Infrastructure Brief

08/07/2024

The Guatemalan government is planning to launch a tender to recover the La Aurora international airport in Guatemala City. President Bernardo Arévalo announced the government’s decision to move forward with the tender through a public-private partnership (PPP) during an event hosted by private infrastructure players. The president believes that this partnership will allow the government and private sector to face the great challenges the terminal poses together.

Currently managed by the civil aviation authority DGAC, the facility has become a space for political and economic parties that seek easy money at the expense of citizens. The government believes that the rescue operation of La Aurora international airport might be a positive example of collaboration between the public and private sectors, defined by transparency and the strategic orientation to seek the common good.

The Guatemalan government is planning to launch a tender to recover the La Aurora international airport in Guatemala City. President Bernardo Arévalo announced the government’s decision to move forward with the tender through a public-private partnership (PPP) during an event hosted by private in...

07/07/2024

Zambia’s water and sanitation sector is undergoing a significant shift from a traditional infrastructure-centric approach to a model that emphasizes excellence, efficiency, and sustainability. The objective is to improve services in a sustainable manner, with the collective goal of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. The Utility of the Future program is a strategic initiative that is driving this transformation and setting new standards for utility management in the region. This section will explore the program’s impact on Zambia’s utilities, highlighting the importance of adaptive leadership, inclusive engagement strategies, and innovative solutions.

https://infrastructurebrief.com/world-bank-expresses-commitment-to-zambias-water-and-sanitation-infrastructure/

07/07/2024

The Nigerian Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has revoked the N870bn highway contracts awarded to three construction companies, namely Dantata & Sawoe, MotherCat, and RCC, for non-performance. The contracts for sections II, III, and IV of the dualisation of Obajana-Benin Road were terminated due to delays in completion. The contracts were initially reviewed at N121bn, but the cost was later put at N870bn at N2bn per kilometre. Umahi had warned of contract termination on April 25, and he issued an ultimatum to the contractors handling various road projects to sit up or lose their contracts. The action was taken after the completion of 330 emergency projects following an appropriation of N300bn by the Federal Government, reducing the number of uncompleted road projects from 2,600 to 2,270.

The Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Uchenna Orji, announced the termination of the contracts on Monday, stating that the affected projects included the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road, section II (Okene – Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State; the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road, section III (Auchi – Ehor) in Edo State, and the dualisation of Obajana – Benin road, section IV (Ehor – Benin) in Edo State. The contractors were accused of inordinate delay, neglect, and failure to fulfill their contractual obligations, which exposed road users to untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the projects.

The Nigerian Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has revoked the N870bn highway contracts awarded to three construction companies, namely Dantata & Sawoe, MotherCat, and RCC, for non-performance. The contracts for sections II, III, and IV of the dualisation of Obajana-Benin Road were terminated due to de...

07/07/2024

Rwanda has opened up bidding for the development of its single digital ID core and support modules, according to recent updates shared with lawmakers. The Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) is the purchaser of the project and has launched the bidding process, with the deadline for bids set for June 4th.

During a public hearing in parliament, officials from the ICT ministry, RISA and other bodies responded to questions on issues raised in the Auditor General’s 2023 financial report related to the project. The digital ID scheme is supported by $40 million in funding from the World Bank as part of the Rwanda Digital Acceleration Project, with the overall sum of around $200 million.

The bidding process was launched on April 17 and the deadline for bids to be submitted is June 4, according to the tender announcement published by RISA.

Rwanda has opened up bidding for the development of its single digital ID core and support modules, according to recent updates shared with lawmakers. The Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) is the purchaser of the project and has launched the bidding process, with the deadline for bids set....

07/07/2024

According to local media reports, Jorge Gaitan, the former Continental Towers CEO backed by Peppertree Capital, now is facing additional legal troubles in Guatemala, and nasty allegations as part of a divorce and custody dispute.

Jorge Gaitan, the former Chief Executive Officer of the company Continental Towers, has been issued a second arrest warrant related to alleged financial crimes by the law enforcement authorities of Guatemala. The arrest warrant follows an earlier capture order issued by the General Prosecutor of El....

07/07/2024

According to Boston Consulting Group’s new report, Infrastructure Strategy 2024: Creating Value Through Operational Excellence, the biggest areas of infrastructure growth for private equity investment will be in energy, transport, and digital sectors.

“There is a pressing need worldwide for new and revitalized infrastructure, and private investors will have a key role to play,” said Wilhelm Schmundt, BCG managing director and senior partner, global lead for infrastructure investment, and a coauthor of the report. “It has been a challenging year, but we expect the outlook for private infrastructure investment to strengthen, driven by an ongoing adjustment of transaction prices and an increasing need to return money to investors in an economic environment where high levels of dry powder await deployment.”

