An explosion at India’s Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) near Jokatte killed one person and injured eight people on Wednesday, police said.
Police identified the deceased as Manish Karkera, 30, from Mulky town.
His body was badly burned, according to a report by easternmirrornagaland.com
The injured were taken to hospital, where one was in critical condition, police added.
MRPL described the incident as a fire caused by the rupture of a high-pressure cold separator in its Coker Hydrotreater Unit around noon.
The company said the blaze was extinguished after about two and a half hours.
“During the subsequent combing and inspection operations following the firefighting activity, the body of one deceased person was found at the affected site,” MRPL Chief General Manager Rudolph V. Noronha said in a statement.
The company said one person with burn injuries was receiving treatment in hospital.
The statement did not address the other injuries reported by police.
Noronha said the affected unit was immediately isolated and emergency response and firefighting teams were deployed.
The blast shook nearby homes, prompting residents to rush outside, fearing an earthquake.
Reports of damage included cracked walls, broken windows and shattered roof tiles at a nearby church.
The explosion was heard 10–12 kilometres away and was followed by a large plume of thick black smoke. Fire crews from Mangaluru, Pandeshwar and nearby areas responded.
The incident occurred in the Jokatte area, where the refinery’s third plant is located.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Malaysia’s state-owned energy company PETRONAS have begun a two-week technical and commercial engagement in Accra to assess opportunities in Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector.
The discussions, taking place at the GNPC Research and Technology Centre, will cover exploration, discovered assets, subsurface geology, engineering, new ventures and commercial development.
GNPC’s team includes geologists, geophysicists, engineers and specialists in new ventures and commercial operations. They will share technical information with their PETRONAS counterparts and explore potential areas of collaboration.
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of GNPC’s chief executive, Hamis Ussif, deputy chief executive for finance, commercial and administration, said the corporation was ready to support productive discussions.
Albert Longdon-Nyewan, GNPC’s director of projects, said the corporation was interested in collaborating with PETRONAS to support investment in Ghana’s petroleum sector.
The engagement forms part of GNPC’s efforts to attract investment and technical expertise to develop Ghana’s petroleum resources and identify opportunities for future collaboration.
Senior leaders from China, India, Japan, Malaysia and across Asia among more than 1,800 confirmed speakers
353 Asian companies and six country pavilions confirmed across ADIPEC’s 2,250-exhibitor global marketplace
ADIPEC connects Asia’s growing energy needs with the global supply, capital, technology and partnerships required to deliver future growth
ADIPEC 2026 will welcome its strongest-ever participation from Asia, with 353 companies and six country pavilions – China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea – taking part in this year’s event.
The Asian organisations will join more than 2,250 exhibitors across 16 halls and 30 international pavilions, where companies from across the global energy value chain will showcase technologies, infrastructure solutions and industrial capabilities.
Asia will also be strongly represented across the conference programme, with senior leaders from across the region among ADIPEC’s more than 1,800 confirmed speakers.
Confirmed participating companies include Sinopec, CNPC, CNOOC, Petronas, PTTEP, INPEX, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hengyun, Baofeng Steel Group Co. Ltd, Beijing JJC Technology Co. Ltd., Mitsui & Corp, Daechun, DRC, GS Energy Corporation, HADO, Panduit, TMEIC, CATL, Envision Energy, FLARE INTERNUSA, PT Petra Konsulindo Utama, KYK Group, Thai Benkan Co. Ltd., Bajaj Power Equipments Ltd., Babcock Power APAC Pvt Ltd, and Axis Solutions Ltd.
Hosted by ADNOC and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, ADIPEC will connect Asian policymakers, producers, buyers and industry leaders with the global investors, technology companies, project developers and partners as the region’s expanding economies drive new requirements for energy supply, infrastructure, capital and technology.
Asia is expected to be the primary engine of global energy demand growth over the coming decades. China is forecast to account for close to half of worldwide electricity demand growth through 2030, while India is expected to remain the single largest contributor to global energy demand growth through 2035.
Southeast Asia is projected to contribute around a quarter of global energy demand growth through 2035 as industrialisation, urbanisation and digitalisation accelerate across the region.
Meeting that demand will require significant investment in energy supply and infrastructure, particularly as electricity consumption and data-centre capacity continue to grow.
For Asia, sustaining economic growth means securing reliable, affordable energy for its industries, cities and digital infrastructure today, while investing in the supply, capacity and more resilient energy systems it will need over the next decade.
