Category: Africa

Source: APO

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The upcoming MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025 conference and exhibition – taking place in Dakar on December 8-10 – will feature a strategic session entitled Unlocking West Africa’s Energy Potential Through Greater Integration, hosted by business management consultants Africa International Advisors. The session will take place during the pre-conference day on December 8 at the Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf (CICAD).

Led by Henry Gilfillan, Partner and Integrated Energy Practice Leader, and Lwandle Fakazi, Partner and Africa Practice Leader, Africa International Advisors, the session will explore how greater regional collaboration can accelerate energy access, infrastructure development and investment across the MSGBC basin.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

The MSGBC region is rapidly emerging as a major global energy hub. New oil and gas projects such as the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project and Sangomar oil development are positioning the region as a key LNG and crude exporter. Meanwhile, large-scale renewable projects in solar, wind and hydropower are advancing national electrification targets. With initiatives like Mauritania’s green hydrogen programs and The Gambia’s 23 MW Jambur solar plant, countries are pursuing a dual strategy of leveraging hydrocarbons for growth while transitioning toward clean energy.

The session is likely to unpack these dynamics under four key focus areas: understanding regional energy dynamics; clear priorities for integration; actionable collaboration pathways; and strengthened regional relationships. Discussions are set to highlight how cross-border infrastructure projects, power pool integration and regulatory harmonization can transform West Africa’s energy landscape.

Flagship integration projects – such as the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (https://apo-opa.co/3LsoN0f), expected to reach FID by the end of 2025, and the Mauritania-Mali Interconnection, financed by financial institution the African Development Bank – demonstrate growing regional collaboration. These initiatives are complemented by efforts from the West African Power Pool to create a unified electricity market, enabling countries with surplus power to trade efficiently with neighbors.

As such, the Unlocking West Africa’s Energy Potential Through Greater Integration session will unite policymakers, financiers and private sector leaders to identify actionable strategies that can unlock new efficiencies, attract investment and accelerate sustainable industrialization across West Africa. The session also reinforces MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025’s commitment to advancing regional cooperation under the theme Energy, Petroleum and Mining in Africa: Synergy for Inclusive Economic Development.

“Regional energy integration is the key to unlocking West Africa’s full economic and industrial potential. This session will showcase how collaborative infrastructure and policy alignment can transform shared resources into shared prosperity,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director, Energy Capital & Power.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Source: APO

Cassava Technologies (www.CassavaTechnologies.com), a global technology leader of African heritage, has announced the launch of its Cassava AI Multi-Model Exchange (CAIMEx), a first-of-its-kind platform designed to make the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) tools and large language models (LLMs) easily accessible to mobile network operators (MNOs) across Africa.

The platform serves as a one-stop shop for accessing multiple AI models from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others. Instead of navigating complex integrations or cost-intensive infrastructure, African MNOs can now connect to the most powerful AI technologies through a single, easy-to-use platform, managed and supported locally by Cassava.

“With its growing AI ecosystem Africa has the potential to be more than a consumer of AI technologies imported to the continent. Through CAIMEx, Cassava is creating a bridge between global innovation and African ambition, giving every MNO the ability to offer subscribers world-class AI tools and LLMs easily and affordably,” said Ahmed El Beheiry, CEO of Cassava AI.

CAIMEx supports:

• Anthropic’s Claude models
• Google’s Gemini models
• And others

Together, these models make CAIMEx a versatile and future-ready AI hub. The platform enables mobile network operators to choose the model that best fits their subscriber and enterprise needs, from fast, real-time intelligence and advanced reasoning to trusted, ethical decision-making and open-source flexibility. Whether driving customer engagement, streamlining operations, or building innovative digital experiences, CAIMEx delivers speed, scalability, and security to help organisations unlock the full power of artificial intelligence.

CAIMEx also ensures that data stays within Africa, addressing data sovereignty, privacy, and compliance requirements. All services are hosted in Cassava’s regional AI factories, guaranteeing access to high performance compute, data security, and compliance with local data protection regulations. Additionally, the platform unlocks access to AI tools to the millions of mobile subscribers and SMEs across Africa, and not just large enterprises.

