Category: English

Source: APO

Hannah O’Leary, former Senior Vice President and Head of Modern & Contemporary African Art at Sotheby’s, has launched Hannah O’Leary Fine Art (HOLFA) (https://www.HOLFA.co.uk/), an independent, London-based firm offering collectors a new way to buy and sell African art. HOLFA specializes in secondary-market private sales of modern and contemporary African art, complemented by advisory and auction advice for private collectors, estates and institutions.

Debut at 1-54 London

HOLFA makes its public debut at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London from 15 to 18 October as part of 1-54 Presents. O’Leary will present works by seven leading African modernists: Skunder Boghossian (Ethiopia), Gerard Sekoto (South Africa), Sam Ntiro (Tanzania), Papa Ibra Tall (Senegal), Uzo Egonu (Nigeria), Kofi Antubam (Ghana) and Bertina Lopes (Mozambique).

“These are among the most significant African artists of the twentieth century — figures who engaged with local independence movements, Pan-Africanism and global modernism, and whose work deserves to be considered alongside that of their international peers,” said O’Leary. “And yet, remarkably, for several of them this will be the first time their work has been shown at an international art fair. It tells you how much remains to be done to bring these masters the recognition they deserve.”

Two decades building the international market

Over two decades, O’Leary has played a leading role in building the international market for modern and contemporary African art. She co-founded the African art auctions at Bonhams in 2006 and, following an international search in 2016, was recruited by Sotheby’s to establish and lead its Modern & Contemporary African Art department. During her tenure, she set more than 200 world auction records for African artists and oversaw the highest-grossing auctions of contemporary African art ever held. Throughout, she worked closely with collectors, artists, academics and institutions to build greater international recognition for artists whose historical importance had not always been reflected in the market.

“Most twentieth-century African art still changes hands at auction. What collectors have lacked is independent advice from someone who knows the whole continent, not just a single national market – and a dedicated, discreet way to buy and sell privately. That is what HOLFA offers.”

What HOLFA offers

HOLFA focuses on the secondary market: works already in private collections, estates and institutional holdings, often outside the primary gallery system. Private sales sit at the heart of the firm, supported by advisory services across the full collector lifecycle:

• Private sales: discreet, off-market sales and acquisitions of museum-quality works, with access to material rarely seen on the open market.
• Auction advice: guidance on whether, when and where to sell or bid, and on negotiating terms with auction houses.
• Collection advisory: support for collectors, family offices, trusts and estates on acquisition strategy, deaccessioning, collection management, valuations, international museum loans and legacy planning.
• Institutional advisory: market intelligence, collection strategy and acquisition support for museums and foundations.
• Global access: introductions for African collectors to international art and artists through O’Leary’s network.

An evolving market

O’Leary’s auction career ran in parallel with Africa’s growing presence in the global art market, and she has seen a significant shift in how African art is collected, exhibited and traded internationally. Collectors across Africa and the diaspora have assembled outstanding collections and increasingly require the advisory services long established in Europe and the United States, but with genuine depth in this field. A new generation of collectors is also entering the market at a high level.

For more information or to arrange a confidential consultation, visit https://www.HOLFA.co.uk/ or email info@holfa.co.uk.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Hannah O’Leary Fine Art (HOLFA) Ltd..

Media contact:
marie@apo-opa.com

About Hannah O’Leary: 
Hannah O’Leary is Founder and Principal of Hannah O’Leary Fine Art (HOLFA). She began her career at Sotheby’s in Ireland and Australia before joining Bonhams in London in 2006, where she co-founded and led its African art auctions for a decade. In 2016, she was recruited by Sotheby’s to establish and lead its Modern & Contemporary African Art department.

She serves on the Council of the Royal African Society, the Board of Trustees of the Norval Foundation, the Drawing Room Biennial Committee, the International Art Council for TOP CHARITY and the Advisory Board of The Africa Soft Power Project, and chairs the Advisory Group for Film Africa. She is regularly invited to speak at venues including the IMF, Milken Global, the Royal Academy, Haus der Kunst, Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Venice Biennale, and is frequently consulted by the mainstream press, including the BBC, CNN, NPR, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Guardian.

About HOLFA:
Established in London in 2026, Hannah O’Leary Fine Art (HOLFA) is an independent firm specialising in secondary-market private sales of modern and contemporary African art, with advisory and auction advice for private collectors, family offices, trusts, estates and institutions worldwide. Drawing on two decades of experience building the field’s international market, HOLFA offers discreet access to museum-quality works and bespoke guidance grounded in scholarship, market intelligence and independence.