ADIPEC 2026 brings that agenda to Abu Dhabi, connecting the region’s growing requirements with the global organisations, capital and capabilities that can help deliver them.
Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, Chairman, ADIPEC 2026, said: “Asia is at the centre of global energy demand growth. As economies expand and energy needs rise, meeting that demand will require greater collaboration between producers, buyers, investors and technology leaders, alongside continued investment in supply and capacity. That is why ADIPEC is attracting record participation from across Asia, providing a platform where strategies are advanced, partnerships are formed and opportunities are turned into action.”
“Abu Dhabi is particularly well positioned to support this growth. Its proximity to some of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets, long-standing partnerships across Asia, and track record of providing reliable, flexible and competitive energy supply put it at the heart of supporting the region’s next phase of economic growth.”
Reflecting Asia’s growing influence on global energy markets, confirmed speakers at ADIPEC include:
Wang Yuetao, Chairman, ZhenHua Oil
Takayuki Ueda, Representative Director, President & CEO, INPEX
Rajarshi Gupta, MD & CEO ONGC, Videsh Ltd
Haruhiko Ando, CEO, Japan Cooperation Centre for Petroleum and Sustainable Energy
Charlotte Wolff-Bye, VP & Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Petronas
Prashant Ruia, Group CEO, Essar Group
Koji Yamamoto, CTO and Senior Councilor, JOGMEC
Nobuo Tanaka, CEO, Tanaka Global
Massimo Danieli, CEO, Business Unit Grid Automation, Hitachi Energy
These executives will join more than 1,800 speakers participating across ADIPEC’s 13 conference programmes, where issues critical to Asia’s energy and economic development will feature prominently.
Within the Strategic Conference, the Natural Gas & LNG programme will bring producers, buyers and infrastructure developers together to examine how supply can be expanded and diversified for import-dependent Asian markets, from contracting and market access through to the shipping and regasification capacity needed to maintain flexibility.
The Grids, Infrastructure & Industrial Execution programme will address the generation, transmission, storage and infrastructure capacity required to support Asia’s industrial, urban and digital growth, while the Finance & Investment programme will look at how capital can be mobilised for the region’s expanding infrastructure pipeline, including the risk allocation to commercial structures that move projects from plan to delivery.
The Maritime & Logistics programme will focus on the ports, fleets and shipping routes connecting global energy producers with Asian buyers, and the partnerships needed to maintain supply chain reliability as volumes grow.
Meanwhile, the AI, Digital & Technology Innovation programme will examine how artificial intelligence, automation and advanced analytics are being embedded into energy systems to sharpen performance and decision-making, alongside the increasing power requirements created by Asia’s rapidly expanding data-centre and digital economy.
New Leadership Dialogues will bring these themes directly into the boardroom, including a session on ‘Asia’s power squeeze: integrating renewables and gas in high-growth power systems’ and a Boardroom Roundtable on ‘The new technology frontier: Asia’s role in shaping global innovation’. ADIPEC will confirm speakers for these sessions in the coming weeks.
Christopher Hudson, President, dmg events, the organisers of ADIPEC, said: “Asia’s influence on the global energy system now extends far beyond demand. The region is increasingly shaping technology, manufacturing, infrastructure and the commercial relationships behind the industry’s next phase of growth.
“ADIPEC has always evolved with the industry, responding each year to where the biggest shifts are happening and where the greatest opportunities lie. Our role is to create the platform where those changes can be translated into decisions, partnerships and progress.”
ADIPEC 2026 will take place from 2-5 November in Abu Dhabi and is expected to welcome more than 239,000 attendees from across the global energy ecosystem.
Planet One Oil & Gas Limited, operator of Ghana’s Deepwater Cape Three Points (DWCTP) Block, is targeting October 2026 to spud the Nya Gyidie-1X exploration well as it steps up exploration activities offshore Ghana.
The company announced the drilling timeline during Africa Oil Week 2026 in Accra, where it outlined progress towards drilling the exploration well.
The Nya Gyidie-1X well is expected to be spudded after the Noble Venturer rig completes its current operations for another operator in Ghana, scheduled to conclude in September 2026.
Planet One Oil & Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Planet One Group, which is owned by businessman Sanjeev Mansotra.
“Planet One has done the work. We’ve matured the opportunity, we’ve secured the rig. Now we are ready to drill,” Doreen Addotei, lead geoscientist at Planet One Oil & Gas Limited, said during a presentation at Africa Oil Week.
