Author: Victor Olayiwola

DAKAR, Senegal, April 20, 2026 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) (www.Olympics.com) has announced the first group of Athlete Role Models (http://apo-opa.co/3Qky50M) for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) (http://apo-opa.co/4clOeLQ), marking an important step in preparations for the first Olympic sporting event to be held on the African continent. Key facts The IOC has announced an initial list of 31 Athlete Role Models for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, including multiple Olympic champions and medallists. The Athlete Role Models will provide mentoring and workshop training to young athletes on site during Dakar 2026. In collaboration with the International Federations, experienced Olympians…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 20, 2026 Emirates (http://www.Emirates.com) has continued its commitment to making travel more accessible for all, by successfully arranging bespoke Emirates Travel Rehearsals across more than 40 cities globally over the past year. With more than 250 families positively impacted, Emirates Travel Rehearsals are designed to support children and young adults with autism, allowing them to practice the journey through the airport to prepare for real flights – easing travel anxiety and empowering them to fly with more confidence. After the initial Emirates Travel Rehearsals in Dubai resulted in positive feedback from families, schools and autism…

LUANDA, Angola, April 20, 2026 Petrobras President Magda Chambriard has been confirmed as a speaker at the upcoming Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition – taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference day on September 8. Building on a series of deals signed between Angola and Brazil in recent months, Chambriard’s participation cements the re-entry of a major deepwater operator into Angola and the strengthening of South Atlantic upstream partnerships. Chambriard’s participation comes at a time when Petrobras is renewing its engagement with Angola. In 2025, the company signed two deals, marking its return to the market and…

LONDON, United Kingdom s, April 20, 2026 In a test of institutional appetite for African credit, Liquid Intelligent Technologies (www.Liquid.Tech) has closed a $ 660 million debt financing round, including a $300 million Eurobond that was oversubscribed 2.5 times – a result that signified a meaningful vote of confidence in the continent’s digital infrastructure story. The bond, listed on Euronext Dublin and issued under Rule 144A/Regulation S, formed the centrepiece of a broader debt paydown and refinancing completed by Liquid, the pan-African fibre and technology business owned by Cassava Technologies. The transaction retires the company’s prior debt obligations, extends its…

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 20, 2026 Ghana’s Minister for Energy & Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, will join African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 this October. Backed by a newly secured $3.5-billion investment drive and a pivot toward nuclear and battery-supported renewables, the Minister is expected to share critical insights into Ghana’s regulatory reforms and the future of its offshore blocks. Under Minister Jinapor’s leadership, the ministry has prioritized boosting upstream activity, with recent reforms designed to reinvigorate exploration activity and attract fresh capital to offshore blocks struggling with declines. In early 2026, the government secured a $3.5 billion investment drive…

LAGOS, Nigeria, April 20, 2026 On Location, the Official Hospitality Provider of the FIFA World Cup 26™, has expanded its partnership with Integral (www.Integralsande.com), appointing the company as a Referral Agent in Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Senegal for the tournament’s official hospitality programme. Building on its successful role as Nigeria’s Exclusive Sales Agent, Integral will now support awareness, market engagement, and client referrals across key West African markets, connecting fans, brands, and corporate organizations in Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Senegal to official FIFA World Cup 26™ hospitality experiences. “We are excited to deepen our relationship with Integral as we expand into new…

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 20, 2026 The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) on Thursday concluded a landmark Consultative Dialogue on a New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD, formerly NAFA), with a bold roadmap to address Africa’s development financing gap. The day-long dialogue held 9th April, resulted in the adoption of an 11-point “Abidjan Consensus” on NAFAD. NAFAD is designed to overcome the structural obstacles to mobilising resources on a large-scale, to plug Africa’s $400 billion annual development finance gap. Among the commitments made by participants was a resolution to unlock Africa’s vast domestic savings, and channel them into productive investment on…

LONDON, United Kingdom, April 20, 2026 Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has announced the successful closing of a US$100 million, 5-year loan facility from the Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank), further strengthening its long-standing partnership with the institution. The facility, signed at AFC’s just concluded Investor Day in London, will support AFC’s mandate to accelerate development of critical infrastructure and industrial assets across Africa. In an economic environment characterised by global market volatility and evolving investor dynamics, this transaction is strategically significant as it underscores AFC’s access to alternative liquidity pools beyond…

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 20, 2026 The Government of Italy, through the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) have signed a bilateral co-financing agreement strengthening their strategic partnership to support priority projects across key sectors in Africa, including energy, agriculture, water, infrastructure, and human capital development. The agreement was signed by the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, and Italy’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, in Washington D.C., marking a significant milestone in the implementation…

PARIS, France, April 20, 2026 African energy markets are advancing a diversified pipeline of renewable energy projects that reflect a broader shift from fragmented national planning toward integrated, investment-ready power systems. At the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum in Paris on April 22–23, countries including Senegal, the DRC, Djibouti, Zambia and Guinea-Conakry are expected to showcase opportunities spanning solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower, each offering distinct entry points for developers, financiers and institutional investors. Senegal’s Grid Expansion Push Senegal continues to position itself as one of West Africa’s most structured renewable energy markets, supported by its Just Energy Transition…