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Gambia Signs $14.2 Million Contracts To Extend Electricity To 241 Communities
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.
Kenyan Residents Sue To Halt Proposed Dangote Oil Refinery In Lamu
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.
UK Prepares For Possible US Diesel Export Ban As Prices Hit Record High
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.
U.S. sources have suggested Trump is considering an export ban as part of efforts to lower fuel costs for American consumersSouth Africa’s Eskom Board Chair Nyati Gets Three-Year Term Extension ahead of the midterm elections.
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.”
Zambia: Maamba Begins Feeding Power Fro m 100 MW Solar Plant Into National Grid
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.
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.
Libya’s Sharara Pipeline Shutdown Causes $75 Million In Losses, NOC Says
The forced shutdown of Valve No. 7 on the main Sharara-Zawiya crude oil pipeline operated by Akakus Oil Operations has led to significant production losses at Libya’s Sharara oilfield and reduced crude supplies to the Zawiya refinery, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said.
According to the NOC, daily production losses since the shutdown began on Sept. 21 were:
Monday, Sept. 21: 129,085 barrels
Tuesday, Sept. 22: 259,349 barrels
Wednesday, Sept. 23: 235,983 barrels
Thursday, Sept. 24: 237,937 barrels
The NOC said cumulative crude production losses over the four-day period amounted to 720,362 barrels, while its direct financial losses were expected to exceed $75 million as of Sept. 24.
The NOC warned that the losses could increase if the forced shutdown continues.
The shutdown could also adversely affect operations at the Zawiya refinery, potentially forcing refining units to shut down as crude oil stocks in storage tanks are depleted, the NOC said.
Such a disruption could affect the supply of petroleum products and impose additional financial and technical costs on Libya’s economy, it added.
Italy: Eni Caps Diesel And Petrol Prices For 30 Days
Italian energy company Eni will cap the prices of diesel and petrol sold through its Enilive network at €2.19 per litre and €1.99 per litre, respectively, starting Sept. 28, the company said on Friday.
The price cap, which is linked to an excise tax relief measure currently in force, will initially apply for 30 days and could be extended through the end of the year, depending on market and supply conditions, Eni said.
The capped prices are about 17 cents per litre below current average market levels, according to the company.
Eni said tighter supplies of refined products on international markets, driven by geopolitical crises and a reduction in refining capacity in Europe, had pushed fuel prices to levels that were putting pressure on households and businesses in Italy.
The company said nearly 30 refineries had closed across Europe over the past 15 years, contributing to tighter refining capacity.
Eni said the initiative builds on measures introduced in March, under which it had absorbed part of the increase in international fuel prices rather than passing the full increase on to recommended prices at its service stations.
The company also said it would continue operating its biorefineries in Venice and Gela and invest in the redevelopment of its Livorno site and other industrial facilities in Italy.
These projects are aimed at maintaining industrial capacity, including for sustainable fuels, while supporting employment and investment in the country, Eni said.
Ghana: ECG Workers Union Sets Sept. 29 For Nationwide Protest Over PSP
Workers’ unions at Ghana’s state-owned Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have set Sept. 29 for a nationwide demonstration against a proposed private sector participation (PSP) arrangement for the utility.
The peaceful demonstration will take place across ECG’s operational regions and will be followed by the presentation of a petition to President John Dramani Mahama, the unions said in a statement on Thursday.
The statement was signed by Christopher Apawu, National Divisional Chairman, and Lucky Larry Agboka, National Divisional Chairman of the Junior Staff Union.
The unions said the petition would be presented to regional ministers in their respective operational regions for onward transmission to the president.
The demonstration is scheduled to run from 0800 GMT to 1600 GMT.
In Accra, workers will assemble at the forecourt of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), while in Kumasi, the designated assembly point will be the ECG regional office at the Airport Roundabout.
Workers in other regions will assemble at their respective ECG regional offices, with demonstration routes to be announced later, the unions said.
Participants will return to their assembly points after the demonstrations for a briefing before dispersing.
The action forms part of a wider protest campaign announced by the unions earlier this month against the proposed PSP arrangement.
The unions said workers would continue wearing red armbands, which began as part of the campaign, until the next phase of the action is announced.
