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Entrepreneur
16 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Inside the UK's Nigerian Tech Boom
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Across the UK's innovative tech hotspots, a new generation of Nigerian tech professionals are shifting the paradigm and reshaping the future of the UK's digital economy, with determination, innovation and community. With a growing reputation as one of the most successful migrant communities in the world, Nigeria now ranks among the top contributors to the innovation boom in the UK. From leading teams at Wise, Deliveroo, BT Group and Innovate UK to founding cross-border start-ups tackling logistics, climate, and global financial inclusion, Nigerian tech professionals are silently climbing the ranks and curating a new narrative. One that speaks of resilience and technical brilliance. Several high-profile Nigerian owned companies such as Reach Robotics (Mekamon) have raised over $12m operating in the UK digital space, a clear indicator of the impact of this diaspora community on the economy. According to data from the Home Office, Nigerians ranked among the most successful applicants for the Global Talent Visa, a clear indication of the growing presence of skilled talent from one of Africa's fastest-growing tech ecosystems in the United Kingdom. A similar report from Tech Nation also shows Nigerians as having one of the rising demographics in the UK's tech migration, alongside countries like India and the USA. Nigeria has a young, tech-savvy population, with a median age of 18 years old. The country ranks among the top contributors to Africa's 700,000 developers, with many structured training programs equipping more with skills in artificial intelligence, cloud, cyber security and more disciplines. This unique blend makes Nigerian talent very attractive in the global talent pool. Combined with high English language proficiency and a strong cultural familiarity with the UK - rooted in historical ties - Nigerians are often well-positioned to integrate quickly and contribute meaningfully in professional environments across the United Kingdom and beyond. Another key factor that sets this diaspora community apart is how effectively they are able to translate their understanding of their own native technology ecosystem into the reality of living and working in the UK, a fluency that allows them to see what others might miss. And while platforms like LinkedIn may help in sculpting career paths, it follows that optimal connectivity and reliance are enhanced through diaspora communities such as Tech Nation Naija (TN Naija), a fast-growing network of Nigerian tech professionals in the UK digital space. Through peer mentorship, workshops and referrals, this network is quietly bridging the gaps between both ecosystems. Networks and communities such as these are becoming pipelines for UK technology companies seeking African talent and vice such, the rise of the Nigerian tech diaspora forces a rethink of global talent. In a world where borders are tightening, these diaspora professionals are showing that innovation thrives on the movement of people, knowledge and opportunity. For the UK, this presents access to one of the world's youngest and fastest growing tech talent ecosystems and for Nigeria, it presents an opportunity for the perspective of migration to no longer be deemed to be a brain drain but instead to be viewed as a brain gain, as capital and knowledge return to the country through mentorship and its diaspora networks. As the UK grapples with talent shortages and the need to diversify its tech workforce, the Nigerian diaspora offers a blueprint for not only innovation but also inclusion and integration. This quiet community may not always be at the forefront of the news cycle, but it undoubtedly has its hands on the future of the global tech ecosystem, shaping possibilities and influencing policies across the two countries.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
EDGNEX Data Centers by DAMAC announces $ 2.3bln AI-focused data center in Jakarta, Indonesia
According to Mordor Intelligence, the Indonesian Data Center Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.73% to reach 2.11 thousand MW by 2030. [1] Jakarta, Indonesia – EDGNEX Data Centers by DAMAC, a global digital infrastructure company backed by the DAMAC Group, a global conglomerate headquartered in Dubai, today announced the development of a next-generation AI-powered data center in Jakarta, Indonesia, its second in the market. This milestone project marks one of Southeast Asia's largest AI-dedicated developments, with a future projected capacity of 144 MW and a total investment of US$ 2.3 billion. Following the land acquisition completed in March 2025 by DAMAC, the site has entered early construction phases, with the facility's phase one expected to be ready for service by December 2026. The Jakarta facility will deploy high-density AI racks, setting new benchmarks for next-generation infrastructure in the region. As a foundational asset in Indonesia's digital journey, it will be pivotal in accelerating the country's transition from an analogue base to a robust, AI-powered digital economy. Indonesia remains a high-potential Southeast Asian market yet faces digital infrastructure gaps, limited hyperscale readiness, and rising latency challenges. With AI adoption accelerating across sectors, this project responds to the nation's growing demand for scalable, energy-efficient infrastructure. 'This is our second project in Indonesia, and this development reinforces our commitment to bridging the digital divide in fast-growing markets across Southeast Asia (SEA), such as Indonesia,' said Hussain Sajwani, Founder of DAMAC Group. 