lokotrack mobile train consisting of
Image Credit: Pilot Crushtec

crushers and scalping screens for lithium
mining in Namibia.
positive outlook for Africa’s showed the value that we bring to Metso Outotec equipment from the larger mobile crushers to enable
A mining sector and increased

activity after Covid-19 is
painting a healthy picture for those
customers’ operations by being
quick off the mark with the right
equipment,” said Warren. “A
previous mobile configuration, and
installed it on the new modular
plant. This augmented the
them to execute shorter contracts
quickly and then move onto the
next project – allowing them to
providing the industry with the wide customer contacted us to discuss additional Metso Outotec crusher increase the volume of work within
variety of machinery, software, their urgent need for a crushing that was purchased for the new a short space of time. Large
services and more that is required to solution, and within a month they plant, saving considerably on capex equipment, he added, allows
help a site function effectively on could push the button on site and while not compromising reliability.” contractors to minimise the number
the continent. begin operations with a Pilot Pilot Crushtec has also noticed, in of machines they have to mobilise
At least, this is a narrative that is Crushtec plant.” line with an evolving market on site, reducing transport costs and
envisioned when looking specifically The company was able to achieve landscape, a growing preference for the time spent setting up.
at the crushing segment which has this feat within the timeframe – larger mobile crushing units and an At the same time, Marais
been typified by an array of which included the equipment increased uptake for dual-powered surmised, many contractors in
optimistic news in recent months. taking two weeks on the road to solutions in southern Africa. southern Africa are increasingly
South African-based Pilot reach the site – due to its strategy of Francois Marais, sales and seeing the value in dual-powered
Crushtec, for instance, has fed into prioritising its large stockholding. marketing director at Pilot Crushtec, crushing solutions which can
this portrayal by indicating that it Such has been the success of its made the observation and explained provide customers with significant
has seen, in recent years, export solutions on the continent, that the that in the past three to four years, fuel savings and a marked reduction
demand grow to almost match the company is growing in popularity in there has been a noticeable in carbon emissions.
value of its local market. other regions. In Asia, for instance, inclination for bigger mobile
According to sales manager Wayne there has been a significant uptake of crushers such as Metso Outotec’s Expanding portfolios
Warren, when a company requires a Pilot Crushtec crushing solutions, Lokotrack LT120 jaw crusher and the Pilot Crushtec is not the only
crushing solution, there is no time to where its equipment quality, uptime, Lokotrack LT300HP cone crusher. company revelling in the auspicious
lose, and manufacturing lead times spares availability, service backup “At the centre of this trend is the crushing segment as FLSmidth has
alongside logistical delays can prove and warranty is proving its worth. changing face of the contracting sought to enhance its line-up of
incredibly frustrating for customers. Returning to the continent, sector. Instead of the traditional crushing, screening and milling
By ensuring they respond to Warren noted that a Namibian three to five year contracts, most of products. When approached by
customer’s requirements as rapidly customer had recently leveraged the the projects coming to market are African Review to explore how the
as possible, therefore, Pilot Crushtec longevity of their Metso Outotec barely longer than six months,” company had been faring in recent
has ensured continued expansion on crushing equipment when Marais remarked. years, media representatives
the continent. converting from mobile to modular He continued by noting that pointed to the acquisition of
“A recent contract in Zambia plants. “They simply moved the contractors are therefore turning to thyssenkrupp’s Mining business (TK

MINING | CRUSHERS
Mining), which has helped add to its

status as a full flowsheet technology
and service supplier.
FLSmidth regional product line
manager – crushing and screening,
Demitri Kokoroyanis, said that with
the announcement, the company’s
combined crushing technologies are
distinguishing it from the
competition. Indicating this, he
pointed at the Top Service Gyratory
Crushers, which are advanced in
both their ultra, heavy-duty design
and the way they facilitate safe and
efficient servicing. He also pointed
at the company’s Eccentric Roll
Crusher ERC which fits between the
jaw and gyratory crushers in the
Image Credit: FLSmidth