The Public Utility Workers Union (PUWU), which is convening the demonstration, will lead the exercise. The unions said PUWU had notified the Inspector General of Police of its intention to organise the demonstration in accordance with Section 1(2) of Ghana’s Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491).
Committees will be established at the national and regional levels to coordinate the demonstrations, with further details to be communicated through the committees, the unions said.
South Africa’s Eskom Board Chair Nyati Gets Three-Year Term Extension
South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom said on Thursday that its board chairperson, Mteto Nyati, has been given a three-year extension to his mandate, effective Nov. 1.
Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced the extension, Eskom said.
The extension will provide continuity in governance and strategic oversight as Eskom works to improve operational and financial sustainability, strengthen its competitiveness and create long-term value.
Under Nyati’s leadership, Eskom’s board has overseen improvements in operational performance, governance and financial results, including reduced reliance on diesel-fired generation and profits in two consecutive financial years.
The board has also overseen progress in Eskom’s restructuring, including the establishment and operationalisation of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) and the launch of Eskom Green, the utility’s renewable energy business.
“We are rebuilding an economic asset for South Africa. The extension of Mr Nyati’s term provides continuity and leadership certainty at a time when Eskom is being positioned for long-term sustainability,” Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane said.
Marokane said Nyati was respected across Eskom, the energy industry and among key stakeholders, including organised labour, investors and the wider business community.
Nyati said he had accepted the reappointment with humility and understood the expectations placed on Eskom by the country.
“Over the past three years, Eskom’s employees have shown what is possible. They have proved that impossible is not a fact; it is an opinion,” Nyati said.
He said Eskom should support industrialisation in South Africa and the Southern African Development Community region.
“Eskom must be more than a supplier of power. It must be a platform for growth,” Nyati said.
Ghana: Tema Oil Refinery, GNPC Take Delivery Of 950,000 Barrels Of Sankofa-Gye Nyame Crude
Ghana’s Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), in partnership with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has taken delivery of 950,000 barrels of light sweet crude oil from the Sankofa-Gye Nyame field in the Offshore Cape Three Point (OCTP) block, TOR said on Friday.
The crude was delivered by Sonangol Cazenga, marking the first time a Ghanaian refinery has received a cargo of crude from the Sankofa field for processing, TOR said.
The shipment is part of efforts to strengthen domestic refining capacity and improve Ghana’s energy security, the refinery said.
TOR said the collaboration with GNPC would help strengthen links between Ghana’s upstream and downstream petroleum sectors and retain more value from the country’s crude resources within the domestic economy.
TOR’s Managing Director said the partnership demonstrated the potential for greater cooperation between upstream and downstream operators to improve crude supply, support refinery operations and create more value from Ghana’s petroleum resources.
He said the Sankofa crude cargo provided an opportunity for TOR to strengthen its operations while supporting Ghana’s efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable petroleum industry.
TOR and GNPC are also discussing further areas of cooperation, the refinery said.
The TOR managing director thanked President John Dramani Mahama, Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor and GNPC’s chief executive and management for their support and partnership.
He also thanked TOR’s tolling partners, Fujairah and Triangle Commodities Trading (TCT), for their continued support.
TOR resumed crude oil refining in late December 2025 and has since processed Bonga crude from Nigeria and Jubilee crude from Ghana’s Jubilee field, the refinery said.
The refinery is currently processing about 28,000 barrels of crude per stream.
TOR said the collaboration with GNPC would help strengthen links between Ghana’s upstream and downstream petroleum sectors and retain more value from the country’s crude resources within the domestic economy.
TOR’s Managing Director said the partnership demonstrated the potential for greater cooperation between upstream and downstream operators to improve crude supply, support refinery operations and create more value from Ghana’s petroleum resources.
He said the Sankofa crude cargo provided an opportunity for TOR to strengthen its operations while supporting Ghana’s efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable petroleum industry.
TOR and GNPC are also discussing further areas of cooperation, the refinery said.
The TOR managing director thanked President John Dramani Mahama, Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor and GNPC’s chief executive and management for their support and partnership.
