Ivhu Africa (Ivhu), an Australian developer of green supply chain infrastructure, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Semiconductors Technologies LLC (STL) to build to suit facilities for the development of semiconductors and microchips in Africa, beginning with Kenya.
The deal will see $400 million (Kshs 54 billion) invested directly in the infrastructure and real estate required by STL across sub-Saharan Africa over the next 6 years. The first two facilities will be developed at the Dedan Kimathi Science and Technology Park in Nyeri County, the first Science & Technology Park in Kenya at a cost of $110million (Kshs 14.85 billion).
Speaking at the announcement during the recently concluded AmCham Business Summit, Maruza Chikwanha, Ivhu Africa founder and MD, highlighted the value of the development citing Africa’s green industrialisation goals, transformative supply chain diversification, job creation and the advancement of Kenya’s position as Africa’s Silicon Savannah.
(TOP: L–R – Dr Anthony Githinji, founder and MD, Semiconductors Technologies, and Maruza Chikwanha, founder and MD, Ivhu Africa, sign a MoU to commit $400 million or Kshs 54 billion for the construction of facilities to develop semiconductors across Sub-Saharan Africa region. The partnership will begin with the development of the first high throughput facility at the Dedan Kimathi Science and Technology park in Nyeri,Kenya creating 300 jobs in the construction phase and more than 1,000 jobs once operational).
“We are excited to be involved in the development of components critical to driving exponential technology in Africa, considering that 30% to 40% of the raw materials used in semiconductors are sourced from Africa. Starting with the first facility in Nyeri, we will be improving Kenya’s foreign direct investment inflows by putting in $10 million (Kshs 1.35 billion) and impacting the community in a tangible way by creating more than 300 jobs within the construction phase, 80% of which will go to people who already live in the area,” said Chikwanha, adding, “We expect to complete construction on the first building in the third quarter of 2025, and begin development of a second facility, still in Nyeri, which will cost ($100 million) Kshs 13.5 billion.”
In addition to Kenya, the partnership will see construction of nanofabrication plants and science centres in Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and Botswana, with the aim of continuing STL’s mission to not only promote workforce development but also demystify science and empower Africans to take ownership of our own technology roadmap, investing in a brighter future for the Africa we want!
Dr Anthony Githinji, Founder and Managing Director of Semiconductors Technologies Limited, underscored the importance of building Africa’s capacity to contribute to the global technological race by improving physical infrastructure and human capital.
“STL and Ivhu Africa aim to create a resilient and transformative supply chain for advanced technology on the continent. Semiconductors and the facilities that are used for their development are incredibly complicated and often expensive requiring a special developer to put the facilities together. By the time we get to full operation of the first location built by Ivhu, we will increase our staff from 100 to 1,000,” said Dr Githinji.
The collaboration with Ivhu is a crucial part of STL’s expansion plans as it adds a layer of home-grown industrial real estate expertise to their context-sensitive technological advancements. Ivhu’s expertise in building green-certified infrastructure aligns seamlessly with STL’s goals of achieving net-zero direct & indirect emissions (scopes 1 & 2) across their infrastructure value chain by 2040.
The partnership’s shared focus on reducing impact, costs, and emissions while delivering eco-friendly, value engineered solutions demonstrates their dedication to creating a fit-for-purpose, green, resilient supply chain ecosystem.
To be relevant in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Africa must prioritize green industrialization and value addition. Establishing robust science & tech ecosystems, exemplified by DeST-Park in Nyeri, and fostering early adoption of STEM and technology is crucial for driving this industrialization and economic development.
By rewriting Africa’s story, one silicon wafer, one semiconductor, and one integrated circuit (microchip) at a time, STL & Ivhu envision a future where exponential tech is as accessible to all as the air we breathe.
Ivhu Africa owns, develops, manages and leases out fit for purpose industrial real estate properties that provide essential supply chain infrastructure for businesses across the COMESA free trade area. With expertise in green building and Industrial real estate development, Ivhu supports clients in e-commerce, technology, food production, FMCG, consumer goods, contract logistics, retail, automotive, life sciences, and healthcare sectors.
The firm’s strategic focus is to develop a resilient, world-class, African network of supply chain infrastructure, close to key consumer markets to facilitate inbound and outbound trade across the COMESA free trade area. The company aims to serve the entrepreneurs and businesses currently constrained by a shortage of efficient, sustainable, Industrial real estate available for commercial lease in Eastern & Southern Africa. We invest time in actively listening and trying to understand your needs and pain points because we believe that true success lies in paying attention to what truly matters, and then embedding that into Industrial properties that are designed and built with Africa’s future in mind.
Semiconductor Technologies Limited (STL) is a supplier of Semiconductor Technology and advanced nanotechnology R&D. STL’s vision is to be the premier microchip manufacturer in the Continent of Africa. STL has invested in significant capital in Nanofabrication and pilot production facilities at the Dedan Kimathi Science and Technology Park in Nyeri County, Kenya. STL boasts a majority female workforce with over 70% of its employees being female engineers. STL has made great strides in semiconductor workforce development and capacity having trained over 200 engineers. STL seeks to design an Africa centric chip supply chain to address the challenges in the African context while diversifying and derisking the global supply chain. STL is careful to produce its products with acute consideration of environmental impact. STL is where Silicon meets Savannah.
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