A empresa de exploração Rhino Resources juntou-se à Conferência e Exposição African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 como Patrocinadora Ouro, reforçando o seu papel como uma das empresas independentes emergentes de África a impulsionar a exploração de fronteira e greenfield em toda a África Austral.
Agendada para 12 a 16 de outubro na Cidade do Cabo, a AEW 2026 surge num momento em que a Rhino Resources acelera a atividade de exploração na Bacia de Orange, na Namíbia, ao mesmo tempo que alarga a sua presença à Bacia de Karoo, na África do Sul. O patrocínio reflete a estratégia da empresa de aprofundar o envolvimento com investidores, prestadores de serviços e decisores políticos, à medida que avança com vários ativos rumo à preparação para o desenvolvimento e a futuras decisões de investimento final.
No centro do impulso da Rhino Resources no setor upstream está a sua campanha de perfuração em águas profundas com vários poços na Bacia de Orange, na Namíbia – um dos pontos nevrálgicos de exploração de fronteira mais prolíficos do mundo. A empresa tem como meta decisões de investimento final (FID) entre o final de 2026 e o início de 2027 em ativos operados e liderados por parceiros, incluindo o co-desenvolvimento das descobertas Volans e Capricornus na Licença de Exploração Petrolífera (PEL) 85.
Os resultados recentes da perfuração reforçaram a viabilidade comercial destes ativos namibianos. O poço Volans-1X apresentou fortes taxas de fluxo de gás condensado em fevereiro de 2026, enquanto o poço Capricornus-1X, perfurado anteriormente, confirmou a presença de petróleo leve, posicionando a Rhino Resources entre os principais intervenientes que contribuem para a ambição da Namíbia de alcançar a primeira produção de petróleo até 2030.
Para além da Namíbia, a Rhino Resources está a alargar o seu portfólio através da exploração onshore na Bacia do Karoo, na África do Sul. A empresa está a avançar com uma campanha de seis poços que visa recursos de hélio, metano e hidrogénio na Província do Estado Livre – uma iniciativa que reflete tanto a diversificação geográfica como uma estratégia mais ampla para apoiar um mix energético regional mais resiliente e diversificado.
Esta expansão surge num momento em que as economias da África Austral enfrentam desafios de segurança energética devido às perturbações contínuas nas rotas marítimas globais, reforçando a importância de desbloquear o potencial dos recursos domésticos para apoiar o crescimento industrial e reduzir as vulnerabilidades externas.
O papel da Rhino Resources como Patrocinadora Ouro na AEW 2026 surge, portanto, numa fase crucial da sua trajetória de crescimento. O evento proporciona uma plataforma para mostrar o seu progresso na exploração, reforçar parcerias e posicionar os seus projetos no panorama mais alargado do investimento energético africano.
Na AEW 2026, espera-se que os executivos da Rhino Resources participem em painéis de discussão de alto nível, oferecendo perspetivas sobre o desenvolvimento de bacias de fronteira, estratégias de exploração economicamente eficientes e vias para acelerar a comercialização de projetos nos mercados africanos emergentes.
“A Rhino Resources representa uma nova geração de empresas independentes focadas em África, dispostas a assumir riscos de fronteira para desbloquear valor energético a longo prazo”, afirmou NJ Ayuk, Presidente Executivo da Câmara Africana de Energia. “As recentes descobertas da empresa na Namíbia e a estratégia de exploração em expansão na África do Sul destacam a escala de oportunidades em todo o continente e o papel crítico que as empresas independentes desempenham na tradução de recursos em produção, investimento e crescimento económico.”
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.
Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Majed Mohammed Al Ansari has called for greater international cooperation and renewed diplomatic engagement to address growing regional and global instability.
Speaking at a session in Milan titled “Bridging Stability: EU-GCC Cooperation in an Era of Fragmentation”, Dr Al Ansari said ongoing conflicts and geopolitical crises were placing increasing pressure on global stability and decision-making processes.
The event was organized by the Doha Forum and MED Dialogues in partnership with the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and the Center for International Policy Research (CIPR).
