Category: Africa

Source: APO – Report:

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Global energy services and oilfield equipment provider NOV has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) (www.AECWeek.com) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting Africa’s upstream growth, offshore expansion and energy infrastructure development. NOV’s participation comes as African oil and gas producers accelerate drilling campaigns and fast-track project execution to strengthen energy security, industrialization and export revenues.

As demand for advanced oilfield technologies and drilling services grows across the continent, NOV is positioning itself at the forefront of Africa’s next phase of hydrocarbon development. The company’s portfolio spans drilling automation, digital well optimization, offshore rig systems, production technologies and FPSO-related equipment, placing it among the leading technology providers supporting increasingly complex African oil and gas projects.

NOV’s participation at AEW 2026 is particularly timely as mature producers such as Angola, Nigeria, Algeria, Libya, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea intensify drilling activity to sustain production and unlock additional reserves. At the same time, frontier markets, including Namibia, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, are advancing new offshore exploration campaigns that require advanced deepwater technologies and efficient project execution capabilities.

In Egypt, NOV recently demonstrated the impact of its digital drilling technologies through the deployment of its Drilling Beliefs & Analytics solution in the Western Desert. By leveraging remote operations and real-time monitoring of machinery and well conditions, the operator achieved the longest bit run in the field’s history while improving drilling efficiency and reducing operational costs. The project eliminated the need for multiple in-person site visits, saving approximately $75,000, highlighting how automation is increasingly reshaping Africa’s upstream sector.

NOV’s NOVOS automation platform and Kaizen AI drilling optimization systems are expected to play an increasingly important role as African operators expand offshore drilling programs where efficiency, safety and reduced non-productive time have become critical priorities.

Beyond drilling optimization, NOV continues to strengthen its role in Africa’s gas monetization drive. In 2024, the company secured multiple orders for advanced gas processing and water treatment equipment packages for floating production storage and offloading units destined for operations in West Africa. The contracts reinforce NOV’s growing participation in offshore gas infrastructure projects supporting regional energy resilience, LNG expansion and export capacity growth.

“Africa’s economic stability will depend heavily on its ability to drill more wells, develop infrastructure faster and commercialize its oil and gas resources efficiently,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The digital transformation taking place across the global energy industry cannot be ignored, and NOV is bringing advanced innovation into African oil and gas operations to simplify processes, improve safety and accelerate project delivery.”

NOV’s participation at AEW 2026 reflects its broader ambitions to scale its services across the continent. As the largest energy gathering in Africa, the event convenes operators, investors, policymakers and service providers to discuss the future of the continent’s energy sector.

– on behalf of African Energy Week (AEW).

Source: APO – Report:

In response to the intensifying climate emergency and the growing challenges of water resource management across the continent, the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) (www.UAR-AUB.org), in partnership with the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) and HEC Montréal, proudly announces the launch of an exclusive webinar series.

The inaugural session will take place on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, from 12:00 to 13:00 (UTC) / 08:00 to 09:00 (Montreal Time).

Inaugural Theme: “Water Beyond Borders” Understanding the Problem: Water Failure, Groundwater Depletion, and Transboundary Water Governance and Cooperation

This first webinar aims to lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the economic, political, and environmental mechanisms surrounding water management in Africa. By directly addressing the critical concepts of “water failure” and groundwater depletion, the AUB and its leading academic partners seek to equip and mobilize key stakeholders to drive more impactful media coverage and public discourse on these existential issues.

Who Should Participate?

This highly interactive event is open to a broad audience committed to Africa’s environmental future:

• Content Creators: Influencers and bloggers dedicated to environmental causes.
• Civil Society: Field actors, activists, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Academia: Students, researchers, and environmental experts.

By bridging the gap between scientists, policymakers, and media communicators, this joint initiative aims to transform public perception of the water crisis and stimulate effective, cross-border cooperation to preserve Africa’s most vital resource.

Registration Information

Secure your spot for the inaugural webinar by registering via the link below:

https://apo-opa.co/43ve76B

– on behalf of African Union of Broadcasting (AUB).

Source: APO

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Africa’s energy sector is entering a different phase of capital formation. For the past two decades, the focus has been on attracting international investment into the continent’s upstream oil and gas projects. Now, a growing base of African sovereign wealth funds, state-backed vehicles and independent operators have both the balance sheet strength and the strategic mandate to look beyond domestic opportunities.

This shift is already beginning to translate into outward-looking investment strategies, with South America emerging as a key target market. Africa’s oil and gas production is expected to reach 11.4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026, with upstream capital expenditure at $41 billion. At the same time, asset sales and farm-downs are creating entry points for new players, while transactions such as Vitol’s $1.65 billion acquisition of Eni assets in Ivory Coast and the Republic of Congo reflect a broader shift toward independents and trading houses taking a more prominent role.

