Investment Rating - The report indicates a positive outlook for the Lagos real estate market, highlighting its role as a major economic pillar in Nigeria, particularly after the GDP rebasing exercise [4][15]. Core Insights - The Nigerian economy is transitioning towards stabilization and growth, with a notable GDP growth of 3.98% in Q3 2025, driven by a resilient non-oil sector [5][15]. - Real estate has emerged as the third-largest sector in the rebased economy, contributing 13.36% to total real GDP, underscoring its structural importance [9][15]. - Inflation has moderated significantly, decreasing from 25.3% in June to 15.15% by December 2025, which is expected to support market stability [12][15]. - The naira has stabilized within a managed band, supported by a significant increase in external reserves, which reached $45.45 billion by December 2025 [13][15]. - The enactment of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 is anticipated to enhance the macro environment for real estate, promoting formal agreements between landlords and tenants [14][30]. Economic Update - The GDP rebasing exercise revealed a larger and more diversified economy, with nominal GDP revised upward by 41.7% [4]. - Real estate's contribution to GDP highlights its critical role in national wealth, with a quarter-on-quarter growth rate of 3.50% [5][9]. - The construction sector outperformed the broader economy with a real growth rate of 5.57%, driven by public infrastructure projects [11]. Residential Market Review - Residential rents in Lagos continued to rise despite moderated inflation, driven by strong demand and constrained supply [22][32]. - Government interventions have facilitated the delivery of 653 residential units through public-private partnerships [23][32]. - The launch of the MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund offering long-term loans at 9.75% indicates ongoing public sector efforts to address housing shortages [24][32]. Retail Market Review - The retail sector has seen limited new development, with a gradual reconfiguration of tenant mix and retail strategies [33][39]. - Indigenous convenience-focused brands have gained traction, reflecting a shift towards cost-efficient retail formats [33][39]. - The average prime retail rents in Lagos are aligned with several African peers, indicating competitive pricing [35]. Office Market Review - The Lagos office market is showing signs of recovery, with Grade A occupancy levels reaching 73% [40][47]. - Rental performance has softened, particularly for prime assets, with effective rents adjusting downward to support occupancy [41][47]. - The emergence of new office developments in Ikeja indicates continued demand for modern office spaces [43][47]. Industrial Market Review - The industrial sector remains resilient, supported by logistics demand and manufacturing activity within Special Economic Zones [49][56]. - Prime industrial rents vary significantly based on infrastructure quality, with Grade A demand accelerating in well-serviced areas [51][56]. - The demand for warehouse spaces has grown approximately 25% year-on-year, reflecting the sector's expansion [74][56]. Infrastructure and Data Centre Market Review - Key infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Lagos Green Line Rail Project, are advancing, enhancing connectivity [57][63]. - The data centre market in Lagos is valued at approximately $1.4 billion, indicating strong investor interest and capacity additions [59][63]. Port Harcourt Real Estate Market - Port Harcourt's real estate market is driven by the oil sector, with residential demand growing at an estimated 12-15% [65][87]. - The retail sector has expanded significantly, driven by a rising middle class and consumer preferences for modern shopping environments [67][87]. - Industrial land prices have risen 10-20% over three years, with demand for warehouses increasing by about 25% year-on-year [74][87]. Abuja Real Estate Market - Abuja's real estate market is characterized by high demand and strong capital appreciation, with average property prices projected to rise by 10-15% annually in prime areas [81][98]. - The market is shifting towards integrated, technology-enabled commercial spaces, reflecting evolving tenant needs [85][98]. - The persistent housing deficit and urbanization are driving demand for middle-to-low-income housing in satellite towns [92][98].

Core Insights - The Straits Times Index (STI) has surpassed the 5,000 mark, leading to compressed dividend yields for income investors, prompting a search for higher yields beyond blue-chip stocks [1] Group 1: Digital Core REIT (DCR) - Digital Core REIT is a data centre REIT with assets under management of US$1.8 billion, owning 11 freehold data centres across multiple countries [2] - DCR reported a gross revenue increase of 72.2% year-on-year to US$176.2 million and a net property income rise of 43.5% to US$88.7 million [2] - The distribution per unit (DPU) remained stable at US$0.0360, supported by demand-driven rental growth, including a 31% positive cash rental reversion [3][4] Group 2: Valuetronics Holdings - Valuetronics is an integrated electronics manufacturing services provider, with a revenue decline of 3% year-on-year to just under HK$837 million for the first half of FY2026 [5] - The company is undergoing a transformation focused on margin improvement, with gross margin expanding from 16.8% to 18.8% due to growth in the higher-margin Industrial and Commercial Electronics segment [6][7] - Valuetronics declared an interim and special dividend totaling HK$0.08 per share, indicating management's confidence in cash position despite a 29.3% drop in interest income [8][9] Group 3: United Hampshire US REIT (UHREIT) - UHREIT owns 20 grocery-anchored retail properties and two self-storage facilities, with assets under management of US$731.7 million [10] - The REIT reported a gross revenue increase of 1.4% year-on-year to around US$18 million, while net property income rose 5.7% to US$12.7 million [10] - Distributable income surged 15.5% year-on-year in 3Q2025 to US$7 million, driven by reduced borrowing costs, and DPU for 1H2025 increased by 4% year-on-year to US$0.0209 [11][12] Group 4: Investment Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying business supporting dividend payouts rather than focusing solely on yield percentages [14][15] - DCR's distributions are backed by strong demand for data centres, Valuetronics is improving profitability through a shift to higher-margin products, and UHREIT is growing income through lower finance costs and strategic acquisitions [14][15]