He also thanked TOR’s tolling partners, Fujairah and Triangle Commodities Trading (TCT), for their continued support.
TOR resumed crude oil refining in late December 2025 and has since processed Bonga crude from Nigeria and Jubilee crude from Ghana’s Jubilee field, the refinery said.
The refinery is currently processing about 28,000 barrels of crude per stream. Saudi Arabia Sells 100 Million Barrels Of Crude To Asia Via Hormuz
Saudi Arabia has sold almost 100 million barrels of crude to Asian buyers via the Strait of Hormuz since the middle of last week, when it pivoted to the chokepoint it wanted to avoid with the East-West pipeline to the Red Sea.
With the pipeline out of service, the Kingdom has sold 100 million barrels of crude, which is roughly one day of total global oil demand, to Asian buyers for October and November delivery through the Strait of Hormuz, trade sources with knowledge of the deals told Bloomberg on Thursday.
The Saudis are offering to take care of the logistics and ship the cargoes to Asia, according to Bloomberg’s sources who wished to remain anonymous.
Buyers of the Saudi crude include Chinese refiners, both state-owned and teapots, plus refineries in India, South Korea, and Japan.
The sales flurry from Saudi oil giant Aramco would more than double the recent flows of Saudi crude from the Hormuz route to Asia, according to Bloomberg’s estimates.
Since it was forced to shut down the East-West pipeline that bypasses Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has offered buyers of crude from the Ras Tanura port to be loaded via ship-to-ship (STS) transfers at the port of Sohar in Oman just outside the Strait of Hormuz.
The Kingdom has hiked shuttle-shipping to the Strait of Hormuz, and the rise in Saudi crude oil exports through the Strait has capped the upside in oil prices despite the outage of the East-West pipeline.
Saudi Arabia this week restored partial operations on the pipeline, but full resumption of flows of about 4 million barrels per day (bpd) would likely take weeks.
Meanwhile, the soaring Saudi sales of crude via Hormuz will keep some supply going to Asia while Red Sea exports recover.
Higher Hormuz shipments could also ease concerns about tumbling supply and cap oil price spikes
Nigeria: TotalEnergies, AMNI Take FID On Ima Gas Development
French oil and gas company TotalEnergies and its partner AMNI have taken a final investment decision (FID) on the development of the Ima gas field, located across the OML 112 and OML 117 offshore licences in Nigeria, TotalEnergies said on Wednesday.
TotalEnergies, which operates the project, holds a 40% stake, while AMNI holds the remaining 60%.
Located in shallow waters near Bonny Island, the Ima field will be developed with a single platform connected by a 22-km pipeline to Nigeria LNG’s liquefaction plant, in which TotalEnergies holds a 15% stake.
Production is expected to start in 2028, with output reaching a plateau of 350 million cubic feet per day, equivalent to more than 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, the company said.
The field is expected to supply about one-third of the gas required for Nigeria LNG’s Train 7 expansion, which will increase the plant’s liquefaction capacity to 30 million metric tons per annum (Mtpa) from 22 Mtpa.
TotalEnergies said the Ima project is designed as a low-cost, low-emissions development, featuring a simplified platform, electricity supplied from shore, no routine flaring and continuous methane detection and monitoring.
The project is being developed with Nigerian company AMNI and will have a strong local content component, with all key contractors expected to be Nigerian companies, TotalEnergies said.
About 60% of the workforce during the development phase is expected to be recruited from host communities, it added.
“We are very pleased to announce the FID for the Ima gas project, marking a new milestone in the deployment of our integrated gas strategy in Nigeria,” Nicolas Terraz, TotalEnergies’ president of exploration and production, said in a statement.
The project follows the Ubeta gas development, which was sanctioned in 2024 and is expected to start production in 2027, Terraz said.
He added that Ima would contribute to Nigeria LNG’s gas supply and create value for the project’s partners and Nigeria.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) welcomed the investment decision by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Ltd and AMNI International Petroleum Development Company Ltd.
NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan said the project’s progress was supported by measures introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to encourage investment in the sector.
“As the chief regulator in the industry, we will enable business and unplug obstacles. The president has set the path for us, and we are determined to follow through,” Eyesan said.