This ongoing commitment to Africa’s digital future aligns with Cassava’s mission to provide appropriate digital solutions that enable enterprises to transform the lives of their customers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cassava Technologies.

About Cassava Technologies:
Cassava Technologies is a technology leader providing a vertically integrated ecosystem of digital services and infrastructure enabling digital transformation. Through its business units, namely, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Liquid C2, Africa Data Centres, Distributed Power Africa, Sasai Fintech, Cassava has operations across key growth markets like Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the United States of America. Cassava provides its customers in 94 countries with offerings that will help them grow, transform, and expand their operations. https://www.CassavaTechnologies.com/

Source: APO

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Africa’s technology leaders opened the 28^th annual Africa Tech Festival 2025 (https://AfricaTechFestival.com/) in Cape Town with a powerful message of unity, calling for responsible, inclusive, and people-centred innovation to drive the continent’s digital future.

Leaders from government, global tech firms, and the startup ecosystem stressed that the continent’s digital future must be built on ethical governance, inclusive access, and meaningful social impact. The opening day saw strong alignment among key stakeholders, including South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Hon. Solly Malatsi, Deputy Minister, Hon. Mondli Gungubele, and representatives from Cassava Technologies, OpenAI, and Meta, who pledged to champion a collaborative digital transformation that ensures no African country is left behind in the age of AI.

Reinforcing the government’s focus on equitable digital transformation, Minister Malatsi called for coordinated action to harness technology for social impact. He reiterated that for South Africa to benefit from and participate in the next wave of innovation, particularly AI, three foundations are essential: affordable connectivity and devices, reliable digital public infrastructure, and digital literacy. When these foundations are strong, everything else accelerates.

Building on the Minister’s call for inclusive digital development, Cassava Technologies announced that it is now Africa’s first NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP), deploying NVIDIA GPUs across five sites to power the continent’s Al innovation. Emphasising that Africa will not be left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Cassava Technologies, shared how strategic partnerships with Google, Anthropic, and others are enabling access to world-class Al tools and solutions designed for African industries,  

Speaking on the AfricaTech main stage, this vision was echoed by Hon. Mondli Gungubele, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies. In his address Building Digital Nations – Governance for a Tech-Driven Africa, he championed the use of digital systems to build transparent, citizen-centric governments, noting that Africa is not waiting to be connected, but building its own digital future that is sovereign, interoperable, and human centred. The country’s national AI policy was used as an example of a governance blueprint to ensure that innovation in artificial intelligence is safe, inclusive, and transformative.

On the AI Summit Cape Town stage, Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Africa Lead at OpenAI, joined Akim Benamara, Chief Editor & Founder of TechAfrica News, and Thabo Makenete, Head of Public Policy for Southern Africa at Meta, in a session titled OpenAI for an Open Africa, exploring open-source innovation, language diversity, and equitable AI access.

The AI Summit programme also included a session titled Unlocking Agentic AI – The Next Leap in African Innovation, Moderated by Dr. Santiago Erroz Ferrer (Lufthansa Group), panellists Katarzyna Hewelt (Resolutiion), Abdul Kader Baba (Infrastructure South Africa), and Ravi Bhat (Microsoft Africa) examined how autonomous AI systems can transform industries and service delivery while upholding ethical design principles.

Reflecting on the opening day, Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for Africa Tech Festival, said, “Africa Tech Festival has always been more than an event. It’s a movement that celebrates Africa’s ingenuity and ambition to lead in the digital age. This year’s edition is about ensuring that innovation is responsible, inclusive, and anchored in real-world impact. From AI and cloud to connectivity and policy, the conversations taking place here in Cape Town this week reflect a continent that is not only participating in the global digital economy but shaping it on its own terms. We’re proud to provide a platform for the continent’s tech visionaries, investors, and policymakers.”