As African players consolidate positions at home, attention is increasingly turning outward. South America offers large-scale, resource-rich opportunities with increasingly well-defined development pathways. Brazil’s pre-salt continues to deliver some of the most competitive deepwater barrels globally, while Argentina’s Vaca Muerta is moving into a new phase focused on infrastructure, LNG exports and long-term monetization. Beyond upstream, Brazil’s offshore gas infrastructure, FPSO-driven developments and subsea supply chains are creating opportunities across services and midstream segments, while Argentina’s LNG export ambitions, pipeline expansions and gas processing infrastructure are opening the door to long-term capital deployment.

The opportunity, however, is not one-directional. African investors are entering the market with relevant experience. Exposure to deepwater developments, LNG monetization and complex project structures is increasingly common among state-backed funds and their partners. This is particularly relevant in areas such as floating LNG and gas commercialization, where Africa has already demonstrated operational capability in markets like Congo, Nigeria, Cameroon and Mozambique. That expertise is directly transferable to South America’s next phase of gas and infrastructure development.

A South Atlantic Energy Corridor is beginning to take shape, driven by capital flows, shared investment priorities and growing institutional ties. Africa and South America are often seen as competing for the same capital, technology and market access, but there is increasing scope for coordination. African capital is seeking diversification and scale, while South America is advancing projects that require long-term investment and experienced partners.

Institutional alignment will be critical to realizing this potential, and the groundwork is already in place. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) has developed bilateral engagement frameworks linking Latin American stakeholders with African governments, national oil companies and private sector players. In Venezuela, this has been formalized through cooperation with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and PDVSA across upstream, gas and investment promotion, while similar structures have been advanced with Brazil. The objective is to move beyond ad hoc engagement toward structured South-South energy cooperation, leveraging the Chamber’s network across more than 40 African countries to create direct pathways for investment, partnerships and government-to-government collaboration.

“The Atlantic has historically been treated as a barrier between these two regions,” said NJ Ayuk, AEC Executive Chairman. “The reality is that it is a corridor – and the opportunity is to build the institutional and commercial relationships that allow capital, technology and expertise to move in both directions.”

There is also a broader strategic dimension. Both Africa and South America have taken clear positions on energy sovereignty, local content and the right to develop hydrocarbon resources in line with national priorities. Aligning those positions at a multilateral level – from the G20 to the International Energy Forum – strengthens their collective influence at a time when global energy policy remains contested.

The capital required to develop the next generation of energy projects will not come from traditional sources alone. As South America advances large-scale developments across deepwater, LNG and infrastructure, the opportunity lies in engaging that capital early, before investment relationships are locked in elsewhere.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

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African health leaders and global partners have agreed to strengthen regional coordination and resource mobilisation to contain the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, while also safeguarding essential services such as education and routine healthcare, including continued efforts to contain cholera, measles and other outbreaks on the continent.

The commitments were endorsed during a high-level ministerial cross-border coordination meeting convened in Kampala by the Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, together with ministers of health from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and technical partners.

The meeting focused on strengthening surveillance, harmonising preparedness measures across borders, sustaining frontline services and reinforcing regional solidarity in the face of a growing outbreak.

Leaders stressed that the outbreak is unfolding in a region characterised by intense cross-border movement, insecurity and limited access to approved vaccines or therapeutics for the Bundibugyo strain, underscoring the importance of a coordinated regional response.

Speaking during a media briefing after the meeting, Dr Kaseya said the scale and trajectory of the outbreak required sustained continental solidarity and coordination.

“This outbreak is not a DRC issue, it is a regional issue,” Dr Kaseya said. “Those who believe that it is a DRC issue will be surprised, as it was during COVID. We need to take it as a regional, even continental issue, and deal with that.”

So far, the outbreak has resulted in 96 confirmed cases and 11 confirmed deaths across the DRC and Uganda, with an additional 867 suspected cases and 204 suspected deaths under investigation.

The DRC’s Minister of Health, Dr Roger Kamba, said insecurity and laboratory limitations had complicated the response during the early phase of the outbreak. “The delay was due to the fact that the laboratory in Bunia could not detect the Bundibugyo strain, and it was necessary to send the samples to Kinshasa,” he said.

Dr Kamba also said the DRC government was engaging diplomatic and mediation channels, including international partners, to facilitate access and coordination in areas under M23 control so that Ebola response activities could continue across affected regions. He stressed that a unified response across all affected territories was essential to containing the outbreak.

The meeting endorsed a unified continental response framework built around a “one team, one plan, one budget and one implementation model” under the continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST) jointly coordinated by Africa CDC and WHO. President Yoweri Museveni offered to host the IMST in Kampala.

Emergency Director at WHO-AFRO Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire said the response would depend on close coordination and solidarity among countries and partners. “No single agency, no single country can respond to this magnitude of outbreak alone,” she said. “Coordination, solidarity and collaboration are critical to this response.”

Participants agreed on a broad package of regional actions, including strengthening cross-border surveillance and early warning systems, harmonising public health measures at official and unofficial points of entry, improving laboratory and diagnostic capacity, and reinforcing infection prevention and control measures.