Dr Al Ansari warned that some actors were seeking to promote political narratives and approaches aimed at advancing their strategic interests amid intensifying competition for influence and shifting global power balances. He stressed that political and military pressure did not necessarily lead to sustainable solutions or long-term stability, underlining the importance of mediation and diplomacy in resolving conflicts.
Questioning the effectiveness of diplomacy, he said, reflected “a growing need for it rather than the opposite”. The Qatari official also urged countries to continue working through dialogue and diplomatic channels to prevent further escalation and avoid deeper cycles of conflict.
He said the current war had affected international relations, including ties between Europe, the United States and countries in the Middle East, with wider consequences for energy security, the global economy, supply chains and international alliances.
Dr Al Ansari added that security and stability could no longer be achieved by individual states acting alone, but instead required collective cooperation and broader international coordination.
Concluding his remarks, he highlighted the growing interconnectedness between nations and the political, economic and security impact of current crises, calling for a shared vision to confront rapidly evolving regional and international challenges.
Exploration company Rhino Resources has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing its role as one of Africa’s emerging independents driving frontier and greenfield exploration across Southern Africa.
Scheduled for October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 comes as Rhino Resources accelerates exploration activity across Namibia’s Orange Basin while broadening its footprint into South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The sponsorship reflects the company’s strategy to deepen engagement with investors, service providers and policymakers as it advances multiple assets toward development readiness and future final investment decisions.
At the core of Rhino Resources’ upstream momentum is its multi-well deepwater drilling campaign in Namibia’s Orange Basin – one of the world’s most prolific frontier exploration hotspots. The company is targeting FIDs between late 2026 and early 2027 across operated and partner-led assets, including the co-development of the Volans and Capricornus discoveries in Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 85.
Recent drilling results have strengthened the commercial case of these Namibian assets. The Volans-1X well delivered strong gas-condensate flow rates in February 2026, while the earlier Capricornus-1X well confirmed the presence of light oil, positioning Rhino Resources among the key players contributing to Namibia’s ambition of achieving first oil production by 2030.
Beyond Namibia, Rhino Resources is broadening its portfolio through onshore exploration in South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The company is advancing a six-well campaign targeting helium, methane and hydrogen resources in the Free State Province – a move that reflects both geographic diversification and a wider strategy to support a more resilient and diversified regional energy mix.
This expansion comes at a time when Southern African economies face energy security challenges due to ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes, reinforcing the importance of unlocking domestic resource potential to support industrial growth and reduce external vulnerabilities.
Rhino Resources’ role as Gold Sponsor at AEW 2026 therefore comes at a pivotal stage in its growth trajectory. The event provides a platform to showcase its exploration progress, strengthen partnerships and position its projects within the broader African energy investment landscape.
At AEW 2026, Rhino Resources’ executives are expected to participate in high-level panel discussions, offering insights into frontier basin development, cost-efficient exploration strategies and pathways to fast-tracking project commercialization across emerging African markets.
“Rhino Resources represents a new generation of African-focused independents that are willing to take on frontier risk to unlock long-term energy value,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The company’s recent discoveries in Namibia and expanding exploration strategy in South Africa highlight the scale of opportunity across the continent and the critical role independents play in translating resources into production, investment and economic growth.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
La société énergétique intégrée nigériane Levene Energy s’est associée à la conférence et au salon African Energy Week (AEW) en tant que sponsor Gold, renforçant ainsi sa position de plateforme énergétique panafricaine émergente axée sur l’expansion des infrastructures, l’accès à l’énergie et la diversification à long terme des marchés.
Se déroulant du 12 au 16 octobre au Cap, l’AEW 2026 intervient alors que Levene Energy accélère sa transition d’un développeur axé sur les projets vers un investisseur à long terme dans les infrastructures énergétiques, avec des intérêts couvrant les segments en amont, en milieu de chaîne, en aval et des énergies renouvelables.
Une étape clé de cette stratégie a été franchie en janvier 2026 lorsque la société a obtenu une facilité de crédit de 64 millions de dollars auprès de la Banque africaine d’import-export pour acquérir une participation de 30 % dans Axxela Limited. Cette transaction marque l’entrée de la société sur le marché nigérian des infrastructures gazières réglementées, renforçant ainsi sa position dans le traitement et la distribution du gaz ainsi que dans l’approvisionnement énergétique industriel.