range. The ERC has a built-in static
grizzly screen before the crushing
zone to allow removal of the fine
material. Large rocks are fractured
at the opening of the jaw to increase With FLSmidth’s top service range of gyratory crusher models, 95% of the servicing can be conducted from the top.
throughput and reduce the power
consumption. roll crusher or double roll sizer,” Mounting interest Portable Plant is designed for high
The wide range of crushing remarked Kokoroyanis. “We can Earlier in the year, Terex MPS had its production at lower costs per ton. It
offerings feeds into FLSmidth’s role take care of everything from the own reason to celebrate after features the enhanced TC1300X cone
as a provider of semi-mobile in-pit truck tip to the discharge conveyor, registering a successful week at crusher with 400hp and high
crushing plants – of which there are and the plant comes complete with CONEXPO-CON-AGG 2023. At the efficiency roller bearings to not only
over 285 installations worldwide. auxiliary equipment for a smooth international trade show, the increase the power overall, but
“Our plants can be designed for operation. The plants can be company showcased the New increase the stroke from 45 mm to
direct feed – usually from gyratory relocated to a new position in the Cedarapids CRC1350S Portable Cone 70 mm. This configuration results in
crushers – and also for indirect pit with the use of transport Crusher Plant and the New an increase thru put and improved
feed, which can be accomplished crawlers with minimum Simplicity ESX “Extra Clearance” quality product shape.
with an apron feeder before a disassembly required as mining Series Horizontal Screen. This plant, paired with the
gyratory, ERC, jaw crusher, double progresses.” The Cedarapids CRC 1350S TSV7203P, 7’ wide - 3 deck
Horizontal Screen, delivers peak
productivity in an easily portable
structure. The TSV screen overall
increases production and handles
applications not possible with
traditional horizontal screens.
Featuring a variable slope operation
resulting in increased capabilities,
higher production, enhanced
durability, and ease of maintenance.
The CR1350S was designed after a
series of interviews with key
distributors and has been
developed to meet customer
demands to yield higher production
capacity, lower cost per ton, while
remaining highly portable.
After the event, the Terex team
noted that the equipment received
Image Credit: FLSmidth
very positive feedback from

The FLSmidth Eccentric Roll Crusher ERC can accept large passionate voices from around the
rocks and produce a suitable size for conveying and world and had already secured
secondary or directly to tertiary crushing if applicable.
several orders. ■

S11 ATR July 2023 Mining II_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 06:15 Page 45
MINING | POWER
Mining firms driving demand for power solutions

Mining firms across Africa are stepping up demand for power solutions, exploring new technologies in a bid to
secure dependable energy in the face of poor grid supply. Martin Clark reports.
Mine operators are taking matters into their own

hands to combat the erratic electricity network.
ecuring dependable power is with future energy transition Africa, are already struggling to meet hold generation licences to produce
S a prerequisite in commercial
mining, an energy-intensive
industry, but in Africa that is
demand. Wood Mackenzie suggests
that in order to reach the Paris
Agreement targets of zero carbon by
demand, squeezing industry and
households. South African President,
Cyril Ramaphosa, has acknowledged
electricity up to a threshold of
100MW, boosting demand for diesel
gensets and other power solutions.
sometimes half the challenge. 2050, copper and aluminium that the nation’s electricity crisis is
An uneven, erratic electricity production must double, nickel severely hurting its mining sector, a Genset demand
network has long prompted mine output needs to rise three-fold and key pillar of the economy. The fragile state of the nation’s grid-
operators to take matters into their the world will require nine times the According to the Minerals Council based supply has left South African
own hands, deploying on-site diesel amount of lithium produced today. South Africa, total mining volumes mining firms with little option but
generating sets (gensets) as back-up, Not all of that will come from were down by around 6%, or to take action for themselves.
or in remote areas where no grid Africa, of course, but a lot of it will, US$1.8bn, last year, in large because Goldplat is the latest to invest in a
connection exists. placing even greater strain on of electricity shortages. fleet of new gensets to bolster its
In recent years, mining power already limited power supplies. In a bid to rapidly expand South African business. The
stations have also begun to embrace generation capacity, the Department company reported that power
renewable technologies, alongside South Africa of Mineral Resources and Energy this shortages in South Africa had cost it
traditional thermal-based plants. But Many African countries, including big year removed requirements for 28% of hours available during the
the absence of reliable electricity and economies such as Nigeria and South independent power producers to first two months of its Q4 period,
availability to Africa’s mining sector is compared to 20% in Q3.
becoming more of a concern – and a As a result, it is investing
potential block to new project Many African countries, including big £750,000 (US$944,000) in diesel
development. This could threaten generators, set to arrive in
broader global strategic initiatives economies such as Nigeria and South Africa, September this year, which it says
like net zero, if mine project will be able to sustain operations
development is not keeping pace are already struggling to meet demand.” during electricity cuts.

