PAIX Data Centres (www.PAIX.io), a leading provider of data center solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic joint venture with the Djibouti Sovereign Fund to construct a state-of-the-art cloud- and carrier-neutral data centre in Djibouti. This landmark project represents a significant milestone in Africa’s digital infrastructure development and underscores the commitment of both parties to fostering innovation and growth in the region.

The joint venture between PAIX Data Centres and the Djibouti Sovereign Fund brings together industry expertise and local knowledge to deliver world-class data center services tailored to the unique needs of Djibouti and the broader East African region. The new facility will serve as a strategic interconnection hub for internet service providers (ISPs), cloud providers, financial institutions, and enterprises seeking reliable and scalable infrastructure to support their digital initiatives.

Ten undersea cables connect to Djibouti, with further cables under construction, making the data centre a key access point for PAIX and its customers that wish to serve emerging markets in the region.

PAIX will purchase the land, buildings and data center equipment. The facility will have about 50,000 square feet of net usable space and up to 5 megawatts of critical power. The first phase is expected to open in 2026.

PAIX Djibouti will offer state-of-the-art infrastructure, including advanced cooling systems, redundant power sources, and robust security measures, to ensure optimal performance and reliability for mission-critical applications and services. With a capacity of multiple megawatts, the data centre will cater to the diverse needs of customers across various industries, providing them with the necessary tools and resources to accelerate innovation and drive business success.

PAIX Data Centres and the Djibouti Sovereign Fund remain committed to delivering best-in-class data centre solutions that meet the evolving needs of customers and contribute to the growth and prosperity of Djibouti and the broader Horn of Africa region. PAIX Data Centres is already operating in Accra Ghana, and Nairobi Kenya.

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Wouter van Hulten PAIX Data Centres CEO says: “PAIX’s investment in JIB1 positions it at the crossroads of connectivity between Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The strong network hub that is created by the aggregation of multiple undersea cable landing points connecting to terrestrial cables makes Djibouti a highly attractive gateway. We have received strong interest from our connectivity, CDN, social media, and cloud customers seeking to serve the emerging markets that can be accessed by these cables. We plan to develop thriving magnetic cloud and content hubs in Djibouti.”
Raza Hasnani, Managing Director at Africa50 says: “We are excited to be supporting PAIX in its partnership with the Djibouti Sovereign Wealth Fund to develop this project, which will further enhance Djjibouti’s positioning as a connectivity hub in Africa. The development of data centers in Africa will play a key role in delivering affordable data and greater connectivity to the continent.“
Slim Feriani, CEO of the Djibouti Sovereign Fund says: “As the heart of Africa’s digital economy, Djibouti plays a strategic role in facilitating connectivity between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, PAIX Djibouti will serve as a catalyst for digital inclusion and economic development, empowering businesses to unlock new opportunities and realize their full potential in the digital age.“
Norman Albi, CEO’s AFR-IX telecom a PAIX customer says: “Recognizing Djibouti’s pivotal location in Africa’s communications landscape, we eagerly anticipate the benefits this partnership between PAIX Data Centers and Djibouti Sovereign Fund will bring to the region. This development fills us with great enthusiasm as we anticipate leveraging the enhanced connectivity options facilitated by this state-of-the-art data center. Here’s to the success of this collaborative endeavor.“

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of PAIX Data Centres.

Media contact: 
For more information about PAIX Data Centres and its services, visit www.PAIX.io. 
Enquiries
info@paix.io

About PAIX Data Centres: 
PAIX Data Centres is a leading provider of data centre solutions, offering state-of-the-art facilities and services to meet the evolving needs of businesses across Africa. With a focus on reliability, carrier neutrality, scalability, and security, PAIX Data Centres enables organizations to harness the power of technology and drive digital transformation. From ISPs and cloud providers to financial institutions and enterprises, PAIX Data Centres delivers innovative solutions that fuel growth and success in today’s digital economy to businesses of all sizes.

By OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al-Ghais.

Since assuming the office of OPEC Secretary General almost two years ago, I have had the privilege of visiting every African OPEC Member Country, as well as several other African countries. Every visit has reaffirmed my firm conviction that the future is bright for Africa and that the oil industry can play a constructive role in that future. Our Organization stands ready to offer any support it can to help this great continent realize its awesome potential.

OPEC takes great pride in its strong and enduring African connections, heritage and identity. Half of our Member Countries are African and this includes the continent’s most populous country, Nigeria, and the geographically largest by area, Algeria. We are also privileged to count Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Libya as Member Countries. Additionally, two African countries are part of the historic ‘Declaration of Cooperation,’ between OPEC and non-OPEC producing countries, namely Sudan and South Sudan.

Our Organization’s past is imbued with African character. Looking throughout our 63-year history, many significant meetings took place in African cities. From the Ninth Meeting of the OPEC Conference in Tripoli in 1965, critical meetings and conferences have been held in Algiers (including our first ever Summit), Oran, Lagos, Abuja, Luanda, and Libreville.