Cet investissement s’inscrit également dans le cadre de l’initiative nigériane « Decade of Gas », qui vise à monétiser les réserves de gaz du pays, estimées à 600 000 milliards de pieds cubes, tout en élargissant l’accès à l’énergie, en soutenant l’industrialisation et en améliorant l’accès à des solutions de cuisson plus propres à l’échelle nationale.
Au-delà des infrastructures gazières, Levene Energy continue de renforcer son portefeuille en amont. La société détient des participations dans plusieurs actifs de production et d’exploration en Guinée équatoriale, notamment les blocs EG-03, EG-04, EG-19 et le bloc P, ainsi que des actifs liés au bitume au Nigeria. Cette présence en amont s’inscrit dans une stratégie plus large visant à accroître le développement et l’approvisionnement en ressources afin de répondre à la demande régionale croissante en hydrocarbures.
Parallèlement, la société développe ses activités dans le domaine des énergies renouvelables dans le cadre d’une stratégie de mix énergétique diversifié. Par l’intermédiaire de sa filiale LPV Technologies, Levene Energy exploite une usine de fabrication de panneaux solaires de 200 MW à Lagos, soutenant à la fois les initiatives d’électrification rurale et l’adoption de l’énergie solaire par les secteurs commercial et industriel. L’accent mis sur les solutions énergétiques distribuées et la fabrication locale reflète l’importance croissante que Levene Energy accorde à l’accès à l’énergie, à la résilience du réseau et à la création de valeur locale.
« L’avenir énergétique de l’Afrique dépend de la mise en place de systèmes énergétiques intégrés et ancrés localement, capables de résister à la volatilité mondiale tout en fournissant une énergie fiable et abordable », a déclaré NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie. « L’expansion de Levene Energy dans les domaines du gaz, des énergies renouvelables et des infrastructures reflète le type de stratégie à long terme axée sur la valeur nécessaire pour libérer tout le potentiel énergétique du continent. »
La participation de l’entreprise à l’AEW 2026 s’appuie sur sa reconnaissance en tant que « Local Content Champion » lors de l’AEW 2025, soulignant son engagement en faveur du renforcement des capacités locales, de la croissance inclusive et du développement de solutions énergétiques menées par l’Afrique. L’AEW 2026 offre à l’entreprise une plateforme pour dialoguer avec les décideurs politiques, les investisseurs et les acteurs du secteur afin de forger de nouveaux partenariats et de faire progresser sa stratégie d’expansion régionale dans le paysage énergétique africain en pleine évolution.
Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.
A empresa nigeriana de energia integrada Levene Energy juntou-se à Conferência e Exposição African Energy Week (AEW) como Patrocinadora Ouro, reforçando a sua posição como plataforma energética pan-africana emergente focada na expansão de infraestruturas, acesso à energia e diversificação do mercado a longo prazo.
A realizar-se de 12 a 16 de outubro na Cidade do Cabo, a AEW 2026 surge num momento em que a Levene Energy acelera a sua transição de promotora focada em projetos para investidora de infraestruturas energéticas a longo prazo, com interesses que abrangem os segmentos a montante, a meio e a jusante, bem como as energias renováveis.
Um marco fundamental desta estratégia foi alcançado em janeiro de 2026, quando a empresa obteve um financiamento de 64 milhões de dólares do Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação para adquirir uma participação de 30% na Axxela Limited. A transação marca a entrada da empresa no setor regulado de infraestruturas de gás da Nigéria, reforçando a sua posição no processamento, distribuição e fornecimento de energia industrial de gás.
O investimento está também em sintonia com a iniciativa «Década do Gás» da Nigéria, que visa rentabilizar as reservas estimadas de gás do país, no valor de 600 biliões de pés cúbicos, ao mesmo tempo que expande o acesso à energia, apoia a industrialização e melhora o acesso a soluções de cozinha mais limpas em todo o país.
