Project Description
This summary covers an application made by Meridiam Africa Investments 2 SAS (Meridiam), a global developer, investor and asset manager specializing in public and community infrastructure, for MIGA to provide a programmatic Master Contract (MC) covering its investments alongside the Roha Group in Data Center projects in East, West, and Southern Africa, through Raxio Group BV (Raxio). The duration of the MC would be for up to 4 years, during which Meridiam could request MIGA cover for the different subprojects.
MIGA’s political risk insurance (PRI) has been requested against the risks of Expropriation, Transfer Restriction, and War & Civil Disturbance for the first batch of three subprojects, located in Mozambique, Uganda and Cote d’Ivoire (the Host Countries). MIGA guarantees would be provided in the aggregate amount of up to US$11.01 million for a period of up to 15 years.
The project involves the design, finance, construction and O&M of a series of “metro edge” Data Centers, each of which would deliver approximately 1 to 1.5 MW of IT power. The Data Centers are expected to be fully redundant and able to operate independently of the power grid for extended periods of time, and do not require any shutdown when equipment needs maintenance or replacement.
Environmental Categorization
The Project is a category B project under MIGA’s Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability. Click here to view the Environmental and Social Review Summary.
Development Impact
The Project’s development impact will be driven by key investments in private sector-driven data hosting solutions across the three Host Countries. The Project will support the development of the local digital industry and promote digital connectivity, by increasing access to a critical digital infrastructure (data centers). The Project also has potential to facilitate the expansion of innovation and competition of the domestic digital market and the wider service delivery of web services in Africa.
The project is consistent with the WBG Digital Economy for Africa Initiative (DE4A) and the African Union (AU) Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa, which aims to ensure that every African individual, business, and government will be digitally enabled by 2030. The Project will also support MIGA’s objective of expanding its footprint and deepening impact in IDA/FCS countries, based on the recognition that the private sector is the primary creator of jobs and growth. The Project is also aligned with the IDA-20 commitments to expanding broadband usage for jobs of the future and positioning more firms for recovery through the adaptation of digital technology.
