Read the Digital Magazine

iXAfrica Data Centers, described as East Africa’s first hyperscale, carrier-neutral and AI-ready data centre platform, has announced that Gewape Cloud Group has joined its NBOX1 facility in Nairobi, reinforcing the city’s growing position as a strategic digital infrastructure hub for enterprise cloud, AI and interconnection services

Gewape Cloud Group delivers sovereign cloud infrastructure for emerging markets across Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas. Through locally focused operations and specialist brands, the company provides compliant, market-aligned cloud environments designed for regulated and mission-critical workloads.

By establishing operations at iXAfrica’s NBOX1 campus, Gewape Cloud is expanding Nairobi’s role as a core East African cloud hub while broadening its own regional presence. The move supports continued growth across both current and future markets.

The company’s active cloud regions currently include Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore and Brazil. Planned expansion markets include Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ghana.

By selecting iXAfrica, Gewape Cloud said it will gain access to future-ready infrastructure and establish its primary hub in Kenya.

As cloud adoption advances, enterprises and regulated sectors are increasingly seeking infrastructure that offers local control, resilience, regulatory responsiveness and low latency. Against this backdrop, the combination of Gewape Cloud’s sovereign model and iXAfrica’s carrier-neutral platform is expected to support trusted digital growth.

For iXAfrica, the collaboration also highlights NBOX1’s role beyond traditional colocation, positioning the facility as a digital hub for cloud on-ramps, AI capacity, enterprise interconnection and regional digital services.

Munyengabo Dushime said: “True data sovereignty goes beyond local servers; it means empowering enterprises to scale freely across regions, without being confined by a single provider or cloud location. With iXAfrica’s NBOX1 facility as our latest East African Region, we are further strengthening our rapidly expanding multi-region cloud fabric”.

Snehar Shah said: “Welcoming Gewape Cloud to NBOX1 reflects the growing demand for high-performance, locally relevant infrastructure. This partnership supports our mission to enable cloud, AI, and interconnection growth across East Africa.”

He added: “With rising demand for compliant cloud environments and scalable digital platforms, such partnerships are central to enterprise modernization and digital resilience in emerging markets”.

Gewape said it offers a turnkey Sovereign Stack that helps enterprises avoid major upfront capital expenditure while delivering high-performance computing and multi-homed, high-speed connectivity. The company added that iXAfrica’s carrier-neutral ecosystem strengthens its multi-cloud approach, giving customers flexibility to integrate workloads across networks of their choice.

According to Gewape, its platform provides operational independence, cross-border active-active resilience with sub-60-second recovery, and local pricing structures that help shield clients from foreign exchange risk, while ensuring data remains within the customer’s legal jurisdiction without sacrificing enterprise-grade performance or creating single-vendor lock-in.

Get a real-time list of equipment present in a vehicle and see what is missing versus an established vehicle equipment list. Select missing tools on-screen. Quickly home in with proximity-increasing sounds and visuals on a portable RFID reader

Discover the affordable RFID Scan & Drive solution from Brady!

Have you ever arrived at an intervention without the necessary equipment? Ever lost tools during field interventions? How much time do you spend to make sure all equipment is accounted for, and present in your vehicles? Now you can confirm vehicle inventories digitally and automatically, highlight any missing assets, and home in on misplaced items to quickly complete your vehicles. How much time could you save?

Everything present

Instantly see which tools are present in a vehicle - and what is missing. Easily save substantial time per vehicle, per intervention, with automated equipment inventory checks that take only seconds.

By labelling equipment with passive, battery-free UHF RFID labels, we can let an RFID reader in your vehicle detect which tools and items are present. The RFID reader can check detected tools versus a list of expected items to confirm a complete vehicle inventory or to highlight missing equipment on your phone.

Be fully equipped before leaving for a field intervention. Avoid losing tools after interventions. Don’t waste time checking visually where every piece of equipment is. Just scan, get confirmation in seconds, and drive to your next destination.

Home in on assets

Quickly find misplaced equipment. Home in on specific items with a portable RFID reader and proximity-increasing sounds and visuals.