Para além da infraestrutura de gás, a Levene Energy continua a reforçar o seu portfólio a montante. A empresa detém participações em múltiplos ativos de produção e exploração na Guiné Equatorial, incluindo os Blocos EG-03, EG-04, EG-19 e o Bloco P, a par de ativos de betume na Nigéria. Esta presença a montante apoia uma estratégia mais ampla para aumentar o desenvolvimento e o fornecimento de recursos, em resposta à crescente procura regional de hidrocarbonetos.
Ao mesmo tempo, a empresa está a avançar no seu negócio de energias renováveis como parte de uma estratégia de mix energético diversificado. Através da sua subsidiária LPV Technologies, a Levene Energy opera uma unidade de fabrico de painéis solares de 200 MW em Lagos, apoiando tanto iniciativas de eletrificação rural como a adoção comercial e industrial da energia solar. O foco em soluções de energia distribuída e no fabrico local reflete a crescente ênfase da Levene Energy no acesso à energia, na resiliência da rede e na criação de valor local.
«O futuro energético de África depende da construção de sistemas energéticos integrados e com âncora local, capazes de resistir à volatilidade global e, ao mesmo tempo, fornecer energia fiável e acessível», afirmou NJ Ayuk, Presidente Executivo da Câmara Africana de Energia. «A expansão da Levene Energy nos setores do gás, das energias renováveis e das infraestruturas reflete o tipo de estratégia de longo prazo e orientada para o valor necessária para libertar todo o potencial energético do continente.»
A participação da empresa na AEW 2026 assenta no seu reconhecimento como Campeã de Conteúdo Local na AEW 2025, destacando o seu compromisso com o reforço de capacidades locais, o crescimento inclusivo e o desenvolvimento de soluções energéticas lideradas por africanos. A AEW 2026 proporciona uma plataforma para a empresa interagir com decisores políticos, investidores e partes interessadas do setor, a fim de forjar novas parcerias e avançar com a sua estratégia de expansão regional no panorama energético em evolução de África.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.
Nigerian integrated energy company Levene Energy has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing its position as an emerging pan-African energy platform focused on infrastructure expansion, energy access and long-term market diversification.
Taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 comes as Levene Energy accelerates its transition from a project-focused developer into a long-term energy infrastructure investor with interests spanning upstream, midstream, downstream and renewable energy segments.
A key milestone of this strategy was reached in January 2026 when the company secured a $64 million facility from the African Export-Import Bank to acquire a 30% stake in Axxela Limited. The transaction marks the company’s entry into Nigeria’s regulated gas infrastructure space, strengthening its position in gas processing, distribution and industrial energy supply.
The investment also aligns with Nigeria’s Decade of Gas initiative, which seeks to monetize the country’s estimated 600 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves while expanding energy access, supporting industrialization and improving access to cleaner cooking solutions nationwide.
Beyond gas infrastructure, Levene Energy continues to strengthen its upstream portfolio. The company holds interests in multiple producing and exploration assets in Equatorial Guinea, including Blocks EG-03, EG-04, EG-19 and Block P, alongside bitumen assets in Nigeria. This upstream footprint supports a broader strategy to increase resource development and supply in response to rising regional demand for hydrocarbons.
At the same time, the company is advancing its renewable energy business as part of a diversified energy mix strategy. Through its subsidiary LPV Technologies, Levene Energy operates a 200 MW solar panel manufacturing facility in Lagos, supporting both rural electrification initiatives and commercial and industrial adoption of solar power. The focus on distributed energy solutions and local manufacturing reflects Levene Energy’s growing emphasis on energy access, grid resilience and local value creation.
“Africa’s energy future depends on building integrated, locally anchored energy systems that can withstand global volatility while delivering reliable and affordable power,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Levene Energy’s expansion across gas, renewables and infrastructure reflect the kind of long-term, value-driven strategy needed to unlock the continent’s full energy potential.”
The company’s participation at AEW 2026 builds on its recognition as a Local Content Champion at AEW 2025, highlighting its commitment to local capacity building, inclusive growth and the development of African-led energy solutions. AEW 2026 provides a platform for the company to engage with policymakers, investors and industry stakeholders to forge new partnerships and advance its regional expansion strategy across Africa’s evolving energy landscape.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Alors que l’intelligence artificielle (IA) entraîne une explosion sans précédent du traitement des données, une contrainte apparaît de plus en plus clairement : l’énergie. Les centres de données – épine dorsale de l’IA – nécessitent un approvisionnement énergétique vaste, stable et continu. Pour l’Afrique, ce défi se conjugue avec une opportunité. Les ressources abondantes en gaz naturel du continent pourraient le positionner comme un futur pôle d’infrastructures d’IA – à condition que l’approvisionnement puisse être efficacement mobilisé.