Planet One entered the DWCTP Block after signing a farm-in agreement with GOIL Upstream Limited in 2023, following ExxonMobil’s relinquishment of its interest in the block.
It operates the block in partnership with GOIL Upstream Limited and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
Planet One holds a 75% participating interest in the block, while GNPC holds 15% and GOIL Upstream holds 10%.
The Nya Gyidie-1X drilling campaign is expected to provide additional subsurface data to help assess the petroleum potential of the DWCTP Block as Ghana seeks to sustain upstream exploration and develop its petroleum resources.
Ghanaian journalists should look beyond fuel price increases and explain the market forces, regulation and supply constraints behind them, industry officials said at a training workshop in Accra.
Speaking at the one-day workshop, Dr. Riverson Oppong, chief executive of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), said accurate reporting was essential to helping consumers understand developments in the petroleum sector and avoid unnecessary anxiety.
The workshop, held under the theme “Petroleum Pricing and Downstream Sector Operations”, brought together journalists from television, radio, print and online media.
Oppong urged reporters to verify figures, question industry claims and explain how pricing and supply chains work, saying reports without sufficient context could deepen public confusion.
Dr. Riverson Oppong, Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC).
“Our aim is simpler: to help you add sharper questions, verify figures, and explain pricing and industry developments,” he said.
He added that COMAC wanted a lasting relationship with journalists “grounded in access, respect, and shared interest in helping Ghanaians understand an industry that affects us all.”
Speakers highlighted challenges beyond pump prices, including international market shocks, limited strategic fuel reserves, concerns over the quantity of fuel dispensed and a downstream market with more than 250 oil marketing companies and over 5,000 outlets.
Abass Tasunti, director of economic regulation and planning at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), explained the pricing formula used for Ghana’s twice-monthly fuel pricing windows.
He said the October pricing window reflected a 2.4% increase in petrol’s free-on-board (FOB) price to about $1,300 per tonne and a nearly 7% rise in diesel prices to around $1,400 per tonne, alongside a depreciation of the cedi.
Tasunti urged journalists to use NPA data to independently assess the likely effect of international prices and exchange rate movements on domestic fuel prices.
David Ampofo, chief executive of the Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber, said declining crude production was another concern, with higher oil prices sometimes masking the impact on revenue.
He also highlighted Ghana’s new onshore exploration frontier in the Voltaian Basin, where GNPC Explorco, a subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), is preparing to drill.
He warned that onshore exploration would pose new social and environmental challenges requiring careful, non-partisan reporting.
Benjamin Nsiah, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy said coverage focused too heavily on affordability, overlooking fuel availability, accessibility, acceptability and supply resilience.
He cited a Ghana Standards Authority audit that he said found about 60% of sampled outlets dispensing less fuel than customers paid for.
Nsiah said BOST’s total storage capacity was about 415,000 metric tonnes, equivalent to roughly 500 million litres, while national monthly consumption exceeded 500 million litres.
He argued that Ghana lacked meaningful state-controlled strategic fuel reserves and remained heavily dependent on a single main import jetty.
Paul E. Ofori, head of research at the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), said petrol’s FOB price had risen from about $652 per tonne at the start of 2026 to around $1,251 in September. Diesel prices had increased from roughly $695 to more than $1,500 per tonne over the same period, he said.
Ofori argued that strategic reserves covering six to eight weeks of consumption could have cushioned the impact of those increases.
Participating journalists received certificates at the end of the workshop, which COMAC said was intended to strengthen data analysis and reporting on the petroleum sector.
Ghana has prevailed in a long-running tax dispute with Tullow Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Africa-focused oil and gas producer Tullow Oil Plc, after an international arbitral tribunal upheld a tax assessment of $393.1 million against the company.
Ghana’s Finance Ministry announced the ruling in a statement on Wednesday signed by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson.
The ministry said a tribunal constituted under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) delivered its award on Tuesday in proceedings brought by Tullow Ghana against Ghana over the taxation of business interruption insurance proceeds.
The tribunal dismissed all claims brought by Tullow Ghana and upheld the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) tax assessment of $393,091,993.70, the ministry said.
It also found that the assessment did not breach the petroleum agreements governing Tullow’s operations in Ghana.
The tribunal further ruled that a penalty imposed by the GRA was properly applied, that the assessment was not time-barred and that the tax authority’s enforcement action was lawful, according to the ministry.