POWER | MINING
“The diesel generators will not and even liquefied natural gas (LNG)
just reduce the impact of electricity
cuts, but also give control back to
dotted across the continent. That
includes supplying an iron ore mine
Diesel generators will not just reduce the
operational teams to improve
efficiencies and maximise gold
in South Africa, a gold mine in
Senegal, and a uranium mine in
impact of electricity cuts, but also give
production,” said Goldplat CEO,
Werner Klingenberg.
Niger, a contract it landed in 2022.
The Dasa project – located 105
control back to operational teams to improve
He also said it would provide “a
sense of normality” at its mine sites
km south of the established Niger
uranium mining town of Arlit, and
efficiencies and maximise gold production.”
“which we believe is important for operated by Global Atomic WERNER KLINGENBERG, GOLDPLAT CEO
the morale of our employees.” Corporation – is currently under
Crucially, the economics of the development. Once operating, the utility Eskom. is likewise investing in clean energy
diesel genset energy project stack mine will require 12MW of consistent It will be the largest private wind to support its operations. It recently
up. The company said it will recover power with Enernet delivering a farm constructed in South Africa to signed an engineering, procurement
the full capital cost of the gensets in hybrid solution including 16MW date. Construction is expected to and construction (EPC) agreement
two years, based on 25% of available solar, 15MW battery energy storage, commence in June with commercial with JUWI Renewable Energies for
hours expected to be lost over the a 16 MW back-up diesel generation operation set for early 2025. the construction of an 8.75MW solar
next 24 months – suggesting that it plant, plus advanced controls “This marks our first major step in plant for Barberton Mines’ Fairview
expects to see no real improvement integrated with grid power provided delivering over 550MW of our operation in South Africa.
in the country’s grid power supply. by state utility Sonichar. The system renewable project portfolio and is a The company also concluded a
Goldplat also said that it will will provide approximately 35% of significant milestone in our journey power purchase agreement with
continue to explore other options to power requirements from to carbon neutrality by 2040,” said Sturdee Energy for a 40MW wheeled
secure reliable supply, for example renewables, making Dasa one of the Neal Froneman, the CEO of the renewable energy solution, with
additional connections to the local greenest mining operations in mining group. generation capacity to be made
municipality grid, or a new direct Africa, abating some 27,000 tonnes “The project will not only play a available to any of the group’s
connection to Eskom – though it of CO2 per annum. pivotal role in reducing carbon operations. In 2022, it was the first
noted timelines for these options emissions and mitigating climate South African mining firm to
remain “uncertain and unclear”. Scaling ambitions change but also results in cost successfully commission a utility-
Other mining firms are looking to go savings on electricity and provides scale, grid-tied solar PV plant with
Hybrid power a step further rolling out much energy security benefits for Sibanye- Evander Mines’ 10MW solar PV
Among the crowded and thriving larger, fully renewable projects. Stillwater's SA operations. renewable energy facility, with EPC
marketplace supplying engines, Sibanye-Stillwater – a leading Additionally, it will also contribute works also completed by JUWI.
technology and electricity to mine producer of platinum, palladium to addressing the electricity Pan African is currently
sites across Africa are the likes of and gold – recently achieved challenges in South Africa.” conducting feasibility work on
Wartsila, Red Rocket, Altaaqa and financial close for an 89MW wind various other sites and projects,
Pele Green Energy. energy project in South Africa. Climate impact which could result in approximately
Enernet, which acquired KPS This clean energy will be As well as generating much-needed 28% of its total power generation
Power Africa in 2021, is firmly generated by the Castle Wind Farm, power, such projects also carry a huge requirements coming from
behind the hybrid model, with near the town of De Aar in the climate positive too, an increasingly renewable energy. It estimates that
various projects blending solar Northern Cape, and will supply the prominent concern among both this will bring a cumulative
power, battery energy storage mining firm’s local operations via a mining firms and energy suppliers. estimated reduction of 137,000t in
systems, diesel, dual fuel thermal wheeling agreement with state Gold miner Pan African Resources CO2 emissions annually. ■
South Africa’s total mining volumes were down 6% from 2022, largely in part to the electricity shortages.

