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Ghana: AGI Honours PETROSOL For Support To Industry Group

Michael Creg Afful
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Ghana: AGI Honours PETROSOL For Support To Industry Group

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has presented PETROSOL Platinum Energy PLC with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of the company’s support for the association and its activities.

PETROSOL is one of Ghana’s leading indigenous oil marketing companies.

The award was presented during a ceremony at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra, attended by industry leaders, AGI members and other stakeholders.

AGI said the recognition acknowledged PETROSOL’s continued sponsorship of the association and its contribution to Ghana’s industrial sector.

PETROSOL said it would continue working with industry stakeholders to support the development of Ghana’s industrial and energy sectors.

 

Malawi: Energy Minister Commissions ESCOM’s First Utility-Scale Battery Storage System

Michael Creg Afful
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Malawi: Energy Minister Commissions ESCOM’s First Utility-Scale Battery Storage System
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Ltd on Friday commissioned a 20MW/40MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Kanengo in Lilongwe, marking the country’s first utility-scale battery energy storage facility. The $20.245 million project, funded by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), is expected to improve the stability, reliability and flexibility of Malawi’s national electricity grid. Malawi’s Minister of Energy, Jean Sendeza Mathanga, said the project was a key component of the country’s development agenda under the Malawi 2063 strategy. “For decades, we have been at the mercy of the clock and the weather, but today we begin an era of energy independence on our own terms. Today, we are not just commissioning a facility of steel and lithium; we are commissioning the engine of our development,” Mathanga said. She said reliable electricity was essential to achieving Malawi’s industrialisation objectives. “There is no industrialisation without stable, reliable and affordable power,” she said. Mathanga said the battery storage system would strengthen energy security, improve grid stability and support the country’s transition to a more resilient electricity sector. “The BESS project is a cornerstone of our national energy compact, serving as a silent guardian of our national grid,” she said. She added that the project would provide more reliable electricity to hospitals, schools and businesses while supporting greater integration of renewable energy into the national grid. “Solar power may have sparked our energy revolution, but battery storage will sustain it,” she said. Mathanga thanked GEAPP for funding the project and called on other development partners to support similar investments in Malawi’s energy sector. Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi said ESCOM had improved its operational performance and communication with stakeholders while working to address electricity supply challenges. “We are encouraged that ESCOM, through improved communication and operational performance, is working towards eliminating load shedding,” Saidi said. He said the government would continue supporting investments aimed at strengthening Malawi’s electricity sector. GEAPP Vice President Koech said the battery energy storage project demonstrated the value of partnerships between governments and development organisations. She said the project was implemented through collaboration between the Government of Malawi, ESCOM Ltd and GEAPP, with engineering support from JIVO and Lahmeyer International. Koech added that GEAPP was also supporting the establishment of the Southern Africa Battery Energy Storage Systems Centre of Excellence at Mzuzu University, in partnership with the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. The centre will provide training, research and knowledge-sharing on battery energy storage technologies for utilities, policymakers, researchers and private sector stakeholders.    

Zimbabwe: Witeva Secures $5.3 Million Gasoil Shipment Through Afreximbank Platform

Michael Creg Afful
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Zimbabwe: Witeva Secures $5.3 Million Gasoil Shipment Through Afreximbank Platform

Zimbabwean fuel importer Witeva Trading has secured a US$5.3 million gasoil shipment from a Switzerland-based commodity trader and supplier, with Innbucks Microbank Ltd. acting as the local issuing bank.

The transaction, facilitated through Africa Trade Gateway (ATG) and the African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) trade ecosystem, marks Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction on the platform and ATG’s first energy-sector transaction in Southern Africa.

The deal highlights how African businesses can use a single digital ecosystem to identify trade opportunities, connect with verified counterparties, access trade finance and execute cross-border transactions more efficiently.

Peter Olowononi, Afreximbank’s Director of Regional Operations for Southern Africa, said the transaction demonstrates the benefits of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through a connected trade ecosystem.

Read Also:Ghana: Energy Commission Plans Energy Efficiency Rules For New Buildings To Curb Power Consumption

“By creating a digital ecosystem to expand access to trade finance, Afreximbank is enabling more businesses to participate more easily in regional and international trade,” Olowononi said.

Emeka Onyia, Afreximbank’s Director of Digital Business, said Africa Trade Gateway was designed to facilitate trade beyond simply providing a digital platform.

