The first phase of OADC Texaf Digital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a joint venture between Open Access Data Centres (OADC) and TEXAF, is now operational.

The facility in Kinshasa is the DRC's first carrier-neutral, open-access data center, certified by the Uptime Institute Tier III.

The OADC stated that the facility provides integrated core digital infrastructure solutions that include bespoke colocation services as well as a range of connectivity and peering services.

It further stated that power to the 2MW data center is supplied by a utility sourced from hydro generation ensuring environmentally sustainable power generation in tandem with low Power Utilisation Effectiveness.

The company believes the facility will play a vital role in meeting the connectivity needs of DRC businesses and citizens.

In a statement, OADC said 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.

The company added: “This infrastructure, with its white space architecture and 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, commented: “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.”

He added: “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.”

For Christophe Evers, chairman of OADC Texaf’s board of directors, establishing a strategic partnership to build a data centre in the DRC was crucial for driving digital transformation and economic growth in the region.

He said: “By leveraging the joint strengths and expertise of OADC and TEXAF, we are not only enhancing digital connectivity and infrastructure but also creating opportunities for businesses to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

“This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering world-class data centre services that meet the growing demands of enterprises and support the broader objectives of economic development in the DRC. It is a cornerstone of the DRCs National Digital Plan announced by the President of the Republic.”