Airtel Africa, telecommunications and mobile money services provider, has revealed that its subsidiary, Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) B.V., has repaid in full its $550m bond maturing Monday.

This was disclosed in a corporate filing with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NDX) signed by G Simon O’Hara, group company secretary, on Monday.

With this repayment, the company said that it had achieved a zero-debt position at the HoldCo.

The $550m bond was 5.35 per cent Guaranteed Senior Notes.

“This bond repayment of $550m has been made exclusively out of cash reserves at the holding company and is a continuation of its strategy to reduce external foreign currency debt. At the time of the IPO in June 2019, the group had $2,719m of external debt at HoldCo which resulted in significant exposure to currency fluctuations and the reliance on upstreaming funds to cover both interest costs and the principal repayment.
“Through consistent execution of its strategy supporting strong free cash flow generation, and continued upstreaming success, the group has been reducing Holdco debt over the past few years and has now reached the significant milestone of a zero-debt position at HoldCo. The current leverage and capital structure is a reflection of the Group’s successful capital allocation strategy that has been in place since our IPO, and it will aim to continue reducing foreign currency debt obligations across its OpCo’s,” part of the statement from the telecoms provider said.

Mr Olatunji Aduloju is Operations Manager at Open Access Data Centres (OADC) on Sustainability in Data Centre Operations.

He has an enviable career in operations of data centre, and has worked with CWG plc where he managed the company’s data centre for over 5 years before joining OADC few years ago.

In this interview, he explained the driving force behind WIOCC and OADC sustainability efforts. WIOCC Group is the parent company of WIOCC- Africa’s digital backbone and OADC.

What does sustainability mean to WIOCC and Open Access Data Centres and how driven is the company on sustainability and the environment?

Sustainability encompasses a variety of obligations that are inherent in conducting business responsibly. For WIOCC and OADC, this includes:

• Leadership within the ICT industry, and regional bodies, and active engagement in industry organisations and events. For example, the CEO of OADC serves as Chairman of the Africa Data Centres Association and is a member of the Science and Technology Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Business and Industry. OADC also participates in the Infrastructure Masons Climate Accord which demonstrates our commitment to global initiatives focused on carbon accounting and reduction.
• Corporate social responsibility initiatives through which we make a positive impact on the communities amongst whom we operate. For example, OADC has served as a strategic partner for the STEAM UP programme in Lagos for three consecutive years. This mentorship program aims to inspire, motivate, and guide young girls in pursuing studies and careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, by connecting aspiring female scientists in secondary schools with professional women working in STEM fields.
• A comprehensive sustainability strategy across the entire WIOCC Group, and robust systems and processes to effectively manage environmental and social risks across our operations. In practice, this includes initiatives such as using acoustic panels in our power farm to stop reverberations and high levels of noise.

How concerned is WIOCC & Open Access Data Centres about sustainability especially when it involves the environment more especially when it comes to Data Centres operations?

WIOCC and OADC recognize that sustainability is a paramount consideration in the development and operation of data centres. With increasing energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with digital infrastructure, we are committed to operating sustainably.

We apply competitive sustainability standards during the design, building and operation of our data centres. This ensures that our facilities are both hyperscale-ready for clients, and meet global investor requirements for managing environmental and social risks.

How sustainable should Data Centres be when it comes to usage of power?

Energy efficiency is an area of focus for OADC. We have set performance targets that require us to improve our Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) which is the industry standard for measuring energy efficiency.

In addition, green building design has been incorporated as a requirement of our core data centres. This requires energy and water efficiency to be included in the design of our data centres.

A key metric in building design is the ‘embodied carbon’ of materials – this refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with various stages in the life cycle of building materials, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and disposal. Current international building certifications, like IFC EDGE and LEED, require us to achieve ambitious targets relating to the embodied carbon in the materials we use for data centre construction.

How can technology help data centres to maximise sustainability process especially with energy efficiency and what lessons can be learned on the energy efficiency of OADC operations?

At OADC operations, we focus on improving our energy efficiency through technology and optimal occupation of our data centres. This includes:

• Implementing advanced and more efficient cooling systems and managing airflow efficiently
• Integrating renewable energy sources
• Investing in energy-efficient hardware
• Implementing smart energy monitoring and reporting systems to identify improvements and eliminate waste.
• Using smart technologies like artificial intelligence to forecast workload and optimise resource allocation.

Waste management is always an environmental issue especially in a developing country, how can industrial waste be managed taking Open Access Data Centre as a case study?

At OADC, we apply the waste hierarchy which requires us to reduce and minimise waste as the first option. Where waste generation cannot be avoided or reduced, we recover and reuse waste in a manner that is safe for human health and the environment.

Where waste cannot be recovered or reused, we will treat, destroy, or dispose of it in an environmentally sound manner that includes the appropriate control of emissions and residues resulting from the handling and processing of the waste material. Our policy also requires us to use licensed disposal sites that are being operated to acceptable standards.

We have a Waste Management Plan that emphasizes a “Cradle to Grave” approach. This means we take responsibility for waste from its creation (“cradle”) to its final disposal (“grave”). We ensure waste separation by providing clearly labeled bins for different materials and have partnered with a government-approved waste collection service provider to ensure proper disposal.