Source: APO

African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, today announced that its CEO, Paulo J. Cruz, will speak at the Angola Access & Investment Conference 2026 (AAIC) (www.aaic.ao) in Luanda, Angola, from 14 to 17 October 2026.

The AAIC is organised by Expo Connect Angola in partnership with Skyliam Properties, the Cópia Group, and Angolan Business Beyond Borders, with the support of the Angola-Mozambique Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIAM) and the Angolan Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies, and Social Communication. The conference brings together heads of state, ministers, ambassadors, CEOs, investors, development banks, and business leaders from over 60 international markets.

Mr Cruz will address how ACG’s origination of integrated sport and entertainment districts contributes directly to inclusive economic growth. His intervention will focus on how sport infrastructure, when designed as a financially self-sustaining urban ecosystem, becomes a catalyst for large-scale job creation, skills development, accessible infrastructure, and long-term economic diversification.

The AAIC’s focus on accessibility and inclusion aligns directly with ACG’s approach to sport and entertainment district development. A Victory District™ is designed from inception to serve the widest possible community: creating permanent employment across dozens of professions, providing professional sport training facilities for young athletes, and generating economic activity that benefits surrounding neighbourhoods year-round.

“Sport infrastructure has the power to be one of the most inclusive economic assets a country can build,” said Paulo J. Cruz, CEO of ACG. “A Victory District™ does not just create stadiums. It creates thousands of permanent jobs, from hospitality to broadcast production, from sport coaching to facility management. It creates training pathways for young athletes. And it creates an urban ecosystem that generates economic activity 365 days a year. That is inclusive growth in practice, not in theory. I am honoured to share that vision at the AAIC alongside some of Africa’s most influential investors and decision-makers.”

The AAIC programme includes official MoU signing ceremonies, B2B investment rounds, VIP executive networking with senior government and business leaders across 10 dedicated Business Lounges, and the inauguration of Angola’s first assistive technology factory. The conference covers priority sectors including energy, mining, accessible tourism, agriculture, logistics, health, and infrastructure.

ACG’s Victory District™ framework is designed to originate integrated, mixed-use sport and entertainment districts that move beyond single-venue development models. Each district combines stadiums, indoor arenas, training academies, hotels, conference centres, retail, entertainment, residential, and commercial space within a single masterplanned development, financed by private and institutional capital without reliance on public subsidy.

Mr Cruz brings more than 28 years of experience across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe in originating, structuring, and delivering large-scale infrastructure, urbanisation, and real estate development initiatives. Prior to ACG, he served as Senior Vice President at DAMAC Group, the largest private real estate developer in the Middle East, and as Group CEO of LandAfrique, a pan-African development platform focused on industrial parks, infrastructure, housing, and power projects across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Collaborations Group (ACG).

Media contact:
marie@apo-opa.com

About African Collaborations Group (ACG):
African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com) is the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems. By convening governments, private-sector partners, development finance institutions, sport and entertainment stakeholders, and academic institutions, ACG creates structured pathways that transform concepts into investable and deliverable district projects across the continent.

Source: APO

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting yesterday with H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Republic of Burundi, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The two leaders, while recalling India’s role in bringing the African Union into the G20 fold during India’s presidency in 2023, stressed that the India-African Union partnership is a key pillar of cooperation within the Global South. They discussed the early convening of the 4th India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) at a mutually convenient date.

Prime Minister commended the AU leadership for successfully combating the Ebola Outbreak. The AU Chairperson appreciated the medical support from India to Africa CDC to help in mitigating the outbreak.

The two leaders discussed India-Burundi ties, which continue to be defined by warmth, solidarity and shared developmental aspirations. The two leaders reviewed bilateral ties in the areas of economic cooperation, development partnership, agricultural modernization, healthcare and capacity-building initiatives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Press Information Bureau: Government of India.

Source: APO

Venezuela is seeking to attract international investment into its oil and gas sector while building stronger energy partnerships with African countries. Revised hydrocarbon legislation offers new entry routes for private operators, while cooperation on technical training could help African markets draw on Venezuela’s industry expertise. These opportunities featured at the Venezuela Global Investment Forum during African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town.

Ricardo Gomez, Venezuela’s Vice Minister of Commercial Policy, outlined the country’s investment proposition, highlighting 303 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and 193 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

“Venezuela combines a large hydrocarbon resource base with refining infrastructure and a market that needs reliable energy,” he said. “The opportunities extend from upstream projects to downstream and refining.”