Passive, battery-free UHF RFID labels bounce back radio signals from a portable RFID reader up to 15 metres. By measuring the strength of the returning radio signal with patented data capture technology, our portable RFID readers guide users towards a unique RFID label applied on a specific tool. When closing in, auditive and visual feedback strength from the reader increases.

RFID labels can include an LED, powered by an RFID reader from a 1.5 metre distance, to let a tool light up or to find it in a dense inventory of equipment.

Solution components

Brady develops and manufactures every component in our solution. Tested in in-house laboratories, each component is designed to withstand the wear and tear of field interventions, including exposure to UV, dust and moisture. 

• RFID labels: Brady offers industrial grade on- and off-metal RFID-labels and tags that stay attached and remain legible on your equipment.
• Fixed RFID readers: Equipped with patented data capture technology, Brady’s fixed RFID readers collect data on items passing through their read range.
• Portable RFID readers: With intuitive displays, Brady’s portable RFID readers and SLEDs deliver unmatched mobility, data collection and interaction.

Are you interested in automated inventory checks solution from Brady? Visit our website, watch the short video and download the free RFID labelling guidebook.

Find out more now!

Amazon and Globalstar have announced a definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire Globalstar

The move will allow Amazon Leo to introduce direct-to-device (D2D) services within its low Earth orbit satellite network, expanding cellular connectivity to areas beyond traditional terrestrial coverage.

Alongside this development, Amazon has also reached an agreement with Apple to enable Amazon Leo to support satellite-based services for iPhone and Apple Watch devices, including Emergency SOS via satellite. These advancements form part of Amazon’s broader strategy to build a space-based connectivity ecosystem, working with mobile network operators and partners to deliver dependable, high-speed connectivity worldwide.

“There are billions of customers out there living, traveling, and operating in places beyond the reach of existing networks, and we started Amazon Leo to help bridge that divide,” said Panos Panay, senior vice-president of devices & services, Amazon. “By combining Globalstar’s proven expertise and strong foundation with Amazon’s customer-obsession and innovation, customers can expect faster, more reliable service in more places, keeping them connected to the people and things that matter most. We’re excited to support Apple users through the Leo D2D system, and look forward to working with mobile network partners to help extend coverage to every corner of the planet.”

Globalstar is recognised as a major mobile satellite services operator, with extensive experience in non-geostationary orbit satellites and D2D technology, as well as providing essential and emergency communications worldwide. Through the agreement, Amazon will take ownership of Globalstar’s satellite operations, infrastructure, and assets, including globally authorised MSS spectrum licences.

By integrating Globalstar’s spectrum resources and satellite capabilities with the scale and performance of Amazon Leo, the combined platform aims to deliver seamless connectivity for consumer, enterprise, and government users. This will support users in remote regions as well as those moving in and out of conventional network coverage. Globalstar’s current satellite fleet, along with its upcoming enhanced satellites, will operate in conjunction with Amazon Leo’s broadband and planned D2D systems.

“We have long believed low Earth orbit satellite constellations offer the most effective path to truly connect users and devices anywhere and anytime,” said Paul Jacobs, CEO, Globalstar.

“For more than 30 years, Globalstar has executed on this vision through sustained, long-term investment in technological innovation, operational excellence, and development of globally harmonized spectrum across both satellite and terrestrial applications. The combination with Amazon Leo will advance innovations in digital connectivity that will benefit our customers and advance us toward a more intelligent, continuously connected world.”

From 2028, Amazon Leo is expected to roll out its next-generation D2D satellite system, delivering advanced voice, messaging, and data services directly to mobile devices. The system is designed to offer improved spectrum efficiency compared to existing direct-to-cell technologies, resulting in faster speeds and enhanced performance. It will integrate with Amazon’s broader satellite infrastructure, creating a unified network that supports both fixed and mobile connectivity use cases across a global user base.

As part of the Apple collaboration, Amazon will continue supporting satellite services currently enabled through Globalstar’s infrastructure for devices such as iPhone 14 and later models, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 3. These services include emergency messaging, location sharing, roadside assistance, and communication with contacts. Future developments will involve collaboration between Amazon and Apple to expand satellite-enabled features using the enhanced Amazon Leo network.