L’Afrique détient plus de 600 000 milliards de pieds cubes de réserves prouvées de gaz naturel, ce qui représente une part significative de l’approvisionnement mondial. Pourtant, malgré cette abondance, le continent n’en consomme qu’une fraction sur son territoire, une grande partie de la production étant historiquement destinée à l’exportation.
Dans le même temps, l’infrastructure numérique de l’Afrique reste sous-développée. Le continent ne représente que 0,6 % de la capacité mondiale des centres de données – alors qu’il compte près de 20 % de la population mondiale. La capacité totale installée s’élève à environ 1,2 GW pour l’ensemble des projets en cours, prévus et en cours de développement, avec seulement environ 360 MW actuellement opérationnels.
La demande, cependant, s’accélère rapidement. Les besoins en centres de données de l’Afrique devraient être multipliés par 3,5 à 5,5 d’ici 2030, nécessitant jusqu’à 10 à 20 milliards de dollars d’investissements. La demande en électricité augmente parallèlement, avec une croissance annuelle de 20 à 25 %, et devrait atteindre 8 000 GWh dans les années à venir.
C’est là que le gaz naturel devient essentiel. Contrairement aux énergies renouvelables intermittentes, l’électricité produite à partir du gaz offre une énergie réglable et de base, ce qui la rend particulièrement adaptée aux besoins de fonctionnement continu des centres de données. À l’échelle mondiale, les centres de données consomment déjà environ 1,5 % de l’électricité totale, avec une demande croissant d’environ 12 % par an, dépassant de loin la consommation électrique globale. Sur les marchés émergents, où la fiabilité du réseau est inégale, cet avantage en termes de fiabilité devient encore plus important.
Les grands projets gaziers à travers l’Afrique soulignent l’ampleur de l’offre potentielle. Les développements offshore du Mozambique – parmi les plus importants au monde – devraient produire plus de 13 millions de tonnes de GNL par an, tandis que le Nigeria continue de développer sa stratégie de monétisation du gaz autour de ses réserves de plus de 200 000 milliards de pieds cubes. Parallèlement, de nouveaux producteurs tels que le Sénégal et la Mauritanie font leur entrée sur le marché avec des projets de GNL à grande échelle.
L’opportunité ne réside pas simplement dans l’exportation du gaz, mais dans son utilisation au niveau national pour alimenter l’industrialisation et les infrastructures numériques. Aujourd’hui, l’Afrique exporte de l’énergie tout en étant confrontée à des pénuries d’électricité chroniques, ce qui crée un décalage entre la richesse en ressources et le développement économique.
Combler ce fossé pourrait redéfinir la trajectoire du continent. Les projets de conversion du gaz en électricité, associés au développement de centres de données, offrent une voie pour ancrer les infrastructures numériques dans les régions riches en énergie. Des pays comme le Nigeria, l’Égypte et l’Algérie sont particulièrement bien placés, tandis que des producteurs émergents comme le Mozambique et le Sénégal pourraient intégrer l’approvisionnement national dans de nouveaux pôles industriels et numériques dès le départ.
Cette convergence occupe désormais le devant de la scène dans les discussions du secteur. Lors de l’African Energy Week 2026, le volet « IA et centres de données » se concentrera sur la manière dont l’énergie – en particulier le gaz naturel – peut soutenir l’expansion numérique du continent. À mesure que l’infrastructure d’IA se développe, ce volet met en évidence une réalité fondamentale : sans énergie fiable et évolutive, l’Afrique risque de passer à côté de la prochaine vague d’investissements numériques mondiaux.