'We are proud to build what will become one of Southeast Asia's most advanced, sustainable data centers to power the next wave of innovation and digital growth. The scale of AI workloads demands a new class of infrastructure. This project is part of our broader push across SEA, where we have committed over US$ 3 billion in digital infrastructure investments to date.' The facility will target a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.32, significantly enhancing energy efficiencies and aligning with EDGNEX's global sustainability standards. The second Jakarta data center builds on EDGNEX's growing presence in Thailand, Malaysia, and other key SEA markets. In 2024, EDGNEX announced its first data center in Indonesia, a planned 19.2 MW data center to be built at MT Haryono in Jakarta. The site is in the most interconnected data center clusters in Jakarta's central data hub. It will address the growing demand for cloud service providers, edge nodes, and potential artificial intelligence deployments. The first phase is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2026. The regional goal for EDGNEX in SEA is 300+ MW of operational capacity by 2026. EDGNEX at a Glance Established in 2021 Operations in 11 countries: UAE, US, KSA, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Greece, Spain, Finland, Italy Workforce of 100+ professionals Global projected capacity of 4,000+ MW Active investment footprint in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Over 55 MW to be delivered in the Middle East in 2025 About EDGNEX EDGNEX is a global digital infrastructure company headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the DAMAC Group, providing a foundation for local innovation across the globe and disrupting the data center market with new speed and agility. EDGNEX proactively builds, buys, or partners to serve the next wave of demand for data center services. Media Contact EDGNEX / DAMAC Corporate Communications Email: corporatecommunications@
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
ESG Watch: Why extreme weather events are just the tip of the iceberg for companies in a riskier world
June 16 - The small town of Spruce Pine in North Carolina (population approximately 2,000) is an unlikely pinch point for the global digital economy. But it is home to the world's largest deposit of high-purity quartz, and supplies about 70% of the mineral used in computing applications. Given its location almost 300 miles from the Atlantic, in the Appalachian mountains, it has not historically been seen as at significant risk from hurricanes. And yet, when Hurricane Helene struck the United States in October 2024, production ground to a halt after power to the town and roads and rail lines were severely damaged, affecting chipmakers and electronics producers the world over. It is a classic example of the kind of environmental risks that are hidden in value chains, and that are not revealed until some kind of disaster strikes. This leads many companies to underestimate or be unaware of them, says Paul Munday, director, global climate adaptation and resilience specialist at S&P and co-author of a recent report on the issue. 'A lot of research on physical climate risks focuses on direct risks to business operations from hurricanes, droughts, floods and wildfires,' he says. 'We know companies are not just dependent on their own operations but on other entities, too. What happens to an auto company when its parts supplier is hit by a hurricane? The company's own physical risk is compounded.' Sectors such as agribusiness, consumer goods (food), autos, chemicals and paper products, which rely heavily on more climate-sensitive upstream and nature-based sectors, exhibit the highest value-chain exposures, the report says. But it adds that 'all sectors inherit at least some physical climate risk exposures from their value chains'. Low water levels in the Rhine or the Panama Canal, for example, can affect the entire economy of particular regions for prolonged periods, and increasingly have done so in recent years. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 famously had a huge impact on oil and gas infrastructure in the U.S., says Munday, and one of the sectors most affected by that was the airline industry. It faced sharply higher fuel prices, leading carriers to impose fuel surcharges on passengers, which hit demand for flights. As a result of examples such as these and numerous lower profile events, investors are becoming more concerned about the long-term health of the companies they invest in. Value-chain risks can affect companies by disrupting business operations, increasing input costs and by prompting investments in adaptation or resilience investments. But S&P's research shows that only a few companies are identifying these risks. 'Many investors don't have information on value chain risk,' says Bruce Thomson, lead social and sustainable supply chain specialist at S&P. 'There is an interest, but there's a recognised gap in the literature.' Dr Gabrielle Bourret-Sicotte has the title of chief evangelist and head of customer success at Treefera, a firm that uses technology such as AI, satellites and drones to capture data from nature-based assets such as forestry projects. 'Many people view climate risk as being high-profile and primarily physical events, such as drought, wildfires and deforestation,' she says. Yet the impact of extreme climate events on businesses goes far beyond these direct impacts, as they have a knock-on influence on wider environmental effects. 'For example, severe rainfall can create the conditions for plant disease and degrade arable farmland. We've seen examples of this across West Africa, specifically Ivory Coast and Ghana, where swollen shoot disease has directly impacted cocoa farms, leading to a potentially 50% reduction in harvest,' Bourret-Sicotte says. Heavy rainfall in the region, which is the heart of the global cocoa industry, ultimately led to the price of chocolate almost doubling, she adds. Investors don't generally look at the interdependence between a company's assets and the assets in their supply chains in climate risk assessments, says Peter Hirsch, head of sustainability at climate-focused venture capital firm 2150. 