“The Africa Trade Gateway is more than a digital platform; it is an ecosystem that helps trade happen. We help businesses discover opportunities, connect with trusted buyers, suppliers and financial institutions, and support the journey from commercial opportunity to completed transactions,” Onyia said.

“Every successful deal strengthens the network, attracts new participants and creates more opportunities for African trade. As more businesses, banks and trade partners join the ecosystem, each completed transaction expands the marketplace, builds trust across the network and creates opportunities for future trade,” he added.

TotalEnergies Raises Second Interim 2026 Dividend By 5.9% To 90 Euro Cents/Share

Michael Creg Afful
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TotalEnergies Raises Second Interim 2026 Dividend By 5.9% To 90 Euro Cents/Share

French oil major TotalEnergies said on Thursday its board had approved a second interim dividend of 0.90 euros ($1.05) per share for the 2026 financial year, marking a 5.9% increase from the total interim and final dividends paid for 2025.

The company said the dividend matched the first interim dividend paid for 2026 and was consistent with its shareholder returns policy, which prioritises dividend growth in line with growth in cash flow.

The dividend will trade ex-dividend on Dec. 31, 2026, on both Euronext Paris and the New York Stock Exchange.

Shareholders on Euronext will receive payment on Jan. 5, 2027, while holders of shares listed on the NYSE will be paid on Jan. 22, 2027.

For NYSE-listed shares, the dividend will be converted into U.S. dollars using the WM/Refinitiv intra-day spot exchange rate published at 1400 Paris time on Jan. 14, 2027, the company said.

TotalEnergies also said a transfer freeze between its Euronext and NYSE share registers would be in place from Dec. 30, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. New York time until the opening of trading on Euronext, to facilitate the dividend payment process.

The dividend decision was approved by the board at a meeting held on July 22 under Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanné.

($1 = 0.8571 euros)

Ghana: Energy Commission Plans Energy Efficiency Rules For New Buildings To Curb Power Consumption

Michael Creg Afful
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Ghana: Energy Commission Plans Energy Efficiency Rules For New Buildings To Curb Power Consumption
Ghana is developing energy efficiency regulations that would require developers of new buildings to incorporate energy-efficient designs before building permits are approved, officials said. The proposed regulations are aimed at reducing electricity consumption in buildings as the country seeks to improve energy efficiency and lower power demand. As part of preparations for implementation, the Energy Commission, Ghana’s electricity and natural gas regulator, has begun training officials from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), focusing on staff in physical planning and works departments. The Commission has completed the first phase of the nationwide programme in the Greater Accra Region. Speaking at the final stakeholder engagement in Accra, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission Chris Nanabanyin Yalley said energy efficiency had become a national development priority. He said heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems account for about 50% of electricity consumption in air-conditioned buildings. Yalley said the Commission’s Building Energy Efficiency Guidelines provide three compliance pathways: prescriptive, performance-based and certification-based. He added that revisions had been proposed to the Local Government Service Operational Manual to integrate the requirements into MMDA building permit processes. According to Yalley, the training programme, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has equipped physical planners, works engineers, building inspectors and environmental health officers to serve as energy efficiency champions within their assemblies. He said the Commission would continue to provide technical support while working with partner agencies to implement the reforms nationwide. He added that the measures could reduce energy consumption in buildings by about 20% within five years. Ebenezer Kyere, an officer with the Energy Commission’s Energy Efficiency Regulations Unit, said the proposed regulations are intended to promote energy-efficient building design and strengthen compliance through the building permit system. In remarks delivered on her behalf, Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo said the region accounts for a significant share of Ghana’s electricity demand because of its concentration of residential, commercial and public infrastructure. She said the growth required policies that promote sustainable and energy-efficient development. Ocloo described the Energy Commission’s initiative to integrate energy efficiency into the building permit process as a practical step towards making energy efficiency a standard requirement in planning, design and construction. She urged physical planners, engineers, architects, building inspectors and other built environment professionals to incorporate energy-saving principles into public infrastructure projects. “We must adopt designs and technologies that reduce energy consumption while improving comfort, efficiency and long-term operational costs. Our planning decisions today will determine the sustainability of our cities tomorrow,” she said. Ocloo also pledged the support of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies that demonstrate a commitment to implementing energy-efficient practices.      

