Russian vendor of high-precision protection against DDoS attacks and full-stack bots took part at GITEX (www.GITEXAfrica.com) at the common stand «Made in Moscow».

Over the last two years, Russian cybersecurity solutions have been tested and improved by the most powerful and sophisticated cyberattacks from different countries. “Made in Moscow” label on cyber protection products arouses keen interest of everyone who is looking for reliable, battle-tested solutions for business continuity all over the world. 

Servicepipe representatives arrived from Moscow to present breakthrough technologies for high-precision traffic filtering at the annual international exhibition GITEX AFRICA 2024. The company provides proprietary in-depth protection solutions for more than 400 companies from different industries — the largest ISP, Telco&cloud providers, government, leading banks, investment and insurance organizations, payment systems, airlines, online stores, media, data centers, etc. Customers note the high accuracy of Servicepipe protection, high-skilled technical support and convenient user interfaces. 

Servicepipe has been developing traffic analysis and filtration technologies since 2015. Based on proprietary technologies, the company implements services to protect against automated threats: DDoS attacks, advanced bots, and APT threats. By traffic anomalies detection, Servicepipe helps customers to maintain the highest availability and security of their digital assets. 

Servicepipe also conducts security audits and stress testing to assess the readiness of IT infrastructures and web applications for DDoS attacks and high loads. 

Now Servicepipe experts are open for personal consulting and business partnership. 

“We were glad to take part in this event and meet such a concentrate meet such a concentrated audience of leading IT companies from all over the world,” said Alexander Vakhtin, Director of International Development at Servicepipe. “Now we are ready to present our advanced developments to a wide range of interested companies and potential partners.” 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GITEX Africa.

Media contact: 
v.shevchenko@servicepipe.ru 

About Servicepipe:
Creating and developing innovative solutions to modern‑day cyber security challenges, Servicepipe safeguards IT infrastructure, websites, apps, online presence and brands of many companies. To keep up with the rapid global shifts and the ever so changing nature of the cybersecurity threats, its team challenges the industry status quo with ML‑driven technologies. 

Cyber security products are provided as software, on‑prem, as well as on cloud and hybrid delivery schemes and can be customized according to each client’s unique challenge. 

Servicepipe also performs auxiliary services, such as traffic analytics, WAF cloud platform connect, pentest and stress‑test. 

– SP DosGate addresses the challenges of DDoS attacks on IT infrastructure and networks with advanced rule builder and modular architecture; 
– SP Cybert, based on multifactor traffic analysis and machine learning, detects and blocks intelligent bot attacks to protect web services and apps.

For further information, please visit our website: https://www.Servicepipe.ru/

Financing is key to unlocking Africa’s development opportunities; Dr Adesina tells Chatham House: “Africa can no longer be ignored.”

In a packed auditorium at the renowned Chatham House, African Development Bank President Group Dr Akinwumi Adesina delivered an inspiring address to a diverse audience of diplomats, investors, academics, politicians, and media, emphasizing Africa’s untapped potential and abundant opportunities.

In his presentation on Friday, “Envisioning Africa’s Economic Prospects,” Adesina explained the reasons behind his optimism and passion for Africa.

The Bank Group president said Africa is a continent of tremendous opportunities. It is endowed with and characterized by a young, dynamic and vibrant workforce, massive renewable energy potential, abundant biodiversity resources, rapid regional integration and innovative solutions designed to unlock the continent’s vast natural capital.

Adesina outlined the resilience of Africa’s economies despite global challenges, noting that the continent remains the second-fastest-growing region after Asia. He cited the Bank’s African Economic Outlook Report (https://apo-opa.co/4aUEW5r), which shows the  the continent’s  3.7% economic growth for 2024, increasing to 4.3% in 2025. The report which was launched during the Bank’s May Annual Meetings in Nairobi revealed that 15 countries achieved real growth rates of at least 5 percent, and half of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies are in Africa.

However, he said achieving strong economic prospects and resilience will require overcoming some significant headwinds, including tackling climate change and rising debt, and through critical global financial reforms.

“As Africa’s economic resilience is bolstered, unlocking its economic prospects requires ensuring structural change of its economies, raising the productivity of agriculture, provision of electricity, accelerating infrastructure investments, supporting faster pace digitalization, unleashing economic and job opportunities for women and youth, and driving industrialization through greater mobilization of the private sector,” he stated.

Addressing infrastructure and agricultural production, Adesina shared successes like the Bank’s flagship Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program, which has helped 13 million farmers to increase crop productivity. In Ethiopia, the distribution of 65 metric tons of heat-resistant wheat has led to self-sufficiency in wheat production, covering 2.2 million hectares.