Indeed, the idea for our Organization was conceived in Africa, specifically Egypt. It was at the Cairo Yacht Club in 1959, that the Gentleman’s Agreement was forged that paved the way for the establishment of OPEC in Baghdad in September 1960.

Having played a pivotal role in shaping our past, we have no doubt Africa will be instrumental in the Organization’s future and the future of the oil industry. This is a dominant theme in OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2045 (WOO).

Africa has a young and vibrant population. By 2045, the Middle East and Africa are forecast to be the leading regions by overall population, adding 723 million people in the period 2022-2045.

We anticipate a bright future for Africa’s oil industry with substantial opportunities for growth. The continent is home to five of the top 30 oil-producing countries and its proven oil reserves amounted to around 120 billion barrels at the end of 2022. This will be crucial to meet the growing global demand for oil, which is expected to rise to 116 million barrels per day (mb/d) by 2045.

These resources will be crucial in enabling African countries deliver for their peoples. For many oil-producing developing nations, oil production is a way to generate revenue streams that help address pressing and legitimate needs, such as development, employment, education, reducing poverty and investing in public services.

One of the great challenges facing governments here and, indeed, in many other parts of the world is energy poverty. There are 675 million people worldwide who lack access to electricity, four out of five of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, 2.3 billion people without clean fuels and technologies for cooking, which can lead to a host of related health and environmental problems.

Of course, OPEC supports efforts that lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, but we look for this to be achieved in a manner that strikes a fine balance between energy security and sustainable development; ensuring that nobody is left behind. We are also strong advocates for the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

The continent of Africa is home to 17% of the world’s population, but is responsible for under 4% of global CO2 emissions, with many African countries contributing virtually nothing to global emissions.

When we consider historic cumulative CO2 emissions, the G7 has contributed over 43% of the total alone since 1850, while OPEC Member Countries account for only 4%.

These statistics reflect the fact that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to addressing climate change and national circumstances need to be taken into account. We need an all-peoples, all technologies and all-energies approach. Technological innovation is a key focus for our Organization.

It is why our Member Countries are investing heavily in hydrogen projects, Carbon Capture and Utilization and Direct Air Capture facilities, and the circular carbon economy.

Looking at recent developments across the energy scene in Africa, we see opportunities for the oil industry in places like Namibia, Senegal, Mozambique and Mauritania, to name but a few. OPEC is attentive to these developments and stands ready to support all countries on the African continent in the next chapter in developing their industries. In this regard, we look forward to enhanced cooperation with the African Energy Chamber in the years and decades to come.

The African Energy Chamber, as the voice of the African energy sector, commends OPEC’s commitment to the growth of the African oil and gas industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

In today’s fast moving digital environment and with ecommerce becoming more popular, shoppers now expect a faster, easier and more intuitive online experience. A recent report by Klarna (https://apo-opa.co/3QMpXmK) found that 57% of Gen Z and Millennials reported that they want an even more personalised shopping experience.

In a crowded digital economy with busy online markets, customer personalisation can help to make a big difference and help businesses stay more connected with their customers and help to stand out amongst their competitors.

Personalisation can be used to the advantage of small business owners as they have greater flexibility to understand their customers’ needs and provide a more personalised approach to their digital experiences. By listening to customers and learning from them, small business owners can position their business in a way that exceeds customer expectations while reflecting positively on the business and help drive future growth.

Learning how to use personalization is key because it can prevent audiences from seeing and receiving content that is irrelevant to them. It makes it so customers only see messages they can find useful, interesting or engaging, which is helpful for both shoppers and businesses. Personalization isn’t just a sales driver; it’s a customer experience enhancer.

While personalization can be as simple as using a reader’s first name in an email, there are a variety of ways to personalize content for your audience. Here are some tips to help stay engaged with your customers through increased personalization.

Ask your customers directly

Engage with customers directly through feedback mechanisms, to help foster a sense of involvement and engagement with the business, as well as helping to ensure that their voices are heard. This could include, engaging with customers on social media channels, sharing feedback based on their comments and by including issues they said they care about in a blog article on how your business can provide solutions to issues they are raising.

Listen to your customers

The growth of your business is directly related to customer satisfaction. Listen to your customers and pay attention to the needs of your target market. Identify their problems and pain points. How can your offerings act as a solution? Is it possible to develop new products to help solve these problems? Engage by listening to customer feedback and keep an eye on customer behaviour changes and audience interests. Small businesses can use empathy to build relationships with their customers which can lead to heightened loyalty.