« Il ne s’agit pas seulement d’un débat sur l’énergie, mais d’une stratégie économique », déclare NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie. « Les centres de données d’IA nécessitent une alimentation électrique constante et fiable à grande échelle, et le gaz naturel est la seule ressource dont dispose aujourd’hui l’Afrique pour y répondre immédiatement. Si nous alignons le développement du gaz sur les infrastructures numériques, nous pourrons industrialiser, créer des emplois et positionner l’Afrique comme un acteur de premier plan dans l’économie mondiale de l’IA. »
Pourtant, des défis subsistent. Les lacunes en matière d’infrastructures, les contraintes de prix et l’incertitude réglementaire continuent de limiter l’utilisation du gaz sur le continent. Sans investissements coordonnés dans les gazoducs, les centrales électriques et les infrastructures numériques, l’Afrique risque de rester un simple exportateur d’énergie tout en important des services numériques.
Alors que l’IA génère une nouvelle vague de demande énergétique, le gaz naturel s’impose comme un catalyseur essentiel des infrastructures numériques. Pour l’Afrique, le défi – et l’opportunité – consiste à transformer cet atout en compétitivité mondiale.
Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.
À medida que a inteligência artificial (IA) impulsiona um aumento sem precedentes no processamento de dados, uma limitação torna-se cada vez mais evidente: a energia. Os centros de dados – a espinha dorsal da IA – requerem um abastecimento de energia vasto, estável e contínuo. Para África, este desafio cruza-se com uma oportunidade. Os abundantes recursos de gás natural do continente poderiam posicioná-lo como um futuro centro de infraestruturas de IA – se o abastecimento puder ser efetivamente mobilizado.
África detém mais de 600 biliões de pés cúbicos de reservas comprovadas de gás natural, representando uma parte significativa do abastecimento global. No entanto, apesar desta abundância, o continente consome apenas uma fração a nível interno, com grande parte da produção historicamente orientada para as exportações.
Ao mesmo tempo, a infraestrutura digital de África continua subdesenvolvida. O continente representa apenas 0,6% da capacidade global de centros de dados – apesar de representar quase 20% da população mundial. A capacidade instalada total situa-se em cerca de 1,2 GW entre projetos ativos, planeados e em fase de desenvolvimento, com apenas cerca de 360 MW atualmente operacionais.
A procura, no entanto, está a acelerar rapidamente. Prevê-se que as necessidades de centros de dados de África aumentem 3,5 a 5,5 vezes até 2030, exigindo um investimento de 10 a 20 mil milhões de dólares. A procura de energia está a aumentar em paralelo, crescendo 20 a 25% ao ano e prevendo-se que atinja 8 000 GWh nos próximos anos.
É aqui que o gás natural se torna fundamental. Ao contrário das energias renováveis intermitentes, a energia a gás oferece energia despachável e de carga de base – tornando-a particularmente adequada aos requisitos de funcionamento contínuo dos centros de dados. A nível global, os centros de dados já consomem cerca de 1,5% da eletricidade total, com a procura a crescer a um ritmo de aproximadamente 12% ao ano, ultrapassando largamente o consumo global de eletricidade. Nos mercados emergentes, onde a fiabilidade da rede é inconsistente, esta vantagem de fiabilidade torna-se ainda mais importante.
Grandes projetos de gás em toda a África sublinham a escala do potencial de oferta. Os desenvolvimentos offshore de Moçambique – entre os maiores a nível global – deverão produzir mais de 13 milhões de toneladas por ano de GNL, enquanto a Nigéria continua a expandir a sua estratégia de monetização do gás em torno das suas reservas de mais de 200 biliões de pés cúbicos. Entretanto, novos produtores, como o Senegal e a Mauritânia, estão a entrar no mercado com desenvolvimentos de GNL em grande escala.
A oportunidade não se resume simplesmente à exportação de gás, mas sim à sua utilização a nível interno para impulsionar a industrialização e as infraestruturas digitais. Atualmente, África exporta energia enquanto continua a enfrentar escassez crónica de energia, criando uma desconexão entre a riqueza em recursos e o desenvolvimento económico.
Colmatar esta lacuna poderá redefinir a trajetória do continente. Os projetos de conversão de gás em energia, integrados com o desenvolvimento de centros de dados, oferecem um caminho para ancorar a infraestrutura digital em regiões ricas em energia. Países como a Nigéria, o Egito e a Argélia estão particularmente bem posicionados, enquanto produtores emergentes como Moçambique e o Senegal poderão integrar o abastecimento interno em novos centros industriais e digitais desde o início.