Framed by the central themes of responsible innovation, inclusive investment, connectivity for development, and policy harmonisation, the festival showcases the strength of Africa’s growing digital ecosystem across four flagship programmes: AfricaCom, AfricaTech, The AI Summit Cape Town, and AfricaIgnite.

The official event was preceded by AfricaIgnite Founder Day on Monday, 10 November, a showcase of African innovation that drew entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and founders, setting the tone for the rest of the week.

The day concluded with AFest at Grand Africa Café & Beach, where delegates, founders, investors, and policymakers gathered for an evening of live music and networking.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

About Africa Tech Festival:
Now in its 28th edition, Africa Tech Festival 2025 will take place from 11 to 13 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), bringing together more than 15,000 technology leaders, policymakers, investors, startups, and visionaries. The Festival encompasses four anchor events:

• AfricaCom – The continent’s largest telecoms and connectivity event
• AfricaTech – The hub for technology, innovation, and enterprise growth
• AfricaIgnite – Driving growth and impact in Africa’s startup ecosystem
• The AI Summit Cape Town – Where commercial AI comes to life

With over 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and extensive networking opportunities, Africa Tech Festival remains the continent’s most influential gathering for those shaping Africa’s connected future.

Source: APO

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Sesakho Magadla, Interim CEO of the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA) will speak at the upcoming G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum – hosted by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) on November 21, 2025 in Johannesburg. As a follow-up to African Energy Week and a precursor to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the forum provides a strategic platform for PetroSA to engage global investors as the company strives to revitalize legacy assets and advance fuel security across the country.

Magadla’s participation comes as the company undergoes a strategic restructuring, with the entity being incorporated into the newly-established South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC). The launch of the SANPC signals an important shift in South Africa’s oil and gas landscape and is expected to significantly improve the sector’s operational capacity and efficiency. The SANPC officially opened for business in April 2025 as a fully-fledged subsidiary of the Central Energy Fund (CEF), formed through the merger of three state-owned entities – iGas, PetroSA and the Strategic Fuel Fund – and operating under a lease and assignment model. The move allows the SANPC to lease select assets from the merging entities while isolating PetroSA’s legacy liability and the operational challenges at its gas-to-liquids (GTA) refinery in the Western Cape.

For PetroSA, being incorporated into the SANPC enables the company to enhance its operational efficiency while making its assets more commercially viable. A key focus is the Mossel Bay GTL refinery which has been closed since 2020 due to lack of feedstock. When operational, the refinery produces high-value products from methane and condensate, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, propone and more. Work is currently underway with the support of the CEF to reinstate the facility and resolve its operational constraints, with the most pressing challenge being finance. While Russian gas giant Gazprom International secured a contract to revitalize the facility in 2023, the contract has since collapsed, underscoring the need for a new investment partner to restart operations. The G20 Forum offers a strategic platform for PetroSA to engage global investors, aligning its refinery revitalization plans with Africa’s broader natural gas and industrialization agenda.

“Natural gas has a critical role to play in South Africa’s energy future, not only as a cleaner, more efficient fuel but as a catalyst for industrial growth and energy security. Revitalizing the Mossel Bay GTL refinery represents more than just restarting an asset; it’s about building a bridge between South Africa’s upstream gas potential and its downstream fuel needs. With the right investment and policy support, PetroSA can position the refinery at the heart of a diversified and resilient energy mix that powers industries, creates jobs and strengthens national self-sufficiency,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

Through high-level dialogue and dealmaking, the G20 Forum supports PetroSA’s objective to attract capital for feedstock supply, infrastructure upgrades and downstream integration – all of which are key to ensuring South Africa’s sustained fuel supply, reducing reliance on imports and reinforcing the country’s resilience against global energy disruptions. The forum also offers a strategic opportunity for South Africa to engage international energy companies to advance offshore gas projects, most of which have been stalled due to environmental opposition. For the country’s energy future, the development of upstream natural gas – and its associated downstream infrastructure – represents a top priority, paving the way for enhanced fuel access and sustainable economic growth.