'But it's important to be able to think about that one degree of separation, such as where your logistics facilities are sited and what are their risks. 'Developing first-order climate risk assessments to establish what assets are exposed to risks and what revenue is associated with that is important,' he adds. 'For industries that are particularly exposed to high-vulnerability hazards – for example agriculture when it comes to heat and drought – companies need to really think about whether they are going to be able to maintain their supply chains.' Climate change is set to change the way any business reliant on outdoor labour – including massive parts of the economy such as construction and agriculture – operates, he adds. 'The amount they can get done in a day will decrease significantly in certain parts of the world. Managing these risks can feel like an impossible task, given the opacity of many companies' supply chains. For Bourret-Sicotte, greater transparency is key. 'Businesses need to start with visibility – from the first mile all the way through the value chain to the consumer. This is achieved by leveraging technologies, such as AI, satellite imagery and robust risk modelling. Businesses use these insights to assess the environmental impact across their entire value chain and build strategies to mitigate against them.' Business coalitions can also play a key role, says Steven Ripley, director of investor engagement at the Responsible Commodities Facility, an initiative to promote the production and trading of responsible soy in Brazil. The facility, which is supported by UK retailers Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose, lends money to soy farmers at reduced rates of interest provided they commit to zero deforestation and zero land conversion for the period of the loan. 'The retail sector is really on the ball with this, but the fast food groups seem to turn a blind eye to it and take the view that someone else will sort it out," says Ripley. "But companies that are not engaging with transition in the soy sector are the ones that are very likely to end up paying the highest premiums for soy down the road. They won't have the relationships with progressive producers that are necessary to secure the best offers in the market.' Some companies believe addressing value chain risks will give them a competitive advantage. 'We see this as an opportunity, partly because our supply chain management is very robust,' says Mila Duncheva, business development manager UK and Ireland for Stora Enso, the forestry products group. On the one had, the construction industry is likely to use more wood in future because of its renewable nature and ability to sequester carbon, she says. But on the other hand, the forestry sector faces increased risks such as droughts, wildfires and floods, as well as a higher risk of diseases such as bark beetle. Being able to identify and put a monetary value on potential climate impacts will not only help to inform where investments in adaptation and resilience should be targeted. It could even lead to innovations that help to further future-proof businesses in an increasingly unpredictable world.
The Standard
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Standard
Beijing to speed up standardization for platform economy
The new committee targets involutional competition and the chaotic phenomenon of live-streaming and e-commerce. XINHUA
Malay Mail
11-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Johor tops Malaysia's investment charts with RM30.1b in Q1 2025
JOHOR BARU, June 11 — Johor recorded the highest investment performance in Malaysia for the first quarter (1Q) of 2025, with approved investments amounting to RM30.1 billion, positioning the state as the national leader in investments. State investment, trade, consumer affairs, and human resources committee chairman Lee Ting Han said the achievement was the result of an inclusive and forward-looking investment strategy driven jointly by the federal and state governments. 'A large portion of these investments focused on high-impact service sectors such as logistics, data centres, and modern business facilities, in line with Johor's aspiration to become a hub for the digital economy and high value-added industries. 'This success was also supported by various strategic initiatives, including the establishment of the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre as a key facilitator for investors, as well as close collaboration with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), federal agencies, and local authorities,' he said in a statement uploaded to his Facebook page today. He further added that strategic developments such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which has gained attention from international investors, and ongoing improvements to the state's infrastructure such as roads, ports, and energy systems, have also been key catalysts for the increased investments. He noted that consistent and stable policies for investors, including industry-friendly initiatives through the Johor Fast Lane, and the availability of skilled labour through the Johor Talent Development Council, have also played a crucial role in attracting high-quality investments. 'Our highest appreciation goes to all parties who contributed to this achievement, including civil servants, industry players, investment promotion agencies such as IRDA, MIDA, Invest Johor, utility providers like Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Ranhill SAJ, and the business community. 'The Johor state government remains committed to strengthening the investment ecosystem, attract more high-quality investments, creating job opportunities for the people, and ensuring balanced and inclusive developments. 'Johor continues to advance as a new economic powerhouse in the region with sustainable policies and long-term planning,' he said. — Bernama