Core Insights - The global digital economy is rapidly expanding, driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data-intensive services, leading to increased demand for data centres [1] - Malaysia is emerging as a leading data centre hub in Asia, expected to surpass India in capacity by 2029, despite India's advantages [1][2] Malaysia's Rise - Malaysia attracted approximately $43 billion in data-centre investments from 2021 to 2024, with an annual growth rate of over 22% in installed capacity [2] - Johor has transformed from a palm-oil plantation area to a global AI-infrastructure hotspot, benefiting from demand spillover from Singapore [2][4] - The country has streamlined power planning and approvals, reducing the time for power approvals from 3-4 years to about 12 months [4] Policy and Regulatory Framework - Malaysia's policy coordination includes predictable frameworks for incentives, permitting, and infrastructure, with a Data Centre Task Force established in 2025 to harmonize approvals [5][6] - A Sustainable Data Centre Framework is being developed to enforce energy and water efficiency standards, with a target of 31% renewable energy by 2025 [6][7] India's Position and Challenges - India has the second-largest data-centre capacity in Asia, projected to reach 4,500 MW by 2030, driven by strong demand fundamentals [8] - Despite favorable policy intent, execution remains a challenge, with long approval timelines for land and utility connections [9][11] - Power supply is a significant bottleneck, with data centres projected to consume 3% of India's power by 2030, facing hurdles in securing long-term green power [10] Competitive Landscape - India's data-centre growth is influenced by state-level initiatives, with Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu facing saturation, while Telangana and Andhra Pradesh offer competitive advantages [12] - Malaysia's success highlights the importance of prioritization, sequencing, and stability in planning and execution [13] Recommendations for India - India should implement tiered sustainability standards and ensure power certainty through early-stage grid access and renewable energy commitments [14][15] - Unified planning and site-zoning rules are necessary to streamline approvals and minimize conflicts [15] - Establishing a multi-stakeholder task force is critical for coordinating planning, grid expansion, and water management [15] Conclusion - India's opportunity in the data centre sector is significant but requires improved execution to compete effectively against Malaysia and other emerging markets [16]

Core Insights - TotalEnergies has signed a 21-year power supply agreement with Google to provide renewable energy [1] - The deal includes a commitment to supply 1 terawatt hour of renewable energy for Google's data centers in Malaysia [1] Company Summary - TotalEnergies is expanding its renewable energy portfolio through this long-term agreement with a major tech company [1] - The partnership with Google highlights TotalEnergies' strategy to support the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions in the tech industry [1] Industry Summary - The agreement reflects a broader trend in the energy sector where companies are increasingly entering long-term contracts to secure renewable energy sources [1] - This move is indicative of the tech industry's commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon footprints through renewable energy partnerships [1]

Core Insights - ACS Group and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) have established a 50-50 joint venture to develop and operate data centres globally, starting with a portfolio of 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of assets under development [1][2] - The transaction values the initial portfolio at approximately €2 billion ($2.3 billion), with an upfront cash payment of about €1 billion and potential earn-outs of up to €1 billion based on commercial milestones [2] - The collaboration aims to meet the demands of hyperscale clients and enterprise AI workloads, focusing on rapid deployment and renewable energy sources [4][5] Company Strategy - The joint venture is a strategic move for ACS Group to lead the digital infrastructure sector globally, leveraging its development and engineering expertise alongside GIP's investment capacity [4][5] - ACS Group is currently evaluating a project pipeline exceeding 11 GW across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific regions, indicating significant growth potential [5][6] Operational Model - The operational model of the joint venture will be based on full-lifecycle project delivery, which includes land acquisition, permitting, design, build, commissioning, and operations, provided by ACS Group subsidiaries [3] - GIP's chairman emphasized the importance of this partnership in supporting innovation and infrastructure growth in the cloud and AI sectors [3]

Core Viewpoint - In a rate-easing cycle, dividend stocks yielding above 5% are becoming more attractive for income investors, but high yield does not guarantee a good investment [1] Group 1: Mapletree Industrial Trust (MIT) - MIT is a REIT focusing on data centres and industrial properties, with a DPU of S$0.0327 for 1QFY25/26, reflecting a 4.7% YoY decline [2] - The current share price is S$2.16, resulting in a yield of 6.2% [2][3] - Occupancy rate is resilient at 91.4%, with a positive rental reversion rate of 8.2% across Singapore properties [3] - MIT has an aggregate leverage ratio of 40.1% and total borrowings of S$3.7 billion, with 79.7% of its debt fixed and hedged [3] - 54.8% of its AUM is tied to data centres, with a strategic shift towards DCs and logistics projects in Asia [4] Group 2: Singapore Airlines (SIA) - SIA has resumed paying dividends post-pandemic, with a cumulative dividend of S$1.26, representing 19% of its current share price of S$6.55 [6] - The latest dividend payment of S$0.40 per share for FY2024/2025 shows a 16.7% YoY decrease [6] - The trailing yield is 6.1% at a share price of S$6.57 [7] - The passenger load factor was 88.0% in August 2025, up from 85.7% YoY, but down from previous months [8] - Net profit decreased by nearly 59% YoY due to rising non-fuel costs, while net operating cash flow remains robust at S$4.71 billion [8][9] Group 3: Venture Corporation - Venture Corporation is a global electronics manufacturing services company with a strong dividend track record, paying S$0.75 per share annually since FY2020 [10] - The current share price is S$14.25, yielding 5.6% [11] - The company reported a net operating cash flow of S$149.8 million in 1H2025, reflecting an 11.9% margin [11] - The diverse manufacturing portfolio includes high-growth areas like life sciences and medical technology [12] Group 4: Comparative Analysis - MIT is characterized as a stable REIT with strong growth drivers in data centres and logistics [13] - SIA is identified as a cyclical business reliant on travel demand [13] - Venture Corporation is noted for its consistent dividend payments linked to global electronics cycles [13]