“Since launching more than three years ago, our groundbreaking safety service Emergency SOS via satellite has helped save many lives around the world, from a scout troop stranded on a winter hike in British Columbia, to a woman who was airlifted to safety in Colorado after her car rolled down a 250-foot cliff,” said Greg Joswiak, senior vice-president of Worldwide Product Marketing, Apple.

“Apple and Amazon have a long and proven track record of working together through Amazon’s core infrastructure services, and we look forward to building on that collaboration with Amazon Leo. This ensures our users will continue to have access to the vital satellite features they have come to rely on, including Emergency SOS, Messages, Find My, and Roadside Assistance via satellite, so they can stay safe and connected while off the grid.”

Terra Industries, a company focused on autonomous security systems designed to protect Africa and its critical infrastructure, has announced the construction of Pax-2, its second manufacturing facility

The new 34,000-square-foot drone production site in Accra will become Terra Industries’ main regional defense manufacturing hub for drone and counter-drone systems.

The announcement comes after the company secured US$34mn in funding to expand manufacturing capacity, speed up deployments, and strengthen engineering teams in Nigeria and allied African nations.

Pax-2 will be Terra’s second Pax Factory, following the 15,000-square-foot Pax-1 flagship site in Abuja. Once fully operational, Pax-2 is expected to become the largest drone factory in Africa, exceeding the scale of Pax-1. By 2028, the facility is projected to reach annual production capacity of 50,000 units across Terra’s aerial systems portfolio.

The Ghana operation is expected to create 120 engineering jobs and run on a continuous production schedule to meet increasing regional demand. Systems to be manufactured there include the Archer VTOL, a long-range surveillance and strike platform; the Iroko UAV, built for rapid tactical deployment; and Terra’s latest platform, Kama, a high-speed interceptor drone developed for counter-drone defense.

Kama is capable of speeds up to 300 km per hour and has been designed for large-scale production to meet growing demand for kinetic interception capabilities.

The expansion into Ghana supports Terra’s broader objective of developing Africa’s sovereign defense-industrial base. It also comes at a time when conflict dynamics are shifting across the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa, where non-state actors are increasingly using modified commercial and fibre-optic drones as attack systems. Similar tactics seen in recent conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are driving demand for integrated defense solutions combining surveillance, electronic warfare and kinetic response.

“ The only way Africa can have lasting peace is by uniting to build sovereign defense, not by relying on foreign security architecture. We need to control our own destiny by building the tools and systems needed to protect ourselves. That's how this continent defeats terrorism. This is the beginning of that vision playing out more concretely, and we chose Ghana for Pax-2 because of its talent, strategic position, and political will to become a serious defense exporter and prove that this can be done at scale,” commented Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and CEO of Terra Industries.

Construction of Pax-2 is currently in its final phase, with the facility expected to become fully operational by the end of June 2026.

Terra Industries said the Pax Factories network is central to its long-term Pax Africana vision, centred on achieving lasting peace through African security sovereignty and a future where the continent builds, deploys and controls its own defense technologies.

Mozambique’s energy sector is to receive a boost from the African Development Bank (AfDB) following the institution’s participation in Maputo at the Africa50 shareholders meeting

Africa50 is an investment platform established by African governments with the AfDB, which has now surpassed US$1.4bn in managed assets directed at infrastructure provision.

At the 2025 summit, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM) for the development of three transmission lines under an Independent Power Transmission (IPT) framework.

“This will help support the government’s ambition to achieve universal electricity access by 2030 and become a significant exporter of power across the Southern African Development Community,” a statement released by AfDB noted.

Finalisation of the project development agreements is now underway for three lines under an IPT framework, partnering with Power Grid and EDM, it added.

A separate MoU was also signed with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation to build a new data centre facility in Maputo and to modernise the existing one.

Africa50’s Mozambique portfolio already includes equity investment in the 175MW Central Termica de Ressano Garcia (CTRG) gas-fired power plant.

According to Dr Akinwumi Adesina, president of the AfDB Group, investments by Africa50 complement broader support from the bank itself that have delivered some US$1.6bn to Mozambique over the past decade.

