Keppel DC REIT will acquire full ownership of two data centres in Singapore, KDC SGP 7 and KDC SGP 8, as part of a $1.03 billion divestment deal. The acquisition involves Keppel’s Connectivity Division transferring its 51% stake in a joint venture with Cuscaden Peak Investments to Keppel DC REIT. Keppel will retain operational and management roles for the facilities.
The transaction aims to bolster Keppel DC REIT’s income stability while unlocking potential growth opportunities, including rental increases and expanded capacity. CEO Loh Hwee Long highlighted the deal’s immediate benefits, describing it as accretive to distribution per unit and supportive of long-term portfolio strength.
To fund the acquisition, Keppel DC REIT announced plans for an equity fundraising effort targeting approximately S$1 billion. New units will be priced between S$2.074 and S$2.128, providing additional financial stability for the purchase.
Keppel’s share of the divestment price is estimated at S$280 million. The move further strengthens the company’s commitment to the data centre industry while maintaining a key management role within its facilities.
The Thai government will extend its digital wallet scheme to a second phase, covering four million people and distributing 40 billion baht, according to Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira.
Around 14.5 million people benefitted from the initial phase, which was part of a nationwide economic stimulus effort aimed at boosting consumer spending.
The programme is expected to reach a total of 45 million individuals once fully implemented, cementing its role as a flagship government initiative.
Officials in Thailand are positioning the digital wallet scheme as a cornerstone of the country’s recovery strategy, with significant investments planned to stimulate growth.
Africa’s largest mobile operator, MTN, is exploring partnerships with low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite providers to improve internet access in rural and remote areas, CEO Ralph Mupita announced on Monday. Satellite-based internet, increasingly popular in Africa through providers like Elon Musk’s Starlink, offers high-speed connectivity where traditional infrastructure is costly or impractical.
MTN is conducting trials with several LEO satellite operators and considering becoming a reseller for enterprise customers in specific regions. Competitors like Vodacom and Cell C are also embracing LEO partnerships, with Vodacom teaming up with Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
Mupita emphasised the need for regulatory fairness, calling for satellite providers to meet the same requirements as terrestrial operators, such as compliance with data privacy and spectrum access rules. While Starlink is operational in parts of Africa, regulatory hurdles remain in countries like South Africa, where a clear framework for satellite internet is still being developed.
Perplexity, an AI-driven search startup, has unveiled a new shopping hub to attract users and compete with Google’s dominance in search. Backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, the platform offers visually rich product cards in response to shopping-related queries, integrating with platforms like Shopify to provide real-time product details.
The rollout includes features like ‘Snap to Shop,’ which uses photos to suggest products and a Merchant Program that allows retailers to share their offerings with Perplexity. Initially available in the US, the service will expand to other markets at a later date.
This move comes as Perplexity raises new investments at a reported $9 billion valuation and seeks to compete with OpenAI, which recently introduced enhanced search features for ChatGPT. The startup aims to leverage AI-powered tools to boost its presence in e-commerce and attract both users and merchants.
Malaysia is considering adopting an AI-driven system to improve road safety. The Automatic Road Incident Detection System (ARIDS), developed by a Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) team, uses neural networks to identify accidents and traffic anomalies in real time. Currently in pilot testing across 1,000km of expressways and roads, ARIDS has shown potential to reduce emergency response times significantly.
ARIDS, launched in February, has already been implemented in Brunei and parts of Xi’an, China. The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) is assessing its viability for nationwide implementation. A recent crash in Johor, detected by ARIDS 23 minutes before an official report was made, highlighted the system’s ability to enhance response efficiency. Authorities currently rely on CCTV monitoring and user reports for accident detection, which often causes delays.
The system’s mobile integration allows remote access, providing alerts through WhatsApp without human intervention. It also monitors traffic congestion and vehicle breakdowns, offering insights into road safety improvements like sturdier guardrails. Analysts believe this AI-powered solution could complement existing monitoring systems, such as the Traffic Monitoring System (TMS) and CCTVs, and boost predictive capabilities.
Broader adoption faces legal and operational hurdles. Concessionaires cannot currently enforce safety inspections on heavy vehicles without regulatory approval. However, integrating ARIDS with technologies like Weigh-In-Motion systems could streamline enforcement and reduce risks from overloaded or unsafe vehicles.
South Korean Naver Corporation has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company to establish a joint venture focused on digital twin platform projects in the Middle East. Digital twin technology, which creates virtual replicas of real-world environments, will be central to the collaboration, enabling advanced urban planning, real-time monitoring, disaster prediction, and smart city development.
The venture will develop city monitoring platforms and mapping applications to enhance public administration and services. That initiative builds on Naver’s previous success in implementing digital twin platforms for Riyadh and four other Saudi cities, solidifying its position as a leader in smart city innovation.