She said the NUPRC would continue working with the project partners and other stakeholders to ensure the development is delivered on schedule and in line with regulatory standards.
The field is expected to supply about one-third of the gas required for Nigeria LNG’s Train 7 expansion, which will increase the plant’s liquefaction capacity to 30 million metric tons per annum (Mtpa) from 22 Mtpa.
TotalEnergies said the Ima project is designed as a low-cost, low-emissions development, featuring a simplified platform, electricity supplied from shore, no routine flaring and continuous methane detection and monitoring.
The project is being developed with Nigerian company AMNI and will have a strong local content component, with all key contractors expected to be Nigerian companies, TotalEnergies said.
About 60% of the workforce during the development phase is expected to be recruited from host communities, it added.
“We are very pleased to announce the FID for the Ima gas project, marking a new milestone in the deployment of our integrated gas strategy in Nigeria,” Nicolas Terraz, TotalEnergies’ president of exploration and production, said in a statement.
The project follows the Ubeta gas development, which was sanctioned in 2024 and is expected to start production in 2027, Terraz said.
He added that Ima would contribute to Nigeria LNG’s gas supply and create value for the project’s partners and Nigeria.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) welcomed the investment decision by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Ltd and AMNI International Petroleum Development Company Ltd.
NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan said the project’s progress was supported by measures introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to encourage investment in the sector.
“As the chief regulator in the industry, we will enable business and unplug obstacles. The president has set the path for us, and we are determined to follow through,” Eyesan said.
She said the NUPRC would continue working with the project partners and other stakeholders to ensure the development is delivered on schedule and in line with regulatory standards. Ghana: No Electricity, Water Tariff Increase In Fourth Quarter, PURC Says
Electricity and water consumers in Ghana will not face tariff increases in the fourth quarter of 2026, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) said on Thursday.
The regulator said in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Shafic Suleman, that tariffs applicable in the third quarter would remain unchanged from Oct. 1, representing a zero percent adjustment.
PURC increased electricity tariffs by 3.49% and water tariffs by 0.85% for the third quarter.
The quarterly review is intended to ensure utility tariffs reflect prevailing economic and operational conditions while supporting the financial viability of service providers, PURC said.
The regulator said the reviews also consider the potential impact of tariff adjustments on consumers and are aimed at preserving the real value of tariffs while enabling utility companies to maintain reliable services.
In setting the fourth-quarter tariffs, PURC considered factors including the exchange rate between the Ghanaian cedi and the U.S. dollar, domestic inflation, the electricity generation mix and fuel costs, particularly natural gas used by thermal power plants.
PURC applied a weighted average exchange rate of GH¢11.5646 to the dollar for the fourth quarter, representing a 3.04% depreciation of the cedi from the third-quarter rate of GH¢11.2228 to the dollar.
The regulator also applied an average annual inflation rate of 4.97% for the quarter, up from 3.43% in the previous quarter.
For electricity generation, PURC assumed hydropower would account for 24.25% of the generation mix in the fourth quarter, up from 20.90% in the third quarter.
Thermal generation was projected to fall to 75.75% from 79.10%.
Liberia’s Mines Minister Calls For Investment In Mineral, Energy Sectors
Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy R. Matenokay Tingban has called for increased private-sector investment in the country’s mineral and energy sectors, saying reliable geological data, infrastructure and practical partnerships are needed to unlock its natural resource potential.
Tingban made the comments during a fireside interview at the University Club in New York led by author and former CBS News correspondent Jacqueline Adams.
The government-led engagement was aimed at showcasing Liberia’s mineral potential and investment opportunities in mining, energy and other productive sectors.
The discussion was followed by questions from U.S.-based investors, business leaders and other stakeholders interested in investment opportunities in Liberia, particularly its mineral resources and related industries.
Tingban said Liberia needed to move from prolonged discussions to practical action that would create jobs, expand infrastructure and generate economic benefits for its people.
“We want to graduate from theory to practicality,” Tingban said.
He said Liberia had significant mineral potential beyond its traditional iron ore, gold and diamond resources, adding that recent geochemical work had identified indications of additional mineral resources, including some with potential strategic importance.
