DRC’s First Tier-III Certified Data Centre

Democratic Republic of Congo’s first Tier-III certified, open-access, carrier-neutral, data centre is now live. This project is as a result of a joint venture between Open Access Data Centres (OADC) and TEXAF, dubbed ‘OADC Texaf Digital’.

OADC Texaf Digital is establishing a vibrant digital ecosystem supporting Internet Exchanges, content providers, cloud operators, carriers, telcos and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in offering a wide range of digital products and services to business and domestic customers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The 2MW-capable facility is the DRC’s first live open-access, carrier-neutral and Uptime Institute Tier-III certified data centre, with ISO27001 post live certification on track for Q3 2024. Clients are already establishing and installing in the facility and all major fibre network providers are present to provide vibrant interconnect to tenants. The facility offers integrated core digital infrastructure solutions comprising tailored colocation services together with a wide range of reliable connectivity and peering options.

Power to the data centre is fed from utility sourced from hydro generation ensuring environmentally sustainable power generation in tandem with low Power Utilisation Effectiveness (PUE). The facility underpins and is accelerating the country’s digitalisation and ICT capabilities, enabling clients to cost-effectively, flexibly and securely grow their operations within the DRC.

With a population of more than 16 million, Kinshasa is at the epicentre of demand for digital connectivity services within the DRC and the region. OADC Texaf Digital – Kinshasa, located within TEXAF’s SILIKIN VILLAGE digital hub, is operated by the award-winning WIOCC Group company OADC, Africa’s fastest-growing data centre company. Configured with 1,500 square metres of IT white space to accommodate more than 550 racks, it delivers colocation, interconnect and peering services to support the colocation needs of enterprise clients, content distribution networks, local and international cloud providers. This enables them to improve efficiency, expedite digitisation initiatives, and more effectively service business and customer needs.

This infrastructure, with its white space architecture and the interconnect and peering ecosystem, is ideally suited to the large international Content Distribution Networks, global content companies and cloud providers that will be able to invest in the DRC.

Mohammed Bouhelal, Managing Director of OADC Texaf DRC said that OADC Texaf Digital – Kinshasa is central to boosting many sectors of the DRC’s economy, creating rich and vibrant digital ecosystems, and providing content distribution networks and cloud content providers with access to a quality peering location in the country.

“We already have over 12 leading national and international carriers connected, with the banking sector being the leading adopter of OADC Texaf Digital – Kinshasa solutions. The open-access, carrier-neutral facility is set to transform the country’s digital infrastructure by creating a comprehensive, vibrant interconnection and peering ecosystem involving multiple carriers, ISPs, content providers and Internet Exchanges,” he noted.

The facility embodies carrier-neutral principles, maximising interconnection opportunities for all clients. Increased competition and improved operator cost-efficiencies will contribute to the expected decrease in the cost of internet connectivity for the Congolese people and companies, serving as a major enabler for expansion of the DRC’s digital ecosystem.