Forson acknowledged the work of the Office of the Attorney-General, the GRA and Ghana’s external legal counsel, Foley Hoag LLP, in defending the government’s position.
“This outcome vindicates the position Ghana has maintained throughout that every company operating in this country, regardless of its size, is subject to the laws of Ghana,” Forson said.
The government said the ruling came as Ghana and its Jubilee partners were working to maximise the prospects of the Jubilee and TEN fields, two of the country’s major offshore oil developments.
The Finance Ministry said the government had been in discussions with Tullow before the award to seek an amicable resolution of outstanding tax matters between the two sides.
Those discussions will continue and will cover both the matter determined by the tribunal and separate proceedings concerning the disallowance of loan interest, the ministry said.
Despite the dispute, the government described Tullow as a key partner and Ghana’s largest petroleum producer, saying its operations at the Jubilee and TEN fields support domestic energy security, gas supply and thousands of jobs.
“It is in the national interest that this relationship endures,” Forson said.
The government said it would work with Tullow to implement the award in accordance with Ghanaian law while taking into account the continuity of operations at the Jubilee and TEN fields and the company’s ability to sustain investment in them.
Ghanaian law gives the GRA authority to determine the timing and manner in which assessed tax liabilities are paid, the ministry said.
The government said it intended to implement the award in a way that secures revenue owed to Ghana while preserving Tullow’s ability to continue operating and investing in the country.
In a separate statement responding to the tribunal’s decision, Tullow said it was disappointed with the outcome of the case.
Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, on Tuesday unveiled MT Asharami Ghana, a 40,000-cubic-metre liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessel owned by Sahara Group, at the Tema Oil Jetty in the Greater Accra Region.
Built by Hyundai in 18 months, the vessel arrived on Ghanaian shores carrying 5,000 metric tonnes of LPG.
The arrival marks a significant step towards supporting Ghana’s efforts to strengthen energy supply security and expand access to cleaner cooking fuels across the country.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Jinapor said Ghana was targeting 50% LPG penetration by 2030, adding that the arrival of MT Asharami Ghana marked a significant step towards expanding access to cleaner energy solutions for Ghanaians.
Jinapor described Sahara Group as a credible partner to Ghana, recalling that several years ago, when power generation from the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam declined and the West African Gas Pipeline experienced challenges, Sahara Group supported Ghana with fuel supplies without requiring the country to raise Letters of Credit (LCs).
He commended Sahara Group for being a reliable partner to Ghana over the years.
“Let me say that the government is committed to ensuring that we promote the usage of LPG across the whole of this country because of environmental issues and desertification,” he said.
For Sahara Group, the vessel represents a strategic investment in regional energy infrastructure.
Wale Ajibade, Executive Director of Sahara Group, said the vessel’s maiden voyage to Ghana demonstrated the company’s commitment to expanding access to cleaner energy.
“This maiden voyage to Ghanaian shores signals a resounding welcome to greater access to cleaner energy, healthier homes and communities, thriving businesses and a more sustainable environment,” Ajibade said.
He said the vessel reinforced the company’s broader investment strategy spanning shipping, storage and downstream distribution.
“At Sahara, we see MT Asharami Ghana as a symbol of confidence in Ghana’s future. It reflects our unwavering belief in Ghana’s immense potential and our determination to work alongside stakeholders to deliver sustainable energy solutions that improve lives, create opportunities and drive inclusive growth,” he said.
Yaa Serwaa Alifo, Managing Director of Asharami Ghana, described the vessel’s arrival as a transformative moment.
“What we are celebrating here is the culmination of a vision and a bold statement of our commitment to Ghana’s energy future,” Alifo said.
She added that the vessel would improve access to cleaner fuel while strengthening the reliability of LPG supplies to businesses and households.
Atlantic Energy Skills Academy (AESA), in partnership with PetroSkills LLC, plans to hold a five-day process safety training programme in Dakar from Nov. 16 to 20.
It will be the first event under AESA’s West African Basin Energy Compliance (WABEC) initiative.
AESA said the session would offer PetroSkills’ HS45 course, Risk-Based Process Safety Management, for senior engineers, regulators and managers responsible for industrial facilities.
The academy said places would be limited to 25 participants. The intensive technical programme will cover management systems, risk-based decision-making and the application of those practices in the workplace. Participants will receive an internationally recognised HS45 certification, AESA said.
