Author: Victor Olayiwola

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of), April 14, 2026 Energy major TotalEnergies has announced a new hydrocarbon discovery on the Moho license offshore the Republic of Congo, marking a strategic milestone for a country rapidly pursuing 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in oil production. Led by TotalEnergies as operator (63.5%) alongside Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC) – which is led by Managing Director Raoul Ominga – and Trident Energy, the discovery targeted the Moho G structure at the broader Moho complex, reinforcing the country’s position as a leading mature producer with untapped upside. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) commends TotalEnergies for this latest…

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 14, 2026 Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has reached financial close and disbursed €43 million under the Poro Power Green Bond, the first project finance green bond in Cote d’Ivoire and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). Structured as a €65 million dual-currency facility in euros and CFA francs (EUR/XOF), the bond will finance the construction of a 66MW solar power plant in the northern Korhogo region. Once operational in 2027, the project – developed by Poro Power – is expected to become Côte d’Ivoire’s largest solar plant.…

MUSCAT, Oman, April 14, 2026 Renaissance Services (www.RenaissanceServices.com), Oman’s leading integrated facilities management (IFM) and accommodation solutions company, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Socat LLC, the Omani arm of the French multinational Sodexo, as part of a strategic growth initiative. The acquisition further consolidates Renaissance’s market leadership and expands its service capabilities across the Sultanate. Socat’s client base includes commercial and institutional facilities, and this strategic acquisition enhances Renaissance’s operational footprint and adds new value-based facility management (FM) capabilities to the Company’s portfolio. Speaking on the occasion, Samir J Fancy, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Renaissance…

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 14, 2026 Africa’s downstream sector is back on the radar as global supply disruptions brought about by the Gulf war highlight a need for a strategic re-thinking of African energy systems. With over 600 million people living without access to electricity, 900 million people living without access to clean cooking solutions and African oil demand set to reach 4.5 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2050, industry stakeholders at ARDA Week 2026 issued a call to expand refining capacity, reduce import dependency and unlock greater value from the continent’s hydrocarbon resources. Delivering a keynote address…

CAIRO, Egypt, April 14, 2026 African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has announced the signing of the Hosting Agreement with the Government of St Kitts and Nevis for the fifth edition of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2026). The signing of the host agreement highlights a shared resolve to deepen Afri-Caribbean partnerships and enhance trade and economic ties. ACTIF2026 will take place from 29–31 July 2026 at the St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort, Casino & Spa in Basseterre. Commenting on the signing, Dr George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, noted that: “At the fifth edition…

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 14, 2026 As global aluminium prices surge – hitting a four-year high of $3,492 per ton in March 2026 – driven by tensions in the Middle East, the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) 2026, scheduled for October 14-16 in Cape Town, will explore the challenges and opportunities emerging for Africa within the global aluminium supply chain. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz – which accounts for approximately 12% of global aluminium trade – and attacks on industrial infrastructure across the Middle East – a region responsible for 9% of global output – are disrupting…

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 13, 2026 The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.EnergyChamber.org) has welcomed bp’s acquisition of a 60% operating interest in three offshore exploration blocks in Namibia, describing the move as a strong endorsement of Africa’s frontier basins and the continent’s growing role in global energy supply. The transaction, which gives bp operatorship of blocks PEL97, PEL99 and PEL100 in Namibia’s Walvis Basin, marks a significant expansion of the UK supermajor’s African upstream footprint. The assets were acquired from Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas, with bp stepping into a position that places it closer to Namibia’s rapidly evolving deepwater…

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 13, 2026 Senegal is reinforcing the policy architecture behind its new hydrocarbons era, with the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mines launching reforms to the legal framework for local content in the extractive sector in March 2026. The reforms are aimed at improving national value retention while maintaining momentum on upstream and infrastructure development. The move comes as Dakar works to translate first oil and first gas into broader industrial growth, stronger domestic participation and long-term energy security. Against this backdrop, Birame Soulèye Diop, Senegal’s Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, will speak at African…

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 13, 2026 Few figures have been as closely associated with the rise of the cryptocurrency industry as Binance (www.Binance.com) co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ). In his new memoir,  Freedom of Money, A Memoir of Protecting Users, Resilience, and the Founding of Binance,  CZ offers a candid account of the early days of crypto, the rapid explosion of Binance, and the personal consequences of building at the centre of one of the fastest moving industries in modern finance. Available globally from 08th April 2026 on Amazon Kindle and Paperback, Freedom of Money traces CZ’s journey from his early life…

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 13, 2026 Africa Data Centres (www.AfricaDataCentres.com), a business of Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, has partnered with fibre optic cable infrastructure provider Oni-Tel Fibre Networks to strengthen connectivity across its Gauteng facilities. Under the agreement, Oni-Tel will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity to Africa Data Centres’ Midrand and Samrand campuses through its Infinity fibre interconnection platform. Purpose-built for data centre interconnectivity on a resilient network with direct access to Gauteng’s key data centre hubs, this provides customers with fast, high-capacity bandwidth and secure, carrier-grade performance, supporting the levels of uptime required in today’s…