In a groundbreaking move with the potential to transform urban mobility across Africa, Urban.MASS and ABBA RailX have inked a Letter of Intent valued at over a possible $2 billion. The agreement, announced on June 26, aims to deploy the innovative Floc® Duo Rail™ system throughout the continent, starting with Luanda, Angola.
The Floc® Duo Rail™ system consists of lightweight, automated, electric-powered pods running on custom-designed elevated tracks. This cutting-edge technology promises to slash carbon emissions by 50% compared to traditional urban mass transport options, addressing the urgent need for efficient and sustainable public transportation in rapidly growing African cities.
Ricky Sandhu, Co-Founder of Urban.MASS, said: “This is exactly what our company was set up to do. Bringing together the world’s best partners and the latest advances in technology, design and innovation to provide safe, sustainable urban mass transit to places where it can significantly improve people’s lives.”
The ambitious plan involves ABBA Platforms Inc. acquiring up to 1,000 Floc® pods and associated Duo Rail™ systems over five years, subject to initial feasibility studies. This scalable solution is designed to overcome common urban infrastructure challenges, minimising the need for extensive earthworks, costly tunnels, and large stations.
Simon Kapenda, Founder and Executive Chairman of Abba Platforms Inc., commented: “Abba RailX, powered by the Floc® Duo Rail™ system, places Africa at the forefront of sustainable transportation technology. This initiative addresses the continent’s infrastructure deficits, sets a precedent for African cities, and demonstrates the continent’s readiness and commitment to innovation and sustainable development.”
Urban.MASS believe the collaboration between Urban.MASS and ABBA RailX represent a significant step forward in addressing Africa’s pressing transportation needs. By improving connectivity and reducing travel times, the project aims to boost productivity and unlock economic potential across the continent.
Sam Oboh, a member of Urban.MASS’s Advisory Board, offered additional perspective on the project’s relevance to African cities: “What we need is an affordable, scalable, quick-to-install, and efficient-to-operate system that embodies the spirit of Africa—community, Ubuntu, optimism, resilience, cultural diversity, connection to nature, celebration, and entrepreneurial spirit.”
This agreement follows Urban.MASS’s recent successes, including a pilot project with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and collaborations with the University of Birmingham in Dubai and engineering partner SEMP.
As Africa continues to urbanise rapidly, the company believes the Urban.MASS and ABBA RailX partnership could play a crucial role in shaping the future of sustainable transportation across the continent. Pre-feasibility work is due to begin in Luanda later this year, according to Urban.MASS.
Urban.MASS is available for investment through Kemeny Capital.
Kemeny Capital has not yet verified the details of this press release and should be considered general information. It does not constitute an amendment to the financial promotion.
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