On August 19, 2024, Open Access Data Centres (OADC) has celebrated the opening of its first data center in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The new center, known as OADC Texaf Digital – Kinshasa, marks a significant milestone in the development of digital infrastructure in the country.
Located in the Silkin Village center, the facility is a joint venture between OADC and local real estate firm TEXAF. With a capacity of 2 megawatts and 1500 square meters, the data center features 550 racks and is designed to serve as a crucial node for content distribution networks and cloud service providers.
Mohammed Bouhelal, CEO of OADC Texaf DRC, emphasized the importance of the new data center: “OADC Texaf Digital – Kinshasa is essential in driving many sectors of the economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This center will help create a rich and dynamic digital ecosystem, providing operators and content providers with a strategic interconnection location in the country.”
The data center has become the first open access and operator-neutral facility in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Tier III certification from the Uptime Institute. Additionally, it is expected to achieve ISO27001 certification in the third quarter of 2024. The facility is powered by hydroelectric energy, showcasing its commitment to sustainable practices.
OADC has connected the center with more than 12 national and international operators, with the banking sector emerging as one of its major users. The new center aims to transform the country’s digital infrastructure by fostering a complete and dynamic ecosystem of interconnection and peering.
The opening of OADC Texaf Digital – Kinshasa is part of a broader plan by the company, which, after raising $200 million in November 2021, is expanding its network of data centers across the African continent. OADC plans to build up to 20 data centers in various African countries, including Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Somalia. Additionally, the company already operates facilities in Nigeria and South Africa and is implementing numerous Edge sites in South Africa.
Founded in 2008, the African wholesale network company WIOCC, to which OADC belongs, is part of major submarine cable systems that connect Africa to Europe, Asia, and other regions, reinforcing the continent’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Source: OpenAccessDC