Maputo, Mozambique – May 31, 2024 – The International Finance Corporation (IFC) continues its mission to stimulate private sector investment in Mozambique, marked by today’s visit to the Beluluane Industrial Park (BIP), MozPark’s flagship park. Hosted by MozParks General Director, Onorio Manuel, and the Beluluane Park Coordinator, Edilson Madime, the delegation was led by IFC Country Manager Mehita Fanny, accompanied by the economists Michelle Gomes Souto and Pedro Andre Samo.
The IFC team’s visit underscores their commitment to fostering conditions favorable for private sector investment, specifically in the manufacturing and services sectors. Mehita Fanny expressed admiration for MozParks, highlighting it as a prime example of a demand-driven industrial park. She noted that MozParks’ strategy, which prioritizes anchor projects, significantly enhances growth capacity and sets a benchmark for similar initiatives.
During their visit, the IFC delegation visited key facilities within the park, including Duys Moçambique, ETG Steel Solution, and newly-opened Raxio Data Centre. These visits provided valuable insights into the operations and potential of these projects.
The visit marks a pivotal step in strengthening the collaboration between IFC and MozParks, aiming to attract more private sector investments to drive economic growth and development across Mozambique.
Maputo, Mozambique – May 28, 2024 – Raxio Group, a pioneer in the development, implementation, and operation of large-scale, Tier III, Carrier-Neutral Data Centers across Africa, inaugurated today Mozambique’s first Tier III data centre, Raxio Data Centre, LDA, at MozParks’ Beluluane Industrial Park. This landmark facility represents a significant investment of over 20 million US dollars and marks a pivotal moment in Mozambique’s digital transformation journey.
The newly established data centre is the first independent, state-of-the-art, Tier III facility in Mozambique, certified by the Uptime Institute. It offers a neutral connectivity environment, providing unparalleled flexibility for customers to interconnect with a diverse range of carriers and colocation providers. This carrier-neutral facility is designed to enhance the digital economy by providing a reliable storage environment operated by a team of skilled young Mozambicans.
Speaking at the inauguration event, Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group, highlighted the importance of this development: “We are excited to be a critical cornerstone in supporting the growth of the country’s evolving digital economy, helping to accelerate the adoption for digital tools and services across industries.” Mullins expressed his gratitude towards MozParks for opening the doors of Beluluane Industrial Park for Raxio and for making it a home of the first data center of this type in Mozambique.
Left to right: MozParks General Director – Onorio Manuel, CEO of Raxio Group – Robert Mullins, Raxio’s General Manager in Mozambique – Emidio Amadebai at the launch of first Raxio data center in Mozambique
The new data centre is not only a testament to Raxio’s dedication to advancing digital infrastructure in Africa but also a critical feature of Mozambique’s evolving digital backbone. With a 25% increase in the number of internet users in the country over the past year, the facility will support the growing demand for digital tools and services across industries.
Manuel Tule, Governor of Maputo Province, inaugurated the data center and congratulated Raxio on this milestone, highlighting the importance of investments in digital infrastructure for the entire country.
Manuel Tule, Governor of Maputo Province
Onorio Manuel, General Director of MozParks, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration: “Opening of Raxio’s Data centre in Beluluane Industrial Park is a significant milestone for Mozambique. This facility will not only boost the local digital economy but also create numerous opportunities for young professionals in Mozambique. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our community,” said Manuel, thanking Raxio for choosing Beluluane Industrial Park for this investment and highlighting MozParks’ commitment in supporting Raxio and other companies in the park. He continued by inviting other investors to follow Raxio’s example in joining the Beluluane Industrial Park, which at the moment has 400ha of land to accommodate further projects.
MozParks’ Legacy
As Mozambique’s sole operator of Sustainable Economic Zones, MozParks has leveraged the eco-industrial model to promote collective spaces where tenants share resources to increase profitability, local production, and environmental care. The company offers a business-friendly climate with administrative support for licensing and compliance, quality infrastructure, 80 MW of power, and tax incentives, making Mozambique accessible for investment.
“The establishment of Raxio Data Centre in our industrial park underscores the strategic importance of MozParks in attracting major international companies. It reflects our commitment to providing a conducive environment for businesses to thrive and participate in the economic development of Mozambique. We are excited to see such significant investments in our parks, which will undoubtedly contribute to the overall growth and modernization of Mozambican economy.” Manuel added.
About MozParks
MozParks is a developer and operator of Sustainable Economic Zones, established as a public-private partnership between the Mozambican Government Agency for Investment and Export Promotion (APIEX) and Swiss-Mozambican investors. As the only industrial park operator in Mozambique, MozParks manages parks in Beluluane and Nampula, with plans for expansion into Cabo Delgado province. To date, MozParks has attracted over 50 companies from 18 countries, securing over USD 3 billion in investments at the Beluluane park in Maputo province.