Nigeria: Dangote Refinery Raises $2.5 Billion Through Oversubscribed Private Placement

Michael Creg Afful
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Nigeria: Dangote Refinery Raises $2.5 Billion Through Oversubscribed Private Placement
Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Africa’s largest refinery, has raised $2.5 billion through a private placement of new equity, with investor demand reaching 3.7 times the size of the initial offering, the company said on Thursday. The fundraising, which the company described as Africa’s largest publicly disclosed primary equity private placement by value, marks the refinery’s first equity capital raise involving external investors beyond its existing shareholders. The proceeds will be used to support the expansion of the refinery and petrochemical complex, strengthen the company’s balance sheet and provide additional financial flexibility for future growth, Dangote Petroleum Refinery said in a statement. The company said the offering attracted a broad range of international and African institutional investors, sovereign-related investment vehicles, development finance institutions and strategic partners. Among the investors were Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and India Infra Buildco, an investment vehicle facilitated by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the statement said. Aliko Dangote, president and chief executive of Dangote Industries and chairman of the refinery, said the transaction would broaden the company’s shareholder base while complementing internal cash flow and external financing for its expansion plans. “It further demonstrates our commitment to developing domestic refining and petrochemical capacity, reducing Africa’s reliance on imported refined products and strengthening the continent’s energy security,” Dangote said. David Bird, the refinery’s chief executive, said the level of investor demand reflected confidence in the company’s operations and long-term strategy. “The demand we saw is a testament to our operational excellence, execution capacity and investor confidence in DPRP’s leadership,” Bird said. He added that the fundraising would position the company to continue executing its long-term growth strategy while expanding refining and petrochemical capacity. The company also acknowledged the support of its advisers in completing the transaction.

Grid Gap In Focus As Southern African Utility Leaders Join AEW Power Africa Today

Michael Creg Afful
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Grid Gap In Focus As Southern African Utility Leaders Join AEW Power Africa Today
Senior executives from some of Southern Africa’s top power utilities and grid operators are confirmed to speak at the Power Africa Today conference during African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town from October 12-16. Their participation reflects the growing focus on transmission infrastructure, grid modernization and regional power market integration as the continent works to match generation growth with the networks needed to deliver it. South Africa’s Eskom has stabilized its generation fleet after years of load-shedding, recording more than 340 consecutive days without power cuts and a 98.9% energy availability rate in the 2025-26 financial years. Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane will speak at Power Africa Today as the utility advances a government-mandated unbundling that will separate its transmission assets into an independent system operator. Joining Marokane is Velaphi Ntuli, Eskom’s Chief Nuclear Officer at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.  Koeberg, Africa’s only operating nuclear plant, secured 20-year license extensions for both units in 2024 and 2025, ensuring 1,860 MW of baseload capacity through 2045. With the updated Integrated Resource Plan (2025) calling for 5,200 MW of new nuclear capacity, Ntuli’s presence brings the role of nuclear baseload into the wider grid discussion at Power Africa Today. In Uganda, installed generation capacity has more than doubled from 850 MW in 2014 to over 2,050 MW, but the transmission network has not kept pace. The Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) is addressing this challenge through the Amari Power Transmission Project, a $50 million partnership with UK-based Gridworks that became the first independent transmission project in Africa to reach construction in early 2026. UETCL is also advancing the 298 km Uganda-Tanzania interconnector, due to begin construction in 2026-27. CEO Richard Matsiko will speak at the conference. Meanwhile, Zambia’s ZESCO has introduced open-access grid regulations allowing private producers to wheel power through its network and adopted a multi-year tariff framework to give investors predictable returns. The utility is targeting 1,000 MW of solar by end of 2026 to counter hydropower shortfalls and in May 2026 signed a memorandum of understanding with Stanbic Bank and GreenCo Power Services to jointly develop a portfolio of renewable projects for commercial and industrial customers. Managing Director Justin Loongo joins the Power Africa Today lineup to discuss these projects. At regional level, Stephen Dihwa, Coordination Centre Executive Director of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), joins the conference as a time when regional integration is scaling. SAPP coordinates power planning, operations and trading across 12 SADC member states, nine of which are now physically interconnected. In February 2026, the SAPP and the East Africa Power Pool signed an agreement to harmonize cross-border trading rules, while a World Bank-backed technical assistance program is supporting the expansion of the regional electricity market. “Power utilities are at the heart of Africa’s industrial future,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “If we are serious about making energy poverty history, we need stronger collaboration between utilities, governments, investors and technology providers. Power Africa Today is where that collaboration takes shape.” Power Africa Today brings together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to address the regulatory, financial and infrastructural challenges of building interconnected electricity markets across the continent. The conference takes place as part of AEW 2026 in Cape Town from October 12-16.