The programme is intended for senior engineers, regulatory bodies and asset directors.
The Dakar event is intended to launch a broader training programme for West Africa.
AESA’s proposed courses range from advanced instruction in gas facilities, well planning and electrical maintenance to practical training in welding, industrial communications infrastructure and hazardous-cargo transport.
The academy also plans to offer entry-level pathways for people without a technical background.
Companies and public agencies seeking places in the November session can contact AESA at [email protected] or visit aesaacademy.com.
Kenya and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, are going ahead with the groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, for the proposed 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, despite a lawsuit challenging the project.
The lawsuit was filed by 133 residents of Chandavai, an area in Lamu County, who accused the government of unlawfully taking over their land, where the refinery is expected to be built.
The Malindi Environment and Land Court ordered that the “status quo prevailing” on the land should be maintained until a hearing on Oct. 14.
However, commenting on the issue during his tour of Kilifi and Kwale counties on Tuesday, President William Ruto defended Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, who has pledged to invest KSh2 trillion ($16 billion) in the project.
Ruto said the Dangote East Africa Oil Refinery project in Lamu would proceed despite court orders and resistance, accusing “disgruntled opposition sponsors” of attempting to undermine the investment.
Ruto said he would not allow another incident of “sabotage” against investors.
The president was responding to residents of Chandavai in Lamu who had staged demonstrations against the groundbreaking of the project, demanding compensation for the 7,000-acre piece of land.
“I have seen you trying to make an issue out of this on social media and at press conferences. You are the ones who took this case to court. You are the sponsors of the court cases. You are against this investment because you have not gotten what you have been doing. You have had enough,” he stated.
Ruto accused the opposition of disrupting the project, claiming that their demands for shares in the deal had been rejected.
“Those brokers of shares keep telling us they want shares, I don’t know whose shares, I don’t know who. That fraud you carried out is what caused Kenya to miss out on investment. All Kenyans will get an opportunity to buy shares in that company. Transparently. Don’t pretend that because you have shares in KPLC, you are the only ones who matter,” he said.
The president also came to Dangote’s defence, claiming that he had been frustrated multiple times before relocating some investments to other countries during the tenure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“That Dangote wanted to establish a cement company, but he was frustrated by all kinds of conditions until he went elsewhere. Right here in Kenya, Uganda was supposed to build a pipeline passing through Kenya, but they frustrated him over shares until they went to Uganda,” said the head of state.
Ruto maintained that the project would go ahead despite the court orders.
“Yes, these people think they will frustrate Dangote. I am telling you, I am watching closely. You will not get away with this next year because of this Dangote issue. Foreign direct investment will reach between $6 billion and $7 billion. An investor does not want conditions; they want incentives,” he said.
Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has reaffirmed its commitment to providing responsive, efficient and transparent regulatory support to investors as Puma Energy Ghana deepens its investment in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector and the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM).
The commitment was expressed when a delegation from Pumagas, led by Puma Energy Ghana General Manager Lanzeni Coulibaly, paid a courtesy visit to NPA Chief Executive Godwin Kudzo Tameklo on Monday.
The meeting provided an opportunity for Puma Energy to formally introduce Pumagas, a subsidiary, as well as some of its key distributors and dealers to the NPA chief executive.
The delegation also presented new branded cylinders to Tameklo, describing them as a further step in Pumagas’ efforts to strengthen its participation in the CRM.
Pumagas expressed appreciation for the leadership and support provided by the NPA in advancing the initiative and reaffirmed its commitment to sustained investment in the CRM and the broader LPG sector.
Presenting the company’s strategy, Pumagas said it intends to separate production and distribution activities as part of efforts to accelerate market adoption, expand its distribution network and contribute to Ghana’s CRM targets.
The strategy is expected to improve efficiency across the LPG value chain while increasing the availability and accessibility of CRM cylinders to consumers.
Tameklo reaffirmed the NPA’s commitment to providing continuous regulatory support to legitimate industry players and creating an enabling environment for sustainable investment in Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
He stressed the importance of fairness, mutual respect, trust and responsiveness in the relationship between the regulator and industry players.
Regulation should facilitate the growth and development of businesses while safeguarding the public interest, rather than becoming an unnecessary impediment to investment, Tameklo said.
He also emphasised the need for regulatory processes to be efficient and expeditious, saying they should reflect the realities and timelines of businesses operating in a competitive investment environment.