The country’s amended Organic Hydrocarbons Law introduces new ways for international companies to enter the market. Hydrocarbon production participation contracts allow private operators to manage designated assets, oversee operations and market production under negotiated terms. Agreements can extend for 25 years, offering a longer investment horizon for field development and rehabilitation.

Restructured joint venture companies provide another route, retaining majority state ownership while allowing international partners to take on operational responsibilities through approved agreements. Direct ministerial contracts and strategic alliances offer additional opportunities in field redevelopment, oilfield services and infrastructure.

Potential investments span heavy-oil production in the Orinoco Belt, mature onshore fields, offshore gas, pipeline rehabilitation, export terminals and refinery upgrades. Venezuela’s target of signing 105 definitive oil contracts by year-end reflects its wider effort to attract operators and accelerate project development.

Scott Gilbert, CEO and Executive Director of Corcel Plc and Non-Executive Chairman of Apertura Energy, highlighted investor interest in the changing regulatory environment. “Venezuela is seeing a lot of interest as a result of aggressive fiscal and regulatory changes that are making the country more attractive,” he said.

Alongside these commercial opportunities, Venezuela is promoting its technical expertise through the Venezuelan University of Hydrocarbons (UVH). Celia Bejarano, the university’s President, explained how the institution trains engineers and geologists in geophysics, reservoir engineering, well management, natural gas and petrochemicals.

“The Venezuelan University of Hydrocarbons was created to deliver a specialized institution where the country can train its own recruits to develop its own premier resources,” Bejarano said.

Through its Africa-Venezuela Energy Partnership with the African Energy Chamber (AEC), UVH is advancing technical training, knowledge exchange and workforce development. The initiative could help African energy projects apply Venezuela’s experience in heavy-oil production and offshore engineering while strengthening local capabilities. Rene Awambeng, founder and managing partner of Premier Invest, highlighted this opportunity for African developers.

“When we are developing our assets here, we always import talent,” he said. “With the Venezuelan University of Hydrocarbons, we can actually leverage Venezuela’s immense experience to support local content development here in Africa.”

Also speaking during the discussion, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, emphasized the strategic value of closer ties between the regions. “Our energy industry has an amazing ally in Venezuela,” he said, describing the country as “open for business and ready to partner with Africa.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

Angolan National Oil Company Sonangol is advancing plans for an initial public offering (IPO) while expanding its upstream portfolio and investing in Angola’s domestic refining capacity, as the national oil company charts its next phase of growth following its 50th anniversary in 2026. Speaking at the opening ceremony of African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, Executive Board Member Osvaldo Inácio reaffirmed the company’s commitment to privatization, alongside efforts to increase production, progress new developments and translate Angola’s oil and gas resources into broader economic growth.

“We want to make sure that we do it in a way that, when you buy your shares, you are happy with the performance of those shares. We are doing the internal work required to make sure that when we get to that point, it’s a successful story,” he said.

Sonangol’s 50th anniversary comes as Angola’s NOC develops opportunities across exploration, producing assets and domestic processing. Its next investment phase requires capital and technical partners to turn appraisal results into developments while delivering refinery infrastructure and expanding the value retained from Angola’s oil and gas production.

“We are thinking about what the next 50 years will be like, focusing on producing to transform. We are not only looking at managing resources but how we translate those resources into overall development in the country,” he said.

Sonangol’s September account of its Katambi-2 work in Block 24 described a completed formation test in a non-associated gas reservoir, providing further evidence for assessment of the field’s development potential. In its producing portfolio, the company and its partners also reported approximately 100 meters of net oil pay at PAC 416 in Block 3/05, as part of a program intended to increase operated production. The results give Sonangol a technical basis for future investment, while appraisal, development design and commercial arrangements remain necessary steps.

“If you look at our portfolio, we have both operated and non-operated assets. The focus is on making sure we are doing everything we can to make sure those assets are still producing at the highest rate possible. New developments such as Block 3/05 are advancing. We are also part of Kaminho with TotalEnergies,” Inácio shared.

Downstream, Angola’s government reported in September that the Lobito refinery was approximately 26% physically complete, with around $1.6 billion invested and completion envisaged for 2029. A potential petrochemical complex was under study. Alongside Cabinda’s initial 30,000-bpd refining phase, Lobito gives Sonangol’s diversification program a concrete industrial focus, with financing, construction progress and product marketing central to the next stage.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.