UNICEF Regional Director Ms Etleva Kadilli highlighted the importance of protecting essential services, including education, routine healthcare and social support systems. “Maintaining essential services – health, nutrition and protection, especially for children, girls and women – is going to be paramount,” she said.

Partners highlighted the disproportionate impact of the outbreak on women and frontline caregivers. Representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Regional Director Ms Lydia Zigomo said women accounted for most of the infections recorded so far.

“Women actually are representing more than 60% of the infections in this outbreak,” she said. “Mainly that’s because they’re frontline responders. At the home level, they’re the ones nursing sick people.”

Leaders further called for accelerated research and development for vaccines and therapeutics targeting the Bundibugyo strain, while urging countries and partners to strengthen community engagement, risk communication, laboratory systems and preparedness capacities across at-risk border districts.

While partners’ needs were being consolidated under a joint plan and budget, estimates were that about US$264 million could be required for response operations in the DRC and Uganda, with an additional US$54 million needed to strengthen preparedness across neighbouring high-risk countries, including South Sudan. But Dr Kaseya said the figures remained preliminary.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media Contact:
Directorate of Communication & Public Information
Communications@africacdc.org

About Africa CDC:
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: www.AfricaCDC.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.co/4dTzFPk), X (https://apo-opa.co/4uzeQzu), Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4dMegr5), and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/4fa42mH).

Source: APO

By Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) and Chair of World Rugby’s Regions. 

As we celebrate Africa Day under the theme “63 Years of Unity, Integration and Development,” a question emerges: are unity and integration translating into clear outcomes across the world? When investment, capacity, and infrastructure remain uneven, shared systems cannot produce shared growth outcomes.

As President of Rugby Africa, I see this reality up close. And this is not theoretical: sport does not develop by chance. It develops when leadership is disciplined, structures are built properly, and investment is directed where it matters most.

Winning off the field

The reality is simple: winning off the field matters just as much as winning on it. What is seen on match day is only the outcome. Behind it lies governance, planning, funding, player welfare, coaching structures, and long-term strategy. When those foundations are weak, success becomes episodic rather than sustainable. 

Over the years, in rugby and in previous roles in football administration, I have seen how pressure can distort decision-making. Fans demand results. Stakeholders expect progress. Everyone wants success now. But consistent success is built on structure, not urgency. In sport, as in business, planning is what prevents chaos. When finances are mismanaged, when development pathways are weak, or when investment in people is neglected, performance eventually suffers. Strong governance produces strong sport, which is where integration becomes critical.

Integration strengthens the game

Too often, talent in Africa is still constrained by geography, language barriers, and outdated selection models. Integration is what removes those barriers. When properly applied, integration creates shared knowledge systems, coordinated development, and stronger competition structures across borders. It allows the game to grow beyond isolated national frameworks into a connected ecosystem. South Africa has shown how rugby can be both excellent and inclusive. 

As four-time Rugby World Cup champions, they have not only elevated the sport through success, but also through a model that reflects a more inclusive society. That integration widened the talent base, strengthened credibility, and ultimately made the sport more competitive. The lesson is clear: inclusion is not a social objective separate from performance; it is a performance driver.

Africa must shape its own development

But integration must go further than participation in systems designed elsewhere. It must include participation in decision-making. No two regions operate under the same economic, logistical, or social conditions. Some face infrastructure gaps. Others face travel costs and limited domestic competition. A one-size-fits-all development model cannot work.

Africa understands its own realities best. Yet too often, development frameworks risk becoming compliance exercises — structured more around reporting than impact. That is where the focus must shift: from activity to outcomes.

Africa’s youth are the future

This becomes even more urgent when we look at Africa’s demographic reality. The United Nations reports that Africa has the world’s youngest population, with a median age of around 19 years, compared to approximately 31 globally and over 40 in parts of Europe. This is central to the future of sport. Rugby is competing for attention, participation, and relevance. It cannot stand still.
If investment is directed into youth systems, school programmes, academies, and accessible pathways, Africa will become central to the future growth of the game. If it is not, rugby will miss its most significant opportunity for expansion.

From promises to measurable growth

It is no longer enough to speak about development in abstract terms. Investment must translate into measurable outcomes: stronger coaching systems, better competitions, safer player welfare structures, and visible pathways for young athletes.

On this Africa Day, we should measure progress not by intention, but by impact. Africa will only succeed on the field when it first succeeds off it, through systems that are built to last, and leadership that is accountable to growth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.

To Download Official Opinion Piece: https://apo-opa.co/3Rn9pVV

Media Contact:
Nicole Vervelde
Communications Manager 
nicole.vervelde@rugbyafrique.com

About Rugby Africa:
Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is the governing body of rugby in Africa and one of the regional associations under World Rugby. It unites all African countries that play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes various competitions, including the qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup and the Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. With 40 member unions, Rugby Africa is dedicated to promoting and developing rugby across the continent. World Rugby highlighted Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as three of the six emerging nations experiencing strong growth in rugby.