The event, attended by over 150 guests in person and hundreds more virtually, included diplomats from more than 18 African countries, the Commonwealth Secretariat, international financial institutions, private and corporate investors, startups, civil society, students and academics from some of the UK’s leading academic institutions and international media houses.

Adesina acknowledged challenges such as youth unemployment, poverty, debt vulnerability, and political instability but dispelled perceptions of Africa as a risky investment destination. He referenced a 14-year Moody’s Analytics study showing Africa’s low infrastructure loan default rate at 1.9 percent, compared to between 4.6 and 12.4 percent in other regions around the world.

He reiterated the Bank’s advocacy for an independent African credit rating agency to counteract misperceptions that lead to underinvestment due to excessive risk premiums. Quoting the United Nations Development Program, Adesina said fairer credit ratings for African countries could save at least $75 billion annually in debt service payments.

“The trajectory for Africa will be much stronger as we tackle these challenges, as well as improve security and expand more concessional financing and private sector financing,” he emphasized.

Repositioning the Bank to do more

Adesina recalled the Bank Group shareholders’ recent approval of a $117 billion callable capital increase (https://apo-opa.co/3VqLXFE), raising the Bank’s total authorized capital to $318 billion to preserve its AAA credit rating and enhance its lending capacity. The approval announced during the just concluded 2024 annual meetings of the Bank will align the institution with the changing global financial architecture and enhance its support for the continent.

“We’re going to be bigger, bolder, and better,” he declared, predicting Africa’s rise as a pivotal global region.

Reflecting on the Bank’s achievements, Adesina highlighted the Bank’s successful launch of sustainable hybrid capital (https://apo-opa.co/3Vj4IKT), marking the first such issuance by a multilateral development bank in line with the G20 Capital Adequacy Framework recommendations to boost lending capacity. The transaction won global commendation, including from the G7 finance ministers (https://apo-opa.co/4aUEZOF) and central bank governors.

Adesina also cited the Bank’s Alliance for Green Infrastructure In Africa (AGIA), which the G7 has backed with a $150 million contribution (https://apo-opa.co/3Vgnq5X). AGIA is working to leverage $3 billion in private sector investment for green projects.

He also mentioned the $20 billion Desert-to-Power project in the Sahel to generate 10,000 megawatts of solar power for nearly 250 million people across 11 countries. When completed, it will be the largest solar zone in the world. In addition, Adesina and the President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga recently announced a joint effort by their two institutions to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.

The Bank Group president praised the recent International Monetary Fund approval of $20 billion Special Drawing Rights channeling for hybrid capital in line with proposals by the African Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.

“The African Development Bank is mobilizing more private sector investments into Africa. We supported the $24 billion LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) project in Mozambique, which will provide over $66 billion in revenue for Mozambique and make it the third-largest exporter of LNG in the world. We supported the $19.5 billion Dangote Refinery Complex, the largest single-train refinery in the world and the largest ammonia plant globally. We supported the $13 billion OCP phosphate company in Morocco, the largest phosphate fertilizer plant in the world,” he said.

He said these achievements have fuelled the Bank’s ambitions as reflected in its new ten-year strategy (2024-2033), which outlines the vision of an Africa that is prosperous, inclusive, resilient and integrated.

“Africa can no longer be ignored. I fully expect Africa to be the pivotal continent in the world, given its economic prospects,” he said.

He said that the future of energy transition for a world primarily powered by renewable energy will depend on Africa, which accounts for 25 percent of global biodiversity and contributes substantially to providing key minerals. According to African Development Bank estimates, Africa’s natural capital stood at $6.2 trillion in 2018, with mineral and fossil fuel resources alone valued at $290 billion and $1.05 trillion, respectively.

He said Africa must work out how to tap the potential of its youth, turning this asset into an economic dividend.

“We are supporting universities of science and technology, expanding training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, centers of excellence in biotechnology and material sciences, as well as technical and vocational training. We have committed $700 million to education and skills development, which has supported 4,000 tertiary education and training facilities, and provided 1.7 million African youths with access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, providing critical digital skills in computer coding.”

He added that the African Development Bank is also focusing heavily on women. “The African Development Bank’s flagship initiative, Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), is de-risking financial institutions to lend to women. It is working with 169 financial institutions in 43 countries and has so far approved $1.7 billion in financing for 18,300 women-led businesses. Our goal is to mobilize $5 billion for women-led businesses.”