Personalize your content

Some ways to consider to personalize your content could include: greet the customer `by name in an email or on the home page of the website; show a list of suggested items that a customer might want to consider based on items they have purchased before; send email to customers sharing new updates to your business and your online presence; use email marketing to alert a customer when there is a special promotion or discount offer; use a personalized subject line in email communications; or remind a customer about an item they might have looked at but decided not to buy at that time. By using personalization, a business can effectively break through the noise in the inbox and connect directly with a reader, whether they are just getting to know your brand or is already a loyal customer. Personalized email marketing consists of a targeted, subject-specific message sent to a relevant segment of your audience list.

Thank your customers

It is important to thank your customers for their feedback and consequently show them how it is making an impact. One way to do so is to fold the sentiment into your marketing messages. For instance, saying “back by popular demand” can be a simple and effective way to communicate to customers that a business is listening and taking action. Small business owners can include gestures of thanks such as individual thank you notes which can help small business owners connect with their customers on a deeper level. Another way to say thank you is to share special offers and discounts for customers during holiday shopping periods, and other opportunities that seem natural for your business.

Look for inspiration

And finally, if you see a business that is great at connecting with its customers online, learn from them, draw inspiration and then find ways to incorporate these learnings into your own, authentic strategies. Identify where your target audience is spending their time, including on social media channels. You can get inspiration from seeing what your audience is doing online and what your competitors are doing well.

Our message to entrepreneurs is that a little bit of customer personalisation can take you far. By using personalization, you are effectively breaking through the noise in the inbox and connecting directly with your reader, whether they are just getting to know your brand or already a loyal customer. Think about what would help the customer and improve their experience. Then, design personalization strategies around those goals. Small businesses have the human touch that helps to connect us all.

For more information on how GoDaddy Website Builder can help your small business stay connected with customers, visit: GoDaddy Domain Names, Websites, Hosting&Online Marketing Tools (https://apo-opa.co/4dRuRZU).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GoDaddy.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept payments online. GoDaddy’s easy-to-use tools help microbusiness owners manage everything in one place and its expert guides are available to provide assistance 24/7.  To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Multinational energy company Chevron has joined the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) 2024 conference (https://apo-opa.co/3UF9Rg5) – Angola’s premier oil and gas event, scheduled for 2-3 October in Luanda – as a platinum sponsor. The company has been active in Angola for over 70 years, and with stakes in various strategic oil and gas projects, remains committed to increasing production and sustainable oil and gas development for the long-term.

Chevron currently holds a 26% market share in Angola. The company has interests in offshore Blocks 0 and 14 – boasting a daily production capacity of 70,000 barrels of liquids and 259 million cubic feet of natural gas – as well as a non-operated interest in the Angola LNG project – the country’s pioneer LNG facility. Angola LNG processes natural gas from offshore fields and celebrated its 400th cargo delivery in 2023. During the AOG 2024 conference, Chevron is expected to provide insight into the company’s current project portfolio while unpacking new investments in low-carbon projects.  

Organized by Energy Capital&Power. AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the African Energy Chamber; and the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute, the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

With interests in several deepwater blocks, Chevron’s expertise in such acreage is expected to support production growth in Angola. In 2023, the company – through its Angolan subsidiary Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABGOC) – signed a Production Sharing Agreement to manage operations within the Block 14/23 concession area, situated in the Zone of Common Interest shared by Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s maritime territory. Under the agreement – inked with the governments of both countries – CABGOC will act as the operator of the concession, holding a 31% stake in the block.

Chevron’s initiatives in Angola extend to infrastructure projects such as the Sanha Lean Gas Connection Project (SLGC) – valued at $300 million. This endeavor – which reached FID in 2021 – involves the development of a platform that ties into the existing Sanha Condensate complex, as well as new pipelines connecting Block 0 and Block 14 to Angola LNG. The SLGC project is vital for Chevron as it addresses a projected supply gap at the Angola LNG facility. Through collaboration with service companies, Chevron demonstrates its commitment to advancing energy infrastructure in Angola and supporting the growth of the nation’s oil and gas sector, while upholding operational excellence and environmental sustainability.

Meanwhile, Chevron is spearheading low-carbon oil and gas solutions in Angola. CABGOC signed an MoU with the government last October to explore low carbon business opportunities. The company’s goal is to utilize nature-based and technological carbon offsets, as well as lower-carbon intensity biofuels like hydrogen, to enhance Angola’s energy production in conjunction with oil and gas initiatives. Additionally, Chevron and the Angolan government intend to assess various projects related to carbon capture and storage, alongside the establishment of a regional center of excellence aimed at attracting lower carbon investments.

Under the theme Driving Exploration and Development Towards Increased Production in Angola, AOG 2024 will explore innovative approaches, cultivate collaboration among industry players and showcase technological advancements aimed at boosting exploration and development activities. As Chevron consolidates its presence in Angola’s oil and gas sector, its sponsorship of the AOG 2024 conference highlights a commitment to supporting initiatives that pave the way for growth in the country’s oil and gas industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.