Esta convergência está agora a passar para a vanguarda das discussões do setor. Na African Energy Week 2026, a sessão dedicada à IA e aos Centros de Dados irá centrar-se na forma como a energia – particularmente o gás natural – pode sustentar a expansão digital do continente. À medida que a infraestrutura de IA cresce, a sessão destaca uma realidade central: sem energia fiável e escalável, África corre o risco de ficar de fora da próxima onda de investimento digital global.
«Isto não é apenas uma discussão sobre energia – é uma estratégia económica», afirma NJ Ayuk, Presidente Executivo da African Energy Chamber. «Os centros de dados de IA requerem energia constante e fiável em grande escala, e o gás natural é o único recurso que África possui hoje que pode fornecer isso imediatamente. Se alinharmos o desenvolvimento do gás com a infraestrutura digital, podemos industrializar, criar empregos e posicionar África como um interveniente de peso na economia global da IA.»
No entanto, os desafios permanecem. As lacunas nas infraestruturas, as restrições de preços e a incerteza regulatória continuam a limitar a utilização doméstica do gás. Sem um investimento coordenado em gasodutos, centrais elétricas e infraestruturas digitais, o continente corre o risco de continuar a desempenhar o seu papel de exportador de energia, enquanto importa serviços digitais.
À medida que a IA impulsiona uma nova onda de procura de energia, o gás natural está a emergir como um facilitador crítico das infraestruturas digitais. Para África, o desafio – e a oportunidade – é transformar essa vantagem em competitividade global.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.
As artificial intelligence (AI) drives an unprecedented surge in data processing, one constraint is becoming increasingly clear: power. Data centers – the backbone of AI – require vast, stable and continuous energy supply. For Africa, this challenge intersects with an opportunity. The continent’s abundant natural gas resources could position it as a future hub for AI infrastructure – if supply can be effectively mobilized.
Africa holds over 600 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, representing a significant share of global supply. Yet despite this abundance, the continent consumes only a fraction domestically, with much of production historically geared toward exports.
At the same time, Africa’s digital infrastructure remains underdeveloped. The continent accounts for just 0.6% of global data center capacity – despite representing nearly 20% of the world’s population. Total installed capacity stands at roughly 1.2 GW across active, planned and pipeline projects, with only about 360 MW currently operational.
Demand, however, is accelerating rapidly. Africa’s data center needs are expected to increase 3.5 to 5.5 times by 2030, requiring up to $10–20 billion in investment. Power demand is rising in parallel, growing at 20–25% annually and projected to reach 8,000 GWh in the coming years.
This is where natural gas becomes critical. Unlike intermittent renewables, gas-fired power offers dispatchable, baseload energy – making it particularly suited to the always-on requirements of data centers. Globally, data centers already consume around 1.5% of total electricity, with demand growing at roughly 12% annually, far outpacing overall electricity consumption. In emerging markets, where grid reliability is inconsistent, this reliability advantage becomes even more important.
Major gas projects across Africa underscore the scale of potential supply. Mozambique’s offshore developments – among the largest globally – are expected to produce over 13 million tons per year of LNG, while Nigeria continues expanding its gas monetization strategy around its 200+ trillion cubic feet of reserves. Meanwhile, new producers such as Senegal and Mauritania are entering the market with large-scale LNG developments.
The opportunity is not simply about exporting gas, but about using it domestically to power industrialization and digital infrastructure. Today, Africa exports energy while still facing chronic power shortages, creating a disconnect between resource wealth and economic development.
Bridging this gap could redefine the continent’s trajectory. Gas-to-power projects, integrated with data center development, offer a pathway to anchor digital infrastructure in energy-rich regions. Countries such as Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria are particularly well positioned, while emerging producers like Mozambique and Senegal could embed domestic supply into new industrial and digital hubs from the outset.
This convergence is now moving to the forefront of industry discussions. At African Energy Week 2026, the AI and Data Center Track will focus on how power – particularly natural gas – can underpin the continent’s digital expansion. As AI infrastructure scales, the track highlights a central reality: without reliable, scalable energy, Africa risks missing out on the next wave of global digital investment.