The partnership aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a national initiative to drive digital transformation and sustainable development. By integrating advanced technologies into urban planning and public administration, the joint venture aims to support the creation of efficient, modern cities, furthering technological and economic progress in the region.
Governments across Africa should increase the protection of fibre optic cables from theft and vandalism, while also aligning regulations to boost tech infrastructure development, according to a Google executive. Charles Murito, Google’s head of government relations and public policy in Africa, emphasised the need to classify fibre cables as critical infrastructure, which would ensure severe consequences for those who damage them. Theft and vandalism targeting batteries, generators, and cables have driven up costs for infrastructure providers.
Murito, speaking at the Africa Tech conference, highlighted Google’s investments in subsea cables, including Equiano, connecting Africa with Europe, and the upcoming Umoja cable linking Africa and Australia. He stressed that better protections and regulatory harmonisation could make the continent more appealing to tech investors. Industry leaders agree that such measures are essential to encouraging business expansion in Africa.
Additionally, Murito has called for more infrastructure sharing among internet service providers to reduce data costs. The diverse regulations across African nations concerning permissions for cable installations hinder the expansion of fibre networks. Although South Africa‘s authorities have acknowledged the issue, urging law enforcement to act and proposing legal updates, fibre optic cables have yet to receive a new critical classification.
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Bank have partnered to develop a National Land Digital System, aiming to address long-standing challenges in land administration. That initiative seeks to improve transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in land transactions by digitising land records, which will streamline the registration process and reduce bureaucratic delays.
Given that over 90% of Nigeria’s land remains unregistered, this system will unlock significant economic potential by formalising land ownership and boosting investor confidence. As a result, the goal is to increase formal land transactions from under 10% to over 50% within the next decade, thereby enhancing property rights protection and promoting economic growth. Moreover, the initiative will focus on collaborating with state governments to register, document, and title land parcels, thus securing land ownership and unlocking new development opportunities.
In addition to these efforts, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Bank are finalising the National Urban Development Policy (NUDP), which will provide a strategic framework for long-term urban and rural growth. The policy is designed to guide the development of economically vibrant, climate-resilient, and inclusive cities, aligning with Nigeria’s broader objectives for sustainable development.
Furthermore, the initiative emphasises the importance of streamlining land administration and encouraging private sector investment in housing and infrastructure. That includes promoting eco-friendly construction materials and improving access to mortgage options. Consequently, these combined efforts are expected to lay the foundation for a more efficient and equitable land system, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic and social development.
Global semiconductor sales surged in Q3 2024, with a 23.2% year-over-year growth and a 10.7% quarter-over-quarter increase, fueled by rising demand from industries like AI, big data, and electric vehicles. Countries around the world, including China, the US, and the EU, are investing heavily in semiconductor development to secure a competitive edge in the global chip market.
The EU is focusing on photonic technology, committing €133 million to establish a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) pilot line in the Netherlands by 2025. This initiative aims to enhance Europe’s position in the growing photonic chip market, driven by the demand for more efficient data transmission for cloud computing and AI applications.
Japan has also made a significant move, announcing a ¥10 trillion ($65 billion) investment by 2030 to support its semiconductor and AI industries. This funding is part of a broader strategy to boost chip production and innovation, with a focus on the collaboration between Rapidus, IBM, and Belgium’s Imec.
South Korea is ramping up its semiconductor support through a proposed Semiconductor Special Act, which includes financial backing and workweek exemptions for semiconductor manufacturers. The bill reflects the country’s commitment to strengthening its semiconductor industry, with plans for a ₩26 trillion funding initiative and an ₩800 billion fund to support the semiconductor ecosystem by 2027.
Global semiconductor manufacturers are accelerating their shift from China to Vietnam, driven by the anticipated intensification of US sanctions on China’s semiconductor industry, especially with the return of Donald Trump to the White House. South Korean firms, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are leading this transition, halting production expansions in China and focusing investments on Vietnam, which has become a rising hub for semiconductor production.
SK Hynix, for instance, shelved plans to increase DRAM chip production at its Wuxi plant in China, while Samsung Electronics is cutting back on production at its NAND flash memory facility in Xi’an. Other companies are also following suit; South Korea’s Hana Micron is expanding its presence in Southeast Asia, and Amkor Technology is investing $1.6 billion in a new semiconductor packaging plant in Vietnam. The facility will feature advanced technology, with some equipment reportedly transferred from China.
Vietnam’s semiconductor industry is also benefiting from the growth of companies like Samsung, which established a $1.7 billion OLED plant in the country. Samsung’s semiconductor division is reportedly boosting its investments in Vietnam, encouraging further expansions from supporting companies. Semiconductor testing and packaging firm Signetics is set to invest $100 million in a new facility in Vietnam, and German company Infineon is considering setting up an R&D center in Hanoi.
This shift underscores the ongoing global realignment in the semiconductor industry as companies adapt to geopolitical tensions and US-China trade policies.