To register for the Forum click here (https://apo-opa.co/4oZJ0ZC).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

Across the Middle East and North Africa, discriminatory family laws deny women and girls equal rights in marriage, divorce, inheritance, and guardianship.

Members of the Hurra Coalition (http://Hurra-Coalition.net), comprising 13 feminist and human rights organisations from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), convened their annual meeting in Istanbul to assess progress in their joint campaigns and strategies for comprehensive family law reform. The discussions focused on the Coalition’s three key pillars: ending child marriage, ensuring women’s financial rights, and securing mothers’ rights to custody and guardianship after divorce.

As one of the Coalition’s founding members and its elected secretariat, Equality Now (http://EqualityNow.org) reaffirmed its call on governments across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to take concrete and urgent steps to end discriminatory family laws undermining women’s and girls’ rights to equality and justice.

In her opening remarks, Dr Dima Dabbous, Equality Now’s Regional Representative for MENA, emphasised: “This gathering is a critical moment to renew our shared commitment to reform laws that entrench discrimination against women. Together, we are building a united civil front that insists on equality, justice, and full citizenship for women and girls across the Arab world.”

Child marriage – changing minds alongside changing laws

Hurra Coalition members highlighted child marriage as one of the most harmful manifestations of gender discrimination, depriving girls of education, safety, and dignity.

Hala Abdelkader, Executive Director of the Egyptian Foundation for Family Development (http://apo-opa.co/4r065xe), presented the organisation’s national campaign against child marriage in rural communities surrounding Greater Cairo. Through interactive workshops targeting families and local leaders, the initiative has helped shift perceptions, with Abdelkader noting that “Communities are beginning to recognise child marriage as a form of violence and discrimination, not as a social custom.”

In Palestine, Sama Aweida, Director of the Women’s Studies Centre (http://apo-opa.co/485jdcR), shared the outcomes of their national campaign on ending child marriage conducted across Nablus, Jerusalem, and Hebron. Since 2023, the campaign has engaged over 250 workshops and dialogues with community members and school students on the dangers of child marriage. She warned, “Judicial exceptions that allow child marriages under legal pretexts remain a dangerous loophole that must be closed.”

Houda Mouqer, Project Coordinator at Mains Libres (http://apo-opa.co/43W0X36) Organisation in Morocco, presented the campaign led by the organisation to abolish the exceptions related to the legal age of marriage in the proposed amendments to the  Moudawana or Family Code. She noted that several dialogue meetings were organised with civil society organisations and parliamentary groups, saying:

“We call for the complete abolition of this exception and for raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 for everyone, without any exceptions, in line with international conventions.”

Meanwhile, Gulshan Sijlam, Director of Basme International (http://apo-opa.co/4p3FWeZ) Group in Lebanon, highlighted the institution’s role in national advocacy to implement suspended legal decrees such as Decision No. 62 of 2020 from Sunni Sharia courts, which sets a minimum marriage age of 18 for the Sunni sect.

Strengthening women’s financial rights across the Arab region

The discussions also focused on women’s persistent legal and procedural barriers in securing their financial rights after divorce or the death of their husbands, including maintenance, shared property division, and fair compensation.

Ghinwa Chinder, Campaigns Manager of the Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women (http://apo-opa.co/4oDYeno) explained how women often endure “long and costly legal battles” to obtain alimony or a share of jointly acquired assets, urging for systemic legal reform and stronger enforcement.

In Tunisia, Samia Melki Fessi, Director General of Kadirat (http://apo-opa.co/4oBUZgk), presented findings from a high-level consultation on gaps in the enforcement of joint property division laws, calling for amendments to guarantee equality between spouses.

From Kurdistan, Iraq, Lara Maarouf of ASUDA (http://apo-opa.co/4qSog7S) discussed efforts to reactivate the alimony fund for divorced women and explore new collaboration frameworks to ensure sustainable support mechanisms.