Private investment in infrastructure has been on the rise for the past few years, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% from 2018 to 2023. The sector has shown stable returns, low cyclicality, and high barriers to entry, making it an attractive option for investors. However, the number of...

07/07/2024

Mexico has been increasing its use of natural gas for power generation, with several new plants coming online in recent years and at least 10 more expected to be operational by 2026. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts an increase in U.S. natural gas pipeline exports to Mexico, as several pipelines in Mexico are expected to become fully operational this year and next. The country meets nearly 70% of its demand for natural gas through imports from the U.S., as Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Mexico’s national oil company, cannot produce enough natural gas to keep pace with demand.

The demand for natural gas in Mexico has primarily been driven by the power generation sector, which has seen a significant increase in demand for electricity across the country. More than 60% of Mexico’s electric capacity additions over the past several years have been natural gas-fired power plants, a trend expected to continue through this decade.

Mexico has been increasing its use of natural gas for power generation, with several new plants coming online in recent years and at least 10 more expected to be operational by 2026. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts an increase in U.S. natural gas pipeline exports to Mexico...

07/07/2024

Paraguay’s ICT ministry has recently launched a tender for the construction of a state-of-the-art data center. The data center, which will be built in the Chaco area, Nueva Asunción district, will require an investment of US$18.9 million and is expected to have a surface area of 5,569m2 and 1,921m2 externally. The facility will house 110 racks for IT equipment and 58 for telecoms networks, with projected capacity of 5MW.

The data center must be Tier III certified and sustainable operation must have gold Tier certification. The modular design will allow for future expansion without interrupting or hindering the operations of the current solution. The ministry needs the data center to meet rising demand, as it supports a large number of services such as website hosting, emails, online management and connectivity for organizations and public spaces.

Paraguay’s ICT ministry has recently launched a tender for the construction of a state-of-the-art data center. The data center, which will be built in the Chaco area, Nueva Asunción district, will require an investment of US$18.9 million and is expected to have a surface area of 5,569m2 and 1,921...

14/03/2024

Private equity firm KKR & Co has pledged to invest $400 million in the Philippines’ telecoms tower operations, according to an announcement by the US Department of Commerce. KKR will develop and acquire approximately 2,000 towers to support digital connectivity across the country. This investment follows a two-day trade and investment mission led by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, which resulted in the Philippines securing over $1 billion in commitments from American firms, including Google, Visa, and Microsoft.

Private equity firm KKR & Co has pledged to invest $400 million in the Philippines’ telecoms tower operations, according to an announcement by the US Department of Commerce. KKR will develop and acquire approximately 2,000 towers to support digital connectivity across the country. This invest...

08/03/2024

KKR, a New York-listed private equity group, has raised a record-breaking $6.4bn for its latest pan-regional infrastructure fund, the Asia Pacific Infrastructure Partners II. With the addition of this second fund, KKR’s Asian infrastructure business now has $13bn in assets under management. The fund has largely avoided investing in China, focusing instead on markets such as India, South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

The rush into infrastructure by private equity firms has been driven by the energy transition and digitalisation, with investors attracted to the stable returns that the asset class offers amid global volatility. KKR has made ten investments so far from the new fund, deploying more than half of the capital across energy, digital infrastructure, and manufacturing assets. The investments include a $650mn investment in Indian decarbonisation group Serentica Renewables, an $800mn injection for a 20% stake in Singapore telecoms company Singtel’s data centre business, and a $400mn investment into Asian subsea cable business OMS Group.

KKR, a New York-listed private equity group, has raised a record-breaking $6.4bn for its latest pan-regional infrastructure fund, the Asia Pacific Infrastructure Partners II. With the addition of this second fund, KKR’s Asian infrastructure business now has $13bn in assets under management. The ...

08/03/2024

Comsys (GH) Limited is an ICT Telecoms company in Ghana that was incorporated under the laws of Ghana with operations all over the nation. The company started operations very small in January 2000, although incorporated in 1998 by a group of friends who were then students at the time. From a small and humble beginning, the operations of the firm started from selling computer accessories, deploying Local Area Networks (LAN), sales and support of network security software.

Comsys (GH) Limited is an ICT Telecoms company in Ghana that was incorporated under the laws of Ghana with operations all over the nation. The company started operations very small in January 2000, although incorporated in 1998 by a group of friends who were then students at the time. From a small a...