This investment includes US$400mn in senior debt financing for the country's flagship US$20bn liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Cabo Delgado, as well as the US$34mn Mozambique Energy for All Project, which has connected more than 45,500 households to electricity.

The bank claims its energy sector investments have helped to double Mozambique's national energy access rate from 30% in 2018 to 60% in 2024.

The AfDB has also supported agricultural transformation through special agro-industrial processing zones, including the Pemba-Lichinga corridor, while financing critical transport infrastructure along the Nacala and Beira corridors that enhance regional trade connectivity for the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Earlier this year, the AfDB approved US$43.6mn in funding for the construction of the Namaacha-Boane transmission line and related electricity infrastructure

EDM will implement the project in partnership with Central Eléctrica da Namaacha (CEN), a private sector-led development group involving Globeleq Africa Limited and Source Energia that is building the 120 MW Namaacha wind farm in the southwestern part of the country. 

Attack surface management (ASM) has seen significant growth in recent years, evolving into a recognised market category that provides businesses with the visibility and strategies needed to safeguard their digital assets, reports Kyle Pillay, security as a service manager at Datacentrix

As Forrester’s Attack Surface Management Solutions Landscape, Q2 2024 notes, ASM “delivers insights on assets that ultimately support business objectives, keep the lights on, generate revenue, and delight customers.”

At its essence, ASM involves continuously discovering, identifying, inventorying, and assessing the exposures of an organisation’s IT asset estate, a foundational step in maintaining a strong security posture.

Knowing your environment

Fundamentally, ASM helps organisations ‘know your environment’, highlighting gaps in defenses before attackers can exploit them.

Every threat actor or hacker begins with reconnaissance, mapping out your external-facing assets. This is why External Attack Surface Management (EASM) exists: it concentrates on what attackers can see. Without viewing your environment through this external lens, organisations cannot know which access points are visible or exploitable, leaving them unable to proactively detect or prevent threats before incidents occur.

First steps in protecting your attack surface

The first step in ASM is identifying external-facing touchpoints such as public IPs and domains. For instance, you might recognise your primary domain (e.g., mydomain.co.za), but visibility into similar domains, like mydomain.com, mydomain.net, mydomain.tech, or mydomain.ac.za, is also crucial. These can be targeted for domain squatting or cybersquatting, where attackers exploit similar names to mislead users and enable phishing attacks.

A strong ASM solution not only maps your current footprint but also identifies domains worth securing before malicious actors register them.

If a deceptive domain is registered, like mydomain-tech.co.za, you need an effective takedown process. International domain takedowns can be complex, requiring a partner capable of legally liaising with registrars across jurisdictions. With the right procedures and partnerships, such domains can often be removed within four to eight hours, limiting potential damage.

Keeping pace with today’s infrastructure

One of ASM’s biggest challenges is keeping up with the rapid growth and sprawl of modern IT environments. While multiple tools exist, none fully match the speed of change, even as vendors iterate frequently, often in weekly development sprints, to maintain relevant detection capabilities.

Beyond speed, perspective matters. While an organisation may have visibility from one viewpoint, attackers do not limit themselves to a single angle. To defend effectively against modern threats, you need to view your environment as attackers do and understand vulnerabilities exploitable from within. This is where distinguishing between external and internal ASM becomes crucial.

External ASM (EASM) focuses on publicly exposed digital assets, whereas internal ASM addresses vulnerabilities inside the network. Internal ASM uses network exposure activity tools to simulate real-world attack techniques, often following frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, to identify weaknesses from the inside. These simulations test whether known attack methods bypass security controls, whether sensitive data can be exfiltrated, whether passwords are weak or compromised, and if lateral movement within the network is possible.

Combining internal and external ASM provides a more accurate view of your security posture, allowing organisations to close gaps before exploitation.

Making the business case for ASM

Cost is often a concern with ASM investments, but when weighed against the reputational and financial impact of a breach, or the risk of sensitive data appearing on the dark web, the case for prevention is clear.

The reality is simple. Without a combination of internal and external ASM, organisations remain essentially blind to vulnerabilities. The ability to identify, monitor, and remediate gaps before adversaries exploit them has become a business imperative.