In Palestine, Faten Nabhan of the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (http://apo-opa.co/488L8bU) discussed the practical challenges of raising awareness on the issue of marital property division. The centre has carried out digital awareness campaigns and specialised training for lawyers on providing legal aid to women in such cases, stressing the need to simplify legal procedures and ensure the effective implementation of rulings so women can access justice.

In this context, legal expert Nasser Al Rayes presented an extensive study on alimony rights in the Arab world, identifying legislative gaps and enforcement challenges. He emphasised that achieving economic justice for women requires “a comprehensive legal and social approach.”

From Bahrain, legal and Sharia expert Zahra Saleh Ibrahim presented the results of a study on applying the principle of “Kadd and S‘aya” (or toil and effort), which recognises women’s contribution to family income even in the absence of formal contracts. She explained how the study rooted this principle in Sunni and Jaafari Shiite jurisprudence and discussed the challenges women face in accessing justice based on real-life experiences.

Reforming family law and child custody rights in MENA countries

Coalition members also discussed the ongoing challenges surrounding child custody, emphasising the need for laws that prioritise the best interests of the child and protect mothers’ rights.

Rabha Fathy, President of the Association for Egyptian Female Lawyers (http://apo-opa.co/4qSZaph), highlighted the ongoing legal campaign supporting women with disabilities and their rights to custody and alimony, while advocating for amendments in Egypt’s current Family Law draft that address their specific needs.

From Algeria, Nadia Ait Zai, Executive Director of the Centre for Information and Documentation on the Rights of Children and Women (http://apo-opa.co/4qTwz3p), emphasised that “Work is ongoing to advocate for the repeal of Paragraph 1 of Article 66 of the Family Code, which deprives a wife of her right to custody if she remarries after divorce.”

Badriya Al Marzouq, Head of the Family Law Unit at the Bahraini Women’s Union (http://apo-opa.co/4qW1Jam), noted that the Union has submitted a proposal to Bahrain’s Parliament to amend specific articles of the Personal Status Law. While awaiting review in the current session, the Union is preparing a new set of amendments, including those related to custody, to be presented once the current proposals are approved.

Building a youth movement in MENA for women’s equal rights. 

The Hurra Coalition is committed to creating space for integrating young people across the Arab region, training them in legal and media advocacy, and helping them build regional networks with other organisations.

Six young women from Egypt and Jordan participated in this year’s meeting. Rahaf Al Obaidat from the Darbna Network (http://apo-opa.co/4qUozip) for Young Women in Jordan stated: “Being among a group of organisations working on women’s rights from various Arab countries is an important and inspiring opportunity that allows me to approach gender equality from a broader perspective. I no longer see it only as a national issue within my country’s borders, but as part of a larger human struggle in which we all have a role.”

A shared path toward just and equal laws for women and girls

Concluding the meeting, Naglaa Sarhan, Equality Now MENA Legal Adviser and Hurra Coalition Coordinator, emphasised that the Coalition’s true strength lies in “its diversity of experiences and its unified goal, reforming family laws across the Arab region based on equality and justice.” The Coalition’s member organisations reaffirmed their commitment to continued coordination, knowledge sharing, and the launch of new regional initiatives to advance legal and social justice for women and girls.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now.

For media inquiries, including interview requests, please contact:
Zeina Khalil,
Regional Communications Adviser,
Equality Now Middle East and North Africa,
zkhalil@equalitynow.org

Social Media: 
Equality Now
Bluesky: http://apo-opa.co/4paPk0B
Facebook: http://apo-opa.co/4oZ4tSq
Instagram: http://apo-opa.co/4rcM0UD
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/4hV6m0d
LinkedInMENA: http://apo-opa.co/488moQW

Hurra Coalition
Facebook: http://apo-opa.co/3WT3N5b

For more information, visit https://Hurra-Coalition.net  

Source: APO

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• MSF teams are treating people who have fled horror in El Fasher, Sudan, and are arriving malnourished in Tawila.
• The malnutrition crisis in Sudan is not limited to El Fasher, with MSF teams also treating people in Blue Nile and Khartoum states.
• The warring parties must grant humanitarians safe and unimpeded access to people at risk of malnutrition.