Tameklo said Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector continued to attract investors partly because of a regulatory environment that promotes fairness.
He underscored the importance of building and maintaining trust between regulators and industry players and assured Pumagas and other stakeholders of the NPA’s support in facilitating legitimate investments and resolving regulatory issues in a timely and constructive manner.
He cautioned, however, that actions or behaviour that could undermine Ghana’s reputation as an attractive investment destination would not be entertained.
“Maintaining investor confidence is a shared responsibility involving both regulators and industry participants,” he said.
The meeting highlighted the importance of collaboration between the regulator and private-sector participants in achieving the objectives of the CRM.
The NPA welcomed Pumagas’ continued investment in the LPG sector and its efforts to strengthen its distribution and market-development strategy.
The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming the importance of continued engagement, collaboration and mutual respect in supporting the growth of Ghana’s LPG industry and the implementation of the CRM.
Gambia’s National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has signed contracts worth about $14.2 million to extend electricity access to 241 communities in the Upper River and Central River regions.
The project, fully funded through the national budget, will involve the construction of about 377 km (234 miles) of medium-voltage lines and 248 km of low-voltage networks, as well as the installation of 219 distribution transformers.
The Central River Region component, covering 148 villages, will be implemented by Alpha TND under a contract worth about $8.81 million.
The works will include 223 km of medium-voltage lines, 165 km of low-voltage networks and 140 distribution transformers.
The Upper River Region component, covering 93 villages, will be implemented by Power Factor Limited under a contract worth about $5.35 million.
It will comprise 154 km of medium-voltage lines, 83 km of low-voltage networks and 79 distribution transformers.
Petroleum, Energy and Mines Minister Nani Juwara said at the signing ceremony that the government remained committed to ensuring no community was left behind in its drive towards universal electricity access.
The project is expected to expand electricity access and support education, healthcare, businesses and economic development across the West African country.
More than 130 residents of Chandavai in Kenya’s Lamu County have filed a lawsuit seeking to halt construction of a proposed 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery ahead of a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, Citizen Digital reported.
The 2 trillion Kenyan shilling refinery is being developed by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote in partnership with the Kenyan government.
The 133 plaintiffs have sued several government agencies, including the Office of the President, the National Land Commission (NLC), the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Development Authority and the Lamu County Government, as well as Dangote Industries and two contractors.
The residents accuse the government of unlawfully taking over and destroying land they say their families have occupied and cultivated for generations.
They say the refinery development threatens to displace them without adequate consultation, resettlement or compensation.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs claim long-standing customary and community rights over portions of LR No. 13061 in Chandavai, where they say families have farmed, raised livestock and built homes, mosques and shrines. Some relatives are also buried on the disputed land.
The residents do not hold formal title deeds but argue that their long-standing occupation and use of the land give them compensable interests under Kenyan law.
“Some of the affected property cannot readily be replaced by monetary compensation, particularly ancestral and family homes, graves, trees, long-standing occupation sites and community structures,” the plaintiffs said in court documents.
They allege that government officials and agents associated with LAPSSET entered the disputed land with heavy machinery in August 2024, destroying crops, trees and other property without prior notice or compensation.
Local administrators later told residents that the land had previously been acquired for the LAPSSET project and subsequently allocated to the Ministry of Defence for infrastructure around Manda Bay, according to the lawsuit.
The dispute has intensified following preparations for the Dangote refinery, with residents alleging that soil testing and other preparatory work began in July 2026.
They also claim that police officers, chiefs and other government officials cleared part of the disputed land on Sept. 10 for the planned groundbreaking ceremony.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to halt further construction and excavation, arguing that continued work could cause irreversible damage while the land dispute remains unresolved.
They also allege that authorities failed to follow compulsory acquisition procedures, including issuing notices, identifying people with interests in the land, conducting valuations and paying compensation before taking possession.
The residents have also raised environmental concerns and alleged violations of their constitutional rights to property, fair administrative action and access to information.
Dangote Industries and the Kenyan government have not commented publicly on the lawsuit.
Britain has begun talks with U.S. authorities over a potential halt to diesel exports and is preparing contingency measures in case a ban is imposed, Chancellor John Healey said, according to the BBC.
Diesel prices in Britain hit a record high on Monday as global fuel markets came under pressure from the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to restrict diesel exports in an effort to ease domestic fuel prices.