However, he said further geological studies were needed to establish the location, quantity, quality and commercial viability of those resources.
“No data, no deal,” Tingban said, stressing the importance of reliable geoscientific information in helping the government make informed decisions and negotiate mineral development agreements.
He said the government’s immediate priority was to generate comprehensive geological data using modern technology.
Such data, he said, would help identify mineral resources more accurately, reduce investment risks and provide a stronger basis for negotiations with investors.
“Once we generate the data, we know exactly what to discuss when we get to the table,” he said.
Tingban also said mineral development would require adequate infrastructure, including roads, railways, ports and other transportation networks linking mines to markets.
He described the approach as an integrated system in which mineral production, transportation infrastructure, ports and international markets work together to support investment and economic growth.
Turning to the energy sector, Tingban highlighted Liberia’s potential for solar and hydropower development, saying reliable and affordable electricity was essential to industrialisation, mineral processing and value addition.
He pointed to ongoing and proposed renewable energy and hydropower projects as potential areas for private investment, saying Liberia’s electricity generation capacity remained below potential demand.
Tingban said value addition to Liberia’s natural resources would also depend on access to reliable and affordable electricity.
“We need value addition, and how do we sustain value addition without stable, affordable and accessible power,” he quizzed.
Liberia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy has previously said the country’s electricity access increased from 32.7% in 2024 to 38% in 2026, while installed generation capacity stood at 146 megawatts, mainly from hydropower and solar.
The ministry has estimated that implementing Liberia’s Mission 300 Energy Compact would require about $1.5 billion in investment.
Tingban encouraged investors to consider opportunities in mineral exploration, energy, infrastructure and related industries, saying the government was seeking partnerships that could support long-term investment.
“We are inviting investment into Liberia,” he said.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has said it is working to strengthen geological research, mineral-sector governance and energy development as part of efforts to attract investment and increase the contribution of the country’s natural resources to economic development.
UN Launches Mechanism To Support Critical Mineral-Producing Countries
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday announced a new mechanism to help resource-rich developing countries build sustainable mineral value chains as demand for critical minerals rises with the global energy transition.
Guinea, Indonesia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be the first countries to receive dedicated support under the Country Support Mechanism on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.
The mechanism will provide coordinated technical and capacity-building assistance aimed at strengthening governance, value addition, industrial development and environmental and human rights safeguards, the United Nations said.
“The countries that hold the critical minerals powering the energy transition must be the first to benefit from them,” Guterres said. “The Country Support Mechanism puts equity and justice into practice – to turn mineral wealth into jobs and prosperity at home.”
Critical minerals including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are used in technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and battery storage.
Demand for critical minerals is expected to almost triple by 2030 as countries seek to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions, the United Nations said.
For developing countries with significant mineral resources, rising demand could support economic diversification, value addition, industrial development and job creation. But weak governance and poor management of mineral resources can leave countries dependent on raw-material exports while exposing communities to environmental and social risks, the UN said.
The mechanism will be led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Development Coordination Office, working through UN Resident Offices in participating countries. It will coordinate expertise from across the UN system and tailor support to individual countries’ needs.
The initiative will be guided by recommendations from Guterres’ Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, which has called for greater equity, sustainability and transparency in the development of mineral resources.
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister Amon Murwira welcomed the initiative, saying critical minerals should deliver greater value addition and participation in mineral supply chains for resource-rich developing countries.
Zambia’s Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe said his country wanted to increase domestic value addition, industrialisation and employment rather than simply expand mineral production.
“Critical minerals can help countries diversify and transform their economies,” UNDP Administrator Alexander de Croo said, adding that value creation, environmental protection and good governance needed to advance together.
UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen said the agency would contribute expertise on environmental protection, circularity and resilient livelihoods.
UN Trade and Development Deputy Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno said the mechanism would help resource-rich developing countries build value chains, governance systems and industrial capacity.
The Country Support Mechanism is part of the broader work of the UN Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, co-led by UNDP, the UN Conference on Trade and Development and the UN Environment Programme.
The task force is coordinating UN efforts to implement recommendations from Guterres’ panel and help countries use their mineral resources to support sustainable development, economic diversification and the clean-energy transition.