Ghana To Connect 159 Rural Communities In Savannah Region To National Grid Under Electrification Programme

Michael Creg Afful
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Ghana To Connect 159 Rural Communities In Savannah Region To National Grid Under Electrification Programme
Ghana has launched a rural electrification programme aimed at connecting 159 unelectrified communities in the Savannah Region to the national electricity grid by the end of 2026, as part of the government’s “Big Push” infrastructure initiative. The Rural Electricity Intensification Project (REIP), being implemented by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, was officially launched on Tuesday. Eight communities in the West Gonja Municipality were simultaneously connected to the national grid. Deputy Minister for Energy and Green Transition Richard Gyan-Mensah, speaking on behalf of the sector minister, said the electrification programme forms part of President John Mahama’s “Big Push” agenda, which prioritises expanding electricity access in rural communities. He said the project is expected to support economic growth, improve healthcare and education services, and enhance security in the beneficiary communities. Gyan-Mensah said Ghana has achieved about 90% electricity access, placing it among the leading countries in Africa in terms of electrification. However, he said several rural communities remain without electricity, with the government targeting universal electricity access by 2030. He said the government has allocated GH¢2 billion for electricity expansion under the first phase of the Big Push programme, covering the Savannah, Central, Oti and Volta regions. More than GH¢600 million of that amount has been earmarked for the Savannah Region, where 107 communities will be connected to the national grid under existing contracts, he said. Gyan-Mensah added that additional communities are being electrified under the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP), bringing the total number of beneficiary communities in the Savannah Region to more than 159. He said electricity coverage in the region is currently estimated at between 50% and 60%. He also said the government’s solar street lighting programme is progressing, with several communities in the region expected to benefit in the coming months. Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Be-Awurebi said the project would help address longstanding electricity access challenges in the Eastern Gonja area while expanding power supply across the region. He said the initiative reflects the government’s efforts to extend infrastructure to underserved communities. Member of Parliament for Damongo Samuel Abu Jinapor said the project to connect the eight communities began in 2023 and has now been completed under the current administration. He described reliable electricity as essential for improving livelihoods, supporting businesses, strengthening healthcare and education services, and promoting economic development. Read Also:Zambia: President commissions 100-MW Chisamba Phase II Solar Plant, Says Power Cuts Have Ended Jinapor said cooperation across political divides had contributed to the project’s completion, adding that such collaboration ultimately benefits local communities. Residents welcomed the connection to the national grid after years without electricity. “We thank the government very much for giving us the opportunity to see light and, most especially, our MP Abu Jinapor for this historic moment,” said Leticia, a resident of one of the beneficiary communities. “We used to travel to Sawla to charge our phones, but now we can charge them in our own homes.” She said access to electricity would improve daily life while creating new opportunities for businesses and young people in the community.  

Oil Prices Surge To $100 As Red Sea Risks Rise

Michael Creg Afful
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Oil Prices Surge To $100 As Red Sea Risks Rise
Oil prices rose for a fifth consecutive trading session on Thursday afternoon, climbing above $100 per barrel to their highest level in nearly two months, as escalating Houthi attacks on tankers in the Red Sea heightened concerns over Middle East oil supplies. In early European trading, Brent crude rose 4.21% to $98.03 per barrel, while the U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), gained 3.16% to $89.57 per barrel, edging closer to the $90 mark. The gains came as the Iran-aligned Houthi movement appeared to follow through on its pledge to target Saudi Arabia’s oil exports transiting the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Red Sea is a critical export route for Saudi crude. In recent months, the Kingdom has redirected more than 70% of its crude exports that previously departed from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. According to reports, at least two oil tankers turned away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed it had struck two Saudi tankers in the strategic waterway. The group alleged that the vessels had violated a naval blockade declared earlier this week, marking the latest escalation in regional tensions. One of the tankers was reportedly carrying Saudi crude destined for India, while the other was transporting oil to China. “We targeted two Saudi oil tankers, named Encelia and Layla, for violating the blockade decision issued by the armed forces,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said, according to Al Jazeera. Thursday’s rally extended oil’s gains to a fifth straight session, with prices now up nearly 20% since tensions in the region escalated about two weeks ago. “The fact that the Houthi rebels reportedly attacked two Saudi tankers near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen has increased concerns about further escalation,” Maya Westerlund, Strategy & Macro Research Intern, FICC Markets at Sweden’s SEB, said in a research note on Thursday.  