“We’re thinking about it very seriously,” Trump said at the weekend.
Healey told the BBC that diesel prices in Britain were “extreme” and said the government was holding discussions with Washington while preparing for possible supply disruptions.
“We’re also making the provision that we may need to, and we have our own stocks in the UK,” he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the annual Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Healey said Britain was working closely with the United States to ease pressure on fuel markets.
“In the end, we’re also working with the Americans where we can try and put in place what will solve this, or at least significantly ease it, which would be a diplomatic settlement [and] an end to the fighting with Iran,” he said.
Britain relies on the United States for about a third of its diesel imports, meaning restrictions on U.S. exports could put further upward pressure on domestic prices.
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The average price of diesel in Britain reached 199.18 pence per litre, according to motoring organisation RAC, surpassing the previous record of 191.5 pence set in June 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Petrol prices have also continued to rise, reaching an average of 174.13 pence per litre.
The conflict involving Iran has disrupted oil production and transportation across the region over the past seven months, pushing up crude oil and refined fuel prices.
The RAC said diesel prices had entered “uncharted territory” and highlighted Britain’s exposure to disruptions in international energy markets.
Healey said he was “very aware” of the pressure higher fuel costs were placing on households and businesses as the government prepared its Budget for Oct. 28.
A freeze on fuel duty, first introduced by the Conservative government in 2022, is due to expire at the end of the year. The duty is scheduled to rise by 3 pence in January and a further 2 pence in March.
“Fundamentally, what we need is a settlement in the Middle East,” Healey said. “We need an easing of the pressure of costs on business, the costs on households and on ordinary families that we see at the pumps in the most extreme level today for diesel.”
Maamba Solar Energy Limited has begun feeding electricity from its 100 MW solar plant into Zambia’s national grid as the project enters commissioning, the company said.
The plant, located in Maamba in the southern Sinazongwe district, began injecting power on September 24 as part of commissioning.
The milestone does not mark the start of full commercial operations.
The facility uses bifacial solar panels mounted on systems that track the sun during the day to increase electricity generation.
Maamba Solar Energy Limited is owned by Nava Global Pte. Ltd. and ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc. China’s SINOMA Energy Conservation Ltd. is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.
The project has a long-term power purchase agreement with state utility ZESCO Limited.
The solar plant will complement Maamba Energy Limited’s thermal power portfolio, which comprises 300 MW in operation and another 300 MW under construction.
Once all the projects are complete, the solar and thermal facilities will have a combined installed capacity of 700 MW.
“The commencement of commissioning of the 100 MW MSEL Solar Power Project is an important milestone for MSEL and for Zambia,” Maamba Solar Energy Chief Executive Cyrus Minwalla said.
“The project will add renewable generation capacity to Zambia’s power system and represents an important step towards further diversification of the country’s energy mix and strengthening energy security.”
The project forms part of Zambia’s efforts to expand solar generation capacity.
“This maiden voyage to Ghanaian shores signals a resounding welcome to greater access to cleaner energy, healthier homes and communities, thriving businesses and a more sustainable environment,” Ajibade said.
He said the vessel reinforced the company’s broader investment strategy spanning shipping, storage and downstream distribution.
“At Sahara, we see MT Asharami Ghana as a symbol of confidence in Ghana’s future. It reflects our unwavering belief in Ghana’s immense potential and our determination to work alongside stakeholders to deliver sustainable energy solutions that improve lives, create opportunities and drive inclusive growth,” he said.
Yaa Serwaa Alifo, Managing Director of Asharami Ghana, described the vessel’s arrival as a transformative moment.
“What we are celebrating here is the culmination of a vision and a bold statement of our commitment to Ghana’s energy future,” Alifo said.
She added that the vessel would improve access to cleaner fuel while strengthening the reliability of LPG supplies to businesses and households.
The solar plant will complement Maamba Energy Limited’s thermal power portfolio, which comprises 300 MW in operation and another 300 MW under construction.
Once all the projects are complete, the solar and thermal facilities will have a combined installed capacity of 700 MW.
“The commencement of commissioning of the 100 MW MSEL Solar Power Project is an important milestone for MSEL and for Zambia,” Maamba Solar Energy Chief Executive Cyrus Minwalla said.
“The project will add renewable generation capacity to Zambia’s power system and represents an important step towards further diversification of the country’s energy mix and strengthening energy security.”
The project forms part of Zambia’s efforts to expand solar generation capacity.