S12 ATR July 2023 Mining III_ATR - New Master Template 2016 27/06/2023 06:18 Page 48
SOLUTIONS | MINING
CAT D10 DOZER PRIORITISES PRODUCTIVITY AND DURABILITY

Infused with industry-leading technology, the The dozer’s new torque converter design with
durable Cat D10 Dozer burns less fuel, increases stator clutch automatically frees up the stator
productivity and improves uptime. Featuring a when torque multiplication is not required,
stator clutch torque converter and load-sensing improving drivetrain efficiency for reduced fuel
hydraulics, the new design is up to 6% more consumption.
efficient than the Cat D10T2. Its combination of
Image Credit: Caterpillar

improved technology, longer component life, Industry-leading technology
extended oil changes and increased The new cab for the D10 not only creates a
serviceability reduces maintenance and repair comfortable operating environment that lowers
costs up to 8%, helping the new D10 deliver noise, vibration, stress and fatigue, it is an
industry-leading low cost of ownership. integrated electronic platform designed to
Next-gen Cat D10 Dozer with boosted productivity,
The new D10 is powered by the Cat C27 engine, efficiency and durability. maximise productivity. The operator’s new
which offers after treatment solutions to meet multicolor touchscreen display monitors machine
U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V as well as Tier 2 20% more power in reverse, reducing cycle times. performance and allows machine parameters to
equivalent emissions standards for meeting the In addition to delivering productivity gains of up be quickly tailored to the application.
needs of the global market. Maximising material to 3%, the new D10 offers up to a 4% fuel Today’s innovative D10 leverages a range of
moved per litre of fuel, the C27 switches power consumption advantage over the D10T2 and up to onboard technologies and is future-ready to
settings based on travel direction to offer up to 10% over the D10T. integrate tomorrow’s technology advancements.
WORLD'S FIRST CORROSION- Savox invents industrial-grade Noise-COM

RESISTANT FLAMEPROOF
JUNCTION BOX 500 hearing protector
Pratley, the renowned manufacturer of innovative Savox Communications has launched robust Savox Noise-COM 500 hearing protector for heavy industrial use.
electrical termination products, has developed The new Savox Noise-COM 500 products are top-of-the-line bluetooth hearing protectors specifically
and launched a ground-breaking new product, designed for use in extremely harsh, noisy operations. They are suitable, for example, for use in construction,
the Flameproof Ex d Envirobox. This is the mining, or other heavy industries where using hearing protectors is vital, and the ability to communicate with
world’s first polymeric, corrosion-resistant, clarity is of equally high importance. These robust and durable hearing protectors combine excellent ambient
direct-entry, flameproof junction box. sound quality with an outstanding noise-cancelling microphone for clear speech.
Flameproof equipment is designed to prevent As the Savox Noise-COM 500 can be connected to various Bluetooth two-way radios or mobile phones,
internal ignition within a flammable atmosphere users can comfortably listen to audio as well as make and receive phone calls. Additionally, the ambient
from transmitting outside the protective sound feature allows users to clearly hear surrounding sounds, such as speech or warning signals while
enclosure. However, all traditional direct-entry blocking high-level, harmful noises out. There is also an easily accessible rotary button for push-to-talk and
flameproof junction boxes made from steel, cast ambient sound volume adjustment. With the Savox Noise-COM 500XP model, there is an added possibility
iron or aluminium materials can be prone to to define ambient sound audio profiles for different occasions, enabling the best possible audio for every
corrosion over time and when used in very harsh operational situation.
environments. Special attention needs to be “It is essential to protect the hearing of professionals in heavy industry operations without compromising
given not just to the overall climatic conditions of on safety, nor on the quality and clarity of communications with fellow workers. With the Savox Noise-COM
the area where the enclosures are installed, but 500, there is no danger of missing out on important surrounding sounds or urgent alarms,” commented
also to the material and design of the equipment. Jerry Kettunen, CEO at Savox Communications.
Pratley’s new Flameproof Ex d Envirobox
junction box, made from a specially formulated, Savox Noise-COM 500 is
robust engineering polymer, is designed to designed for use in harsh, noisy
withstand severe environmental conditions. This environments, such as
construction, mining, and heavy
makes it ideal for use in areas with a high risk of industries.
corrosion, such as offshore oil platforms,
underground mines, and petrochemical plants.
“The need for a lightweight and corrosion-
resistant flameproof junction box is evident with
the current, ever-changing mining environment,”
commented Sven Breedt, electrical research &
development manager, Pratley. “Over a decade’s
worth of research and development went into the
Image Credit: Savox Communications
design and development of this junction box.”