He also mentioned the Africa Investment Forum, founded by the Bank group and seven other partners, saying it continues to provide a transparent platform for investors interested in Africa to meet, assess projects, evaluate risks, seek counter-risk mitigants, as well as address political risks to investors. Since the establishment of the Africa Investment Forum in 2018, it has attracted investor interests in Africa worth over $180 billion.

He expressed optimism that Africa’s prosperity is within reach and it will emerge as a pivotal continent: “Africa is critical to the future of the world. It’s a vision Africa deserves and it’s a vision we’ll achieve.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Dr. Adesina’s speech (https://apo-opa.co/3VlSO2K)
Video (https://apo-opa.co/3VyIWEe)

Media contact:
Peter Burdin
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org  

With a strong slate of exploration and production activities and competitive licensing rounds in 2024, Africa is well-positioned to realize its potential as the global energy frontier. These bid rounds are poised to cement Africa as a global hub for hydrocarbon development.

Licensing rounds from Africa’s leading upstream players will be on display at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 – scheduled for November 4-8 in Cape Town. Investors will be able to access exclusive information and technical presentations from the relevant petroleum ministries and regulators on both current and planned licensing rounds as the continent seeks to attract a broader range of companies to sign new contracts and drive exploratory drilling.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Oil and Gas Revival in North Africa

As part of the country’s plan to boost oil production to two million barrels per day within the next three to five years, Libya’s parastatal National Oil Corporation has announced plans for an oil and gas licensing round in 2024 or early 2025. The licensing round will focus on fields in the Sirte, Murzuq and Ghadames basins and presents a vital opportunity for Libya to attract new upstream investments.

Meanwhile, Algeria is expected to launch a licensing round offering between 10 and 12 onshore blocks in late 2024. The bid round forms part of the country’s strategy to maximize its gas and LNG potential. Additionally, in September 2023, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and the South Valley Petroleum Holding Company launched a new licensing round aimed at boosting the country’s energy reserves and production capacity. The licensing round offers 23 on- and offshore blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Western Desert, Eastern Desert, Gulf of Suez and Red Sea.

Driving Production in Africa’s Promising Frontiers

With energy supermajors bp, TotalEnergies and Shell as well as upstream independent Kosmos Energy spearheading exploration activities in Mauritania, the country’s upcoming licensing round for 15 offshore blocks in 2024 is poised to mark a significant milestone in its energy sector. Mauritania’s coastal basin features extensive 2D and 3D seismic data coverage covering over 100,000km and 100,000km2, respectively.

Additionally, with its latest licensing round having featured 56 offshore blocks and concluding last September, another bid round is on the horizon for Sierra Leone in 2024. Despite its position as a frontier exploration market, Sierra Leone boasts a significant petroleum system that includes the Venus-B1, Mercury-1, Jupiter-1 and Savannah-1X discoveries. The country’s licensing round is supported by extensive 2D and 3D multi-client data, competitive and transparent fiscal terms and cooperation agreements in place with other African markets.

Set to spur new exploration and drilling activities in the prospective acreages of its deepwater basins, Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission relaunched its latest licensing round during the Invest in African Energy summit in May. The round features 12 deep offshore and shallow water oil blocks and is available for bidding through January 2025.

Propelling Southern and Eastern Africa’s Energy Security

Last September, Angola’s national concessionaire the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency launched a public tender for 12 onshore blocks in the Kwanza and Congo Basins. Receiving 53 bids, the tender includes four blocks in Angola’s Congo Basin and eight in the Kwanza Basin.

https://apo-opa.co/4ciSR6B

Expected for 2024 or 2025, the South African government will put up at least 10 new onshore blocks for shale gas development in the country’s Karoo region to reduce imports and alleviate an ailing energy grid. The licensing round will serve as the country’s first competitive auction for oil and gas resources. According to the state-owned Petroleum Agency of South Africa, the Karoo basin is estimated to hold up to 209 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale gas and includes 90,000km2 of acreage previously held by Shell.

https://apo-opa.co/4cfD8F4

Tanzania has proposed auctioning up to 26 oil and gas blocks by June 2024 and will award licenses to the winners by December of the same year. The round will serve as Tanzania’s fifth bid round and is designed to revive interest in the country’s largely underdeveloped oil and gas sector. Of the 26 demarcated blocks open for bidding, 11 will be situated in the country’s offshore while 15 will be onshore. The Tanzanian government is currently in talks with a multi-client data contractor to compile extensive 2D and 3D seismic data within the basins.

https://apo-opa.co/3Vj2B9V

Meanwhile, having introduced a new Hydrocarbons Code in 2019, Gabon has emerged as a preferred destination for energy investors and majors due to investor-friendly reforms. Gabon’s heightened interest is attributable to the deregulation of its hydrocarbons sector, which is a core aim of its recently enacted reforms.

https://apo-opa.co/3VglcU9

During the AEW: Invest in African Energy conference, industry experts will unpack block opportunities across Africa’s mature and emerging oil and gas markets. Through dedicated country spotlight sessions, panel discussions and investor briefings, the event promotes deal-signing and project development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

By Omar Ali Adib, Rolls-Royce Senior Vice President, Africa.