Ghana: BOSTenergies Concludes 2026 Health, Safety And Environment Week

Michael Creg Afful
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Ghana: BOSTenergies Concludes 2026 Health, Safety And Environment Week
BOST Energies Limited (BOSTenergies) has successfully concluded its 2026 Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Week with a colourful closing durbar, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening a culture of health, safety and environmental stewardship across its operations. Held from 11 to 17 July 2026 under the theme, “Engage, Educate, and Empower People for Improved HSE Culture,” the week-long programme brought together employees, management, stakeholders and members of the media to promote safety awareness, healthy living and environmental responsibility. The celebration featured a range of activities designed to deepen HSE awareness, including a health walk, community clean-up exercise, health screening, media engagement, an HSE quiz competition and the grand closing durbar. The initiatives provided opportunities to educate employees and stakeholders on HSE best practices, encourage preventive healthcare, strengthen stakeholder engagement and reinforce the principle that safety is everyone’s responsibility. Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Managing Director of BOSTenergies, Afetsi Awoonor, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and environmental performance across its operations. “Health, safety and environmental excellence remain at the heart of everything we do at BOSTenergies. While HSE Week provides an important platform to reinforce these values, our commitment extends far beyond this week. We must all continue to engage, educate and empower one another to ensure that safety remains a way of life throughout our organisation,” he said. Awoonor further encouraged employees and stakeholders to remain vigilant, uphold safe work practices and continue contributing to a resilient HSE culture across the company. According to BOSTenergies, the successful celebration reflects its continued investment in safeguarding the wellbeing of employees, protecting the environment and driving operational excellence through robust health and safety practices. The company expressed appreciation to its employees, partners, facilitators, members of the media and other stakeholders whose support and active participation contributed to the success of the 2026 HSE Week. As BOSTenergies advances its ambition of becoming West Africa’s leading net-zero integrated energy logistics and trading company, it says it remains committed to embedding health, safety and environmental excellence into every aspect of its operations, helping to build a safer and more sustainable future.      

ADNOC Approves $6.2 billion Investment To Develop Umm Shaif Gas Cap

Michael Creg Afful
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ADNOC Approves $6.2 billion Investment To Develop Umm Shaif Gas Cap

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said it has approved a final investment decision (FID) worth $6.2 billion (22.6 billion dirhams) to develop the Umm Shaif Gas Cap project with partners TotalEnergies, Eni and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

The state-owned energy company said the project is expected to produce more than 600 million standard cubic feet per day (scfd) of natural gas and associated gas liquids by 2030, equivalent to nearly 10% of the United Arab Emirates’ current daily gas consumption.

The investment forms part of ADNOC’s strategy to increase domestic gas production and expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) business as demand for natural gas continues to grow.

The United Arab Emirates holds the world’s seventh-largest proven natural gas reserves.

ADNOC said the project includes three engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts worth a combined $5.1 billion (18.8 billion dirhams), awarded to consortiums comprising UAE and international contractors.

The development also includes a $365 million (1.3 billion dirhams) drilling and integrated drilling services programme to be carried out by ADNOC Drilling over 18 months. The programme covers 14 wells and will use three existing drilling rigs.

ADNOC Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said the project would support the company’s strategy to expand gas production and strengthen its position as a supplier of liquefied natural gas.

Production from the Umm Shaif Gas Cap project is expected to begin in 2030, according to the company.

Nigeria Awards 37 Oil And Gas Blocks To 31 Companies In 2025 Licensing Round

Michael Creg Afful
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Nigeria Awards 37 Oil And Gas Blocks To 31 Companies In 2025 Licensing Round

Nigeria’s upstream oil regulator said on Tuesday that 31 companies had emerged winners of 37 oil and gas blocks in the country’s 2025 licensing round, following a competitive bidding process.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said 143 companies submitted 200 bids for 37 of the 50 blocks offered in the round, which was held in Abuja on July 21.

The awarded blocks are located across several oil and gas regions, including the Niger Delta onshore and shallow waters, the Niger Delta deep offshore, as well as frontier basins such as the Benin, Anambra, Chad and Benue basins.

The regulator said 16 blocks were located in the Niger Delta onshore, 18 in shallow waters, one in deep offshore, while the remaining blocks were spread across the frontier basins.