Carbon footprints and circularity are issues in the operations of data centres, how do you recycle and manage your waste? is the community involved in your recycling process and in your waste management?

For circularity to be effective and sustainable, we start considering materials usage from the design phase. We also leverage innovative technologies and sustainable materials to minimise energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation throughout a facility’s lifecycle:

• In our Lagos data centre, we have partnered with RESWAYE (Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment), which collects our plastic waste for recycling purposes.
• As part of our environmental initiatives, we dispose of electronic waste responsibly. Whenever possible, we ensure that equipment or its components are recycled or reused.
• Our water treatment plants are environmentally beneficial. The implementation of Reverse Osmosis and Sequence Batch Reactor technology in our plants not only provides clean and safe processed water but also helps save water and reduce waste released into the environment. Its impact is far-reaching, contributing significantly to the protection of public health and the environment.
• Additionally, we utilize environmentally friendly, clean agent fire suppression systems in our facilities. These agents have extremely low global warming potential and zero ozone depletion potential, containing no carbon dioxide or other harmful gases.

Nigeria is not focussed yet on using renewables when it comes to powering data centres, is OADC looking to do this?

Yes, certainly. OADC has recently completed a feasibility study regarding using renewable energy in our data centres. We have already launched a pilot project using solar power at one of our South African data centres, and we plan to roll out further solar installations wherever we operate in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

We are also investigating other forms of renewable energy for future projects, including wind and wave energy.

In its continued effort to transform Nigeria into a globally recognised hub of technology and innovation to drive economic diversification and boost productivity across all sectors, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is set to collaborate with relevant organisations in effectively cascading the benefits of digital technology to all the local governments across the country.

This was disclosed by the NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa when he played host to the Senior Special Advisers to President on Community Engagement – South East, Barr Chioma Nweze; South West, Ms Moremi Ojudu and North West, Hon. Abdallah Tanko Yakassai who visited the Agency to discuss possible areas of collaboration on Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

This gesture is in total alignment with the present administration’s priority areas, particularly in the area of reforming the economy for sustained inclusive growth.

While stating the agency’s vision for Nigeria where inclusive economic growth is fostered through technological innovation, the NITDA DG noted that the vision aligned with the president’s 8 priority areas.

“The President wants to Reform the Economy to Deliver Sustained Economic Growth; Strengthen National Security for Peace and Prosperity; Boost Agriculture to Achieve Food Security; Boost Infrastructure and Transportation as Enablers of Growth; Focus on Education, Health and Social Investment as Enablers of Development; Accelerate Diversification through Digitisation, Industrialisation, Creative Art and Innovation; and Improve Governance for Effective Service Delivery to Citizens,” he said.

He added that the agency recently crafted its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) 2024-2027, and its pillars are the tool that will help Mr President in delivering on all the presidential priority areas.
Enumerating the 8 pillars of the SRAP, Inuwa highlighted “Foster Digital Literacy and Cultivate Talents” as one of the most important pillars the document is anchored on where inclusivity is pronounced.

“To ensure we are inclusive, we need to get our citizens to be digitally literate, so we developed the National Digital Literacy Framework with an ambitious target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030 but Mr President cited a mid-term target for us to achieve 70% by 2027,” he stated.

He further said that the agency is collaborating with the Ministry of Education in infusing digital literacy into all academic institution’s curricula while at the same time developing standard training with certifications that would be a prerequisite for securing government employment.

“We have already worked with the Head of Service to put it as a requirement for government workers to be digitally literate. But for the market people, artisans and so on, what they need is the literacy to use digital devices to access internet banking, government digital services and others.

“We have therefore been exploiting many channels to deliver them through TV programmes, social media, radio, roadshows and so on,” he averred.

The NITDA Boss stated that, the 3 Million Tech Talent programme was another initiative of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the agency to identify skill gaps in the country and build youth’s capacity on skills in high demand locally and internationally.

“We have started the training and so far we have trained over 30,000 and completed the first phase which is a pilot. We are now executing the second phase of the training,” he said.

While giving deep insight into the other seven strategic pillars of Building a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem; Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Framework; Promoting Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services; Strengthening Cybersecurity and Enhance Digital Trust; Nurturing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem; Forging Strategic Partnerships and collaborations and lastly, Cultivating a Vibrant Organisational Culture and an Agile Workforce in NITDA, Inuwa shared the various infrastructures, innovative solutions, sponsorships and training programmes the government has been offering nationwide.

In his remark, Hon. Yakassai appreciated the DG NITDA for his wonderful presentation by sharing insights into the various activities of the agency to ensure a digitally empowered nation by building the digital capacities of Nigerians.

He however expressed his team’s willingness to collaborate with the agency in the areas of propagating the agency’s activities to the grassroots throughout the 774 local governments in the country.

“Mr President is a grassroots person that is why he created this office so that we make sure whatever the government is doing is taken down to the grassroots level and we need to show the people the importance of your programmes and how they can key into it”, he stated.