African airlines play a vital role in unlocking trade, providing employment, increasing GDP, and demonstrating national and continental pride. However, they face formidable challenges, foremost among them being the cost of aircraft fuel, which exceeds global averages by up to 30%, which can be attributed to the lack of local refining capability, unique market dynamics, taxation and duties, and foreign exchange challenges from weakening local currencies.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa’s aviation sector has displayed remarkable resilience by returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, if African airlines are to continue to sustain their growth and competitiveness on the global stage, then they will need to fulfil some strategic objectives.

The industry needs the best technologies to maximize operational efficiencies, defend and innovate fuel security, and develop our human resources.

In terms of operational efficiency, Rolls-Royce has a role to play in supporting African airlines.

Our engines power half of the world’s wide-body (twin-aisled) aircraft, connecting passengers, transporting food and goods, and delivering healthcare and humanitarian aid. The most technologically advanced members of the Rolls-Royce engine family are the Trent 7000, which powers the Airbus A330neo, the Trent XWB, which serves the Airbus A350, and, of course, the Trent 1000, which was designed for Boeing’s 787.  

This engine family has continually evolved over the last 30 years. Since the first Trent engine took flight, Rolls-Royce has focused on improving engine performance and reliability, introducing advanced new manufacturing methods, materials, aerodynamics and digital technologies. Just recently, Rolls-Royce committed £1bn to a program that will enhance and advance not only new engines entering the market but also engines already in service. With this new billion-pound investment in new technologies, our existing customers will benefit from improved availability, reliability and fuel efficiency. 

Today, a Rolls-Royce Trent XWB aero engine consumes 15% less fuel than the first generation of Trent engines, contributing to savings of about $6.4 million per aircraft per year.

These savings can be even greater in Africa due to the higher cost of jet fuel.

Turning to fuel innovation and security, there are opportunities for Africa in the global transition to cleaner, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which will need to be indigenously produced to be truly sustainable. This alternative African fuel would bring immediate benefits to emissions and longer-term fuel security. But the challenge is to produce SAF at scale.

In addition to the well-documented benefits of SAF as a key enabler to reduce aviation carbon emissions by up to 80%.

The subject of SAF will become increasingly important as, from 2025, all airlines flying into the European Union must use a 2% blend of SAF, which will gradually increase to 6% in 2030, 20% by 2035, 34% by 2040, and 70% by 2050. This move has prompted the recently established EU Global Gateway African Euro320bn Investment Package, half of which will be directed towards developing Africa’s SAF capabilities.

Rolls-Royce has actively supported work to support 100% SAF adoption and our role has been to prove there are no technology impediments to its use at engine level. That is why we have recently completed our commitment to ensure all of our in-production civil aero engines are compatible with 100% SAF – a commitment underpinned by a series of tests on the ground and in the air. We were also pleased to support Virgin Atlantic, which operated the first-ever 100% SAF flight across the Atlantic from London to New York late last year, powered by Trent 1000 engines

SAF can be made from waste cooking oils and biofuels produced from agricultural waste or the growing of feedstock plants on marginal lands unsuitable for food crops—a whole new sector of agriculture. The benefits of a regional SAF supply chain include increased energy security, reduced volatility of jet fuel supply and pricing, less forex exposure and economic development opportunities through local investments and job creation.

Choosing the right aerospace technology that continues to advance and evolve while in service simultaneously reduces operating costs, bolsters our growing economy and strengthens our transition to indigenous and better-performing fuel.

Africa has over 24% of the world’s agricultural land and 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Thanks to partnerships forged between the government and private sector in East Africa, we are delighted to see the seeds are already being sown to develop a world-leading biofuel sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of LCH Consultancy&Associates.

About the Author:
Omar Ali Adib is the Senior Vice President – Middle East, Africa and Central Asia for the Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace division and is accountable for all aspects of customer relationship in the region.