The robust engineering polymer is unique to
Pratley. It has exceptional mechanical properties
such as strength, stiffness, creep dimensional
stability, and more.

MINING | SOLUTIONS
LARGE ZERO-EMISSION HAUL TRUCK TRIUMPHS
The zero-emission mining truck excels

in all benchmarks.
Image Credit: First Mode
The world’s largest zero-emission undisputed, having exceeded nuGen Haulage Solution replaces all potential to also offer broader
haul truck, designed and built by performance on all significant diesel components of the haulage operating performance benefits.
First Mode in partnership with tests, including travel speed and ecosystem, including vehicle We look forward to seeing the next
Anglo American, has successfully payload. We are also extremely powerplant, refueling system, fuel generation model in action.”
completed its mission to proud to report zero safety storage infrastructure, and fuel First Mode is now focused on
demonstrate the potential of zero incidents or downtime associated production. The proof-of-concept scaling and commercialising the
emission haulage after one full year with the programme. Our proof-of- truck made its debut in May 2022 at nuGen Haulage Solution. Next
of operational trials. The proof-of- concept demonstrates not only Anglo American’s Platinum Group generation powerplants, refueling
concept mining truck is a critical the feasibility, but also the Metals (PGMs) mine site in systems, and infrastructure are
technology in heavy industry urgent need to scale our nuGen Mogalakwena, South Africa. being built and tested at First
efforts to reduce its reliance on Haulage Solution to help the Natascha Viljoen, CEO of Anglo Mode’s engineering and
diesel and other fossil fuels. mining industry reduce its American’s PGMs business, development facilities in Seattle,
“In May 2022, First Mode reliance on diesel.” commented, “We are proud to which include a 45,000-square-foot
achieved what many thought In 2019, First Mode partnered have played host to this world-first manufacturing facility slated to
impossible with the world’s first with Anglo American to study technology. We recognise that come online later this year. These
and world’s largest hydrogen- potential pathways to replacing our diesel haul trucks systems will be demonstrated on
fueled haul truck,” said Julian decarbonising the mining with a zero-emission alternative is Komatsu 930E and 830E platforms
Soles, CEO of First Mode. “The company’s existing fleet of ultra- central to our ability to deliver at First Mode’s Proving Grounds
truck’s tremendous success is class haul trucks. The resulting carbon neutral mining, with the starting in early 2024.
Advertiser’s Index
Eko Hotel and Suites..............................................................................................................................................................................2

Liebherr Export AG ..............................................................................................................................................................................51
Linz Electric S.p.A. ................................................................................................................................................................................23
Metalgalante S.p.A...............................................................................................................................................................................41
Terex MPS ................................................................................................................................................................................................45
Wirtgen International GmbH ..........................................................................................................................................................52