As starved people continue trying to flee atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, Sudan, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are providing urgent care to those who have reached the town of Tawila. Here, MSF is witnessing extreme levels of acute malnutrition, in what is now the most severe example of the malnutrition crisis that has gripped Sudan since the start of the war.

For months, MSF teams in Tawila have been treating malnutrition among patients who fled El Fasher, but malnutrition rates are now staggering. Among children under the age of five who reached Tawila between 27 October, when RSF seized control of El Fasher, and 3 November, over 70% were acutely malnourished, with 35% suffering from severe acute malnutrition. At the same time, 60% of the 1,130 adults MSF screened were acutely malnourished, 37% of whom were severely acutely malnourished. Malnutrition rates are even higher among pregnant and breastfeeding women.

MSF’s findings corroborate fears that famine has devastated people in El Fasher, which was besieged for more than 500 days. They also correspond with the recently released IPC report that found famine in El Fasher and in Kadugli.

Survivors arriving in Tawila have described to MSF teams how life had become unbearable in El Fasher. People report having had no access to food, as community kitchens shut down, humanitarian aid was blocked, and markets were shelled and depleted. In September, seven kilograms of millet cost SDG 500,000 (US$208) and one kilogram of sugar was SDG 130,000 (US$54).

In desperation, people were left with no choice but to turn animal feed into human food.

“We were so hungry we began eating ambaz (animal feed),” says a displaced woman in North Darfur. “At first it was free, then we had to buy it for SDG 20,000 per 1.5 kilograms (US$8), rising to SDG 50,000 (US$20) in June.”

Those trying to bring food into El Fasher were shot by the RSF. Dozens of those who survived managed to make it to Tawila, where they were treated by MSF. 

“My cousin disappeared in June while trying for the first time to bring food, and since then we have had no news,” says a woman who fled El Fasher in October. “At the exit of El Fasher, they faced RSF fighters on motorcycles who shot at them.”

MSF fears many people in and around El Fasher remain stranded, held for ransom, and unable to escape. The RSF and its allies must halt mass atrocities and provide safe passage for the survivors to flee.

People’s struggles are far from over once they reach Tawila. Since the start of the year, half of the 6,500 pregnant women MSF has seen for prenatal care were acutely malnourished, 15% with severe malnutrition and 35% with moderate malnutrition. This puts their children at serious risk of being born underweight or malnourished.

Beyond El Fasher, MSF teams across Sudan have seen a widespread deterioration in children’s nutrition status in recent months. The crisis is being fuelled by overlapping factors, including inadequate food, disease, insecurity, lack of livelihoods, and unsafe living conditions.

“Right across Sudan there is more that can be done to reduce the suffering caused by malnutrition,” says Myriam Laaroussi, MSF emergency coordinator. “We call on all warring parties to allow humanitarian organisations safe and unimpeded access to increase services and help reduce this crisis.”

Displacement, either for people moving within Sudan or from other countries, also plays a significant role in driving malnutrition. In Blue Nile state, eastern Sudan, the arrival of Sudanese returnees from South Sudan since June has pushed fragile resources to their limits.

Thousands of families live in makeshift camps with little access to clean water, food or hygiene services, leading to an ongoing outbreak of cholera and a surge of preventable deaths among children. Between July and September, MSF treated 1,950 severely malnourished children at the Damazin teaching hospital; 100 children died, many from combined cholera and acute malnutrition.                                                                                                                                        

Even when people can return home after being displaced, they often face significant challenges in finding or affording food or accessing services such as medical care. In Khartoum state, malnutrition has worsened since June, as more than 700,000 returnees have moved back into war-torn neighbourhoods with limited access to water and healthcare. 

