Japanese technology contributes to improving road infrastructure in West Africa and promoting further economic development

 

STANDAGE Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Akinori Adachi, hereinafter referred to as Standage), which develops and provides digital trade platforms, has been selected for the Global South Future-oriented Co-creation Project Subsidy (Survey to Promote Overseas Infrastructure Expansion by Japanese Companies) for the "West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana) Road Maintenance and Repair Integrated System Demonstration Project" together with IKEE, whose main business is road paving and which also handles asphalt mixture manufacturing, building material sales, and technical testing. STANDAGE has been working on this project for some time as a contractor for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's FY2022 supplementary budget for local social issues-oriented FS subsidy, and conducted a demonstration experiment in Nigeria in February 2024.

 

Background

While approximately 80% of roads in Japan are paved, in Africa the figure is only about 20%.

Even when roads are paved with asphalt, holes called "potholes" can be found in many places due to temperature, climate, and insufficient maintenance, making road maintenance and repair a challenge in Africa.

To solve these problems, in February 2024, we held a joint seminar with local road maintenance authorities in the Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja, and conducted a demonstration of road repair using IKEE's products. We were successful in identifying needs and raising the expectations of the local government.

Building on these efforts made up until last year, this year's project aims to establish a de facto standard for road maintenance and repair methods in West Africa, which will involve a seamless process from road surface surveys and inspections to proposing and implementing repair methods.

IKEA and Standage will continue their efforts to penetrate Ghana and Nigeria, which are actively working on regional infrastructure development, such as developing ports and expanding trunk roads with the goal of becoming a transportation hub in the West African region.

 

■【Reference】About the collaboration and efforts between IKEA and Standage

Standage, together with IKEE Co., Ltd., is selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's FS subsidy for local social issues to carry out a West African road maintenance and repair survey project (published on August 8, 2023)

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000071.000033629.html

 

Japanese technology saves roads in West Africa! On-site demonstration of road maintenance and repair conducted together with IKEA (Published March 7, 2024)

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000094.000033629.html

 

■About Aikame

Established in April 1957, the company is active in the construction industry, especially the paving industry, in Ehime Prefecture. Since then, it has established and handed over various companies, and currently owns 12 group companies. It has actively promoted overseas business from the beginning, and has a long track record of overseas work, including runway skid resistance surveys for NASA and others. Starting with 2015, it established a local subsidiary in Cambodia as part of its overseas expansion. It is targeting West Africa as its next expansion destination after Central Asia. With the management philosophy of "Never give up, never be arrogant," and as a "local doctor for infrastructure," it aims for the continuous development of the local area and its company.

Established April 1957

Representative Representative Director Shu Nishiyama

Capital: 45 million yen

URLhttps://ikee.jp/

 

■About Standage

Established in March 2017. Opened an office in Nigeria in December of the same year, and established local subsidiaries in Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt in 2021. Provides "Digitrad," a comprehensive digital trade service that can complete all trade operations, from matching trade sellers and buyers to payment, financing, and cargo delivery. For payments with emerging countries, it has developed a safe, inexpensive, and fast payment system using blockchain and crypto assets. By combining trading company functions with tech, it aims to create a society in which domestic small and medium-sized enterprises are seamlessly connected to the rest of the world.

◇"DigiTrad" service official website:https://standage.co.jp/digitrad

Established: March 2017

Representative: President and CEO Akinori Adachi

Capital: 608,568,500 yen (including capital reserve of 302,782,500 yen)

URLhttps://standage.co.jp/