COMMENT | DIGITALISATION
Image Credit: SITA

Realising Africa’s potential
through digital borders
Jeremy Springall, senior vice president, SITA at Borders, explains how digital
border management technology can help Africa live up to its economic potential.
frica’s immense potential to become a equipment and the vulnerability to agile
A global powerhouse is undeniable. It has all

of the ingredients including a market of
1.2bn consumers (rising to 1.7bn by 2030) and a
international organised crime and terrorism. All
of these have to be tackled with shrinking
budgets and diminishing resources.
combined GDP worth US$2.5 trillion. So what is Therein lies the rub: for economies to grow
holding it back? and a free trade area to work, governments need
The African Union’s (AU) members have all to balance protecting their countries from trafficking,
indicated their support for and recognition of the terrorism, pandemics, and crime while making it
benefits of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, easier to move people and goods across their
the Single Africa Air Transport Market and the borders and at the same time respecting personal
Jeremy Springall is the senior vice president at
Free Movement of Persons Protocol. All of them data privacy and its underpinning legislation. SITA at Borders.
are intended to unlock free trade, tourism, The good news is that proven digital border
economic opportunities and promote widespread management technology and emerging digital and assess who enters their country long before
prosperity across the continent. identities put Africa in pole position to lead the they arrive. Travelers, on the other hand, only
At the SITA Borders Management Africa Summit way. A key advantage for Africa is that it faces have to complete a simple check on arrival.
in Nairobi, speakers and delegates from fewer legacy challenges in the digital space and in The benefit of this approach has been shown to
governments across the continent identified and many ways, it can move faster. The digital work time and again, particularly at big sporting
discussed solutions to resolving the biggest transformation of borders will be inevitable if the events such as the football World Cup. We helped
Hindrance to these AU flagship programmes continent is to achieve its ambition. South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014, and Qatar in
realising their full potential, i.e. efficient borders 2022 to manage the vast influx of visitors.
to enable the frictionless flows of people and goods. Recognised benefits Digital identities will take this to a new level.
In our deliberations, we were continually Airlines and airports understand the potential of Driven by the UN’s International Civil Aviation
reminded that it is easier and faster to transport digitalising border processes. At the coal face of Organization, which sets global passport
mobile phones from China to Africa than to move international travel, the industry has long standards, the industry is shaping a new digital
a few bags of maize across an African border post. recognised the need for digital immigration identity that will replace physical documents such
At the root of this are inconsistencies in the processes. The challenges of Covid-19 accelerated as identity cards or passports.
criteria and processes applied by immigration and this trend. For example, SITA’s 2022 Air Transport A key driver is that holders will choose what
customs authorities for issuing visas, travel IT Insights showed that 75% of airline executives data they would like to share with whom. It is
authorisations, goods import and transit permits, will invest in passenger biometric identity privacy by design. These digital identities can be
the use of unsuitable and often incompatible solutions by 2025. This means passengers will be used at the airport but also at land and sea borders
identified by a simple facial scan, making the or other touchpoints, such as hotels or major
identification process fast and secure. events. All that is needed is a simple scan of your
With the right support However, it cannot be done by one industry in
isolation. It needs government and broader
face a biometric touchpoint or on your mobile
phone. We see these digital identities being
from governments industry support. extended to goods and services. Together, these
technologies will reshape how borders are managed.
across Africa, we can Leading the way The technology exists today to make an African
SITA, the global air transport industry-owned IT free trade area a reality. It allows the balancing of
pull many levers to and solutions provider, is leading this push. Over protectionist measures to keep national borders
the past 30 years, SITA has helped 70 safe with a more welcoming face to visitors. It is
unlock free trade and governments – including South Africa and Egypt – scalable. And it is inclusive, allowing all elements
make their border crossings faster and more of public life to be managed from a single identity.
tourism across the secure. We pioneered what is now the global With the right support from governments
standard for Advance Passenger Information across Africa, we can pull many levers to unlock
continent.” processing and we are helping governments free trade and tourism across the continent.
digitalise key immigration processes so that they Policy and intergovernmental co-operation are
JEREMY SPRINGALL, SENIOR VICE can be completed ahead of travel. This helps the two most obvious, but digitalisation must
PRESIDENT, SITA AT BORDERS governments to effectively extend their borders surely be essential among them. ■


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ATR July 2023 Cover_Layout 1 27/06/2023 05:28 Page 1

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