Al-Buluk hospital in Omdurman, in Khartoum state, admitted 351 malnourished patients in September, while Al-Banjadeed hospital in Khartoum city found 46 per cent of children screened during consultations to be malnourished. The humanitarian response in Khartoum is still far below people’s needs, with few organisations present and major gaps in both emergency aid and longer-term recovery efforts.

What’s more, the true scale of the crisis is likely far worse than reported. Without warring parties granting safe and unimpeded access to people at risk, combined with increased funding and humanitarian support from international organisations, more children will be vulnerable to Sudan’s protracted malnutrition crisis.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

Source: APO

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Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARDA), has joined the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum – taking place November 21 in Johannesburg – as a speaker. Connecting global finance with African energy projects, the forum will chart new pathways for strengthening the continent’s energy value chain. Kragha’s participation underscores the growing emphasis on downstream development as a catalyst for industrialization and is expected to support dialogue around Africa’s path towards energy security.

Increasing investments in Africa’s downstream sector has emerged as a top priority for many nations. The continent’s refined product demand is set to rise from 4 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2024 to 6 million bpd by 2050, driven by population growth and increased economic activity. Gasoline consumption is projected to reach 2.2 million bpd by 2050, diesel consumption will rise 50% and jet fuel and kerosene is expected to expand 65%, reaching 465,000 bpd during the same timeframe. To meet anticipated demand growth, the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) State of African Energy 2026 Outlook highlights that $20 billion in investment in downstream infrastructure is required by 2050. The G20 Forum will serve as a bridge between global capital and African downstream projects.

Recent months have seen a series of milestones achieved across Africa’s downstream sector, with advancements in refining and pipeline projects supporting regional distribution. Nigeria’s Dangote oil refinery is advancing towards full operational capacity following the start of operations in 2024. The 650,000-bpd refinery is Africa’s largest facility and is assessing expansion plans which would double output to 1.4 million bpd. Angola inaugurated the Cabinda oil refinery in 2025, introducing 30,000 bpd to the market. The country is also seeking investment to support the development of the 200,000 bpd Lobito facility while pursuing the construction of a 100,000-bpd facility in Soyo. Senegal is exploring the development of a second refinery – paired with a petrochemical plant – at its Société Africaine de Raffinage facility. The project aims to increase capacity from 1.5 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 5 mtpa. In the Republic of Congo, the Fouta Refinery is on track for production by the end of 2025 with a capacity of 2.5 mtpa, while South Africa has announced plans to rehabilitate the SAPREF facility, with goals to increase capacity from 180,000 bpd to 600,000 bpd once operations resume.

Beyond refining, African states are advancing pipeline projects with a view to increase exports and strengthen regional trade systems. The 1,443-km East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline – connecting Uganda’s Kingfisher and Tilenga oilfields with the Port of Tanga in Tanzania – is underway and will start operations in 2026. The $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline is nearing the start of construction, with the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Project Company established in October 2025. The pipeline will traverse 13 African countries along the Atlantic coast, connecting Nigerian gas fields with European markets. Agreements have also been signed between the Republic of Congo and Russia for the construction of the Pointe-Noire-Loutete-Maloujou-Trechot oil pipeline and between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea for the development of a joint natural gas pipeline, designed to increase cross-border gas trade. These developments will not only increase regional fuel distribution but lower costs and support economic development across Africa. 

Kragha’s participation comes as African nations rally behind downstream infrastructure development under broader efforts to reduce fuel imports, increase storage and refining capacity and strengthen intra-African supply chains. Platforms such as the upcoming G20 Forum offer a strategic opportunity for African nations to connect with global investors, addressing key challenges across the downstream industry and implementing actionable strategies for improving fuel security. 

“Africa cannot build a secure energy future if it remains dependent on imported fuels. Investing in our downstream sector is how we create real value. By refining our own crude, building local industries and ensuring energy access that supports economic growth, Africa can reduce costs, enhance fuel security and support long-term economic growth,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

To register for the Forum click here (https://apo-opa.co/4ozitCH).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.