“After a keenly contested bidding process, 31 companies have emerged winners of 37 oil and gas blocks,” the commission said in a statement.

NUPRC said the level of investor interest in frontier basins marked a first for Nigeria’s energy sector, with previously less-developed areas attracting significant participation.

Among the successful bidders were SSonic Petroleum Limited, CFP Pipeline and Flowlines, Dutchford E&P Limited, Rosem Energy Limited, Pivot-GIS Limited, Network E&P, Asharami, LexOil, Gupsco Energy Limited, Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited and Clinton Oil Field.

Other winners included Nikstallis, Stardeep Petroleum, Dakoda & U Limited, Southborne Oil and Gas Limited, Lanaka Petroleum, Highban Resources Limited and Eyre Energy Limited.

The commission said the successful bidders would only receive final awards after paying the required signature bonuses and obtaining approval from the petroleum minister in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan urged the winning companies to complete the required payments promptly and begin developing the assets, warning that failure to meet stipulated conditions within 90 days could result in the loss of the awards under the regulator’s “drill or drop” policy.

The licensing round is part of Nigeria’s efforts to attract investment into its oil and gas sector and expand exploration activity, particularly in frontier basins.

Zambia: President commissions 100-MW Chisamba Phase II Solar Plant, Says Power Cuts Have Ended

Michael Creg Afful
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Zambia: President commissions 100-MW Chisamba Phase II Solar Plant, Says Power Cuts Have Ended
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Tuesday commissioned the $70 million Chisamba Phase II Solar Power Plant, a 100-megawatt (MW) facility that doubles the Chisamba Solar Complex’s generation capacity to 200 MW. Hichilema said the government’s investments in the energy sector had ended electricity load-shedding, as new generation projects come online and feed power into the national grid. “The end of load-shedding has nothing to do with elections. It is because projects we initiated are now maturing and delivering power to the grid,” Hichilema said during the commissioning ceremony. He said the 2024 drought exposed Zambia’s heavy dependence on hydropower and reinforced the government’s commitment to diversify the country’s energy mix through greater investment in solar power. Hichilema reaffirmed the government’s target of adding 1,000 MW of solar generation capacity by the end of 2026 as part of a broader plan to increase Zambia’s installed electricity generation capacity to 10,000 MW by 2030. He said the project demonstrated the importance of timely delivery of public infrastructure, noting that while Chisamba Phase I took more than 10 months to complete, Phase II was built in about seven months and created more than 1,400 jobs. Hichilema said the cost of the project had been reduced from an initial estimate of $100 million to $70 million without compromising quality. He thanked traditional leaders for making land available for energy infrastructure and called for continued public support as the government accelerates investments to strengthen Zambia’s energy security. Earlier, Central Province Permanent Secretary Milner Mwanakampwe said the province was emerging as a major energy hub, with projects under development expected to raise installed generation capacity to 437 MW by December 2026. ZESCO Managing Director Justin Loongo said the additional 100 MW from Chisamba Phase II, together with the existing 100 MW from Phase I, had created Zambia’s largest solar power complex with a combined capacity of 200 MW. Loongo said the project reflected efforts to diversify Zambia’s electricity mix in response to climate change and thanked the Ministry of Energy, traditional leaders, PowerChina and development partners for supporting its implementation. Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit Kusobile Kamwambi said the government’s energy diversification strategy was improving electricity security through policy reforms led by the Ministry of Energy. In a vote of thanks, Chief Chamuka said government reforms had helped attract investment and create jobs in the area. He urged residents to protect electricity infrastructure from vandalism and pledged to make more land available for the development of an additional 50-MW solar power plant.  

APPO, GECF Sign Cooperation Pact To Strengthen Energy Partnership

Michael Creg Afful
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APPO, GECF Sign Cooperation Pact To Strengthen Energy Partnership
The African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Qatar-based Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) to strengthen strategic cooperation in the petroleum industry. APPO Secretary General Farid Ghezali and GECF Secretary General Philip Mshelbila signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations on July 20, 2026, at APPO’s headquarters in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, Stev Simplice Onanga, who attended as the guest of honour. The MoU aims to strengthen the GECF-APPO energy dialogue by promoting joint projects and other areas of mutual interest between the two organisations. The Doha-based GECF represents the world’s leading gas-exporting countries and seeks to promote constructive dialogue between producers and consumers to enhance the stability and security of global gas supply and demand.  
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