“This is not just an energy discussion – it’s an economic strategy,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “AI data centers require constant, reliable power at scale, and natural gas is the only resource Africa has today that can deliver that immediately. If we align gas development with digital infrastructure, we can industrialize, create jobs and position Africa as a serious player in the global AI economy.”
Still, challenges remain. Infrastructure gaps, pricing constraints and regulatory uncertainty continue to limit domestic gas utilization. Without coordinated investment in pipelines, power plants and digital infrastructure, the continent risks continuing its role as an energy exporter while importing digital services.
As AI drives a new wave of energy demand, natural gas is emerging as a critical enabler of digital infrastructure. For Africa, the challenge – and opportunity – is to turn that advantage into global competitiveness.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Santiago Zuluaga Castañeda, JdlC Researcher, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC)
Birds of prey and vultures (raptors) play a vital role in ecosystems, both as top predators and key scavengers. However, compared to many other bird species, raptor populations are declining faster. This is because they need large areas to live in, have low population densities, and reproduce slowly. For these reasons they are vulnerable to human impacts like farming with pesticides, electrocution, collision with wind turbines, or poaching.
In many cases, by the time scientists and conservationists fully understand how bad the declines are, it may be too late to act. Thus, having good population monitoring is vital to act as an early warning system of declines. Many countries in the global south host important populations of raptors but lack effective monitoring programmes.
Africa is an important continent for raptor diversity. Several studies across Africa have used road counts (counting birds from repeated transects across routes) to monitor how raptor populations have changed over time. A recent study went one step further, combining trends from these different surveys from across Africa to better understand these changes at a pan-African scale. Unfortunately, no data from South Africa were available to be incorporated into this analysis.
Monitoring on the road.
In our recent study we took advantage of data that was collected by one dedicated fieldworker, Ronelle Visagie, who drove nearly 400,000 km (the distance from Earth to the moon) across the central area of South Africa (see map) between 2009 and 2025, while she worked for the Birds of Prey Programme of the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
Map of the study area showing the distribution of all road counts conducted between 2009 and 2025. The black polygon indicates the core survey area.
During these 16 years, Ronelle counted all the raptors and large birds that she saw on these work trips. Comparing how the rate of these observations (numbers of individuals per 100km driven) changed over time allowed us to explore species population trends. We had enough data to examine trends for 18 raptors and eight other large bird species over this period. Unfortunately, we did not find a good news story.
These road counts revealed that 50% of the species (13 out of 26) declined significantly, while only three species (12%) showed significant increases. The remaining ten species (38%) showed no significant trends (see Figure 2).
The declining trends raise serious concerns about the conservation status of several species in a region known to host important raptor populations. Thus, urgent conservation actions are needed, especially for species declining by more than 50%. Given that several of these species are not currently listed as threatened either globally or regionally, their conservation status may need to be reassessed.
Fig.2: Estimated population change for 26 species from road counts between 2009 and 2025 in South Africa. (a) Negative and (b) positive trends. The dashed vertical black line indicates a −50% population change.Author provided (no reuse)
Trends in raptor populations
According to our results, 42% of the assessed species declined by more than 50% in the last 16 years.
Notable declines included all of the three migratory species assessed (lesser kestrel, amur falcon and steppe buzzard). These trends match other studies from their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere, which also suggested declines. Protecting migratory species is especially challenging because action may be needed in breeding areas, non-breeding areas, and along migration routes, where the threats they face may differ.
We also found declines of several resident raptors, including jackal buzzard, Verreaux’s eagle and secretarybird. Populations of these species declined by over 50% in our study region.
In contrast, populations of white-necked raven, greater kestrels, and white-backed vulture increased. The latter is a critically endangered species, but seems to be increasing within our study area.
Amur Falcon.Ronelle Visagie, Author provided (no reuse)
Some of the trends we detected were similar to a recent study that explored raptor population trends from across Africa using similar approaches to our study. For example, our findings of large declines for secretarybird and lesser kestrel were very similar to those reported in Kenya and Botswana. Additionally, similar population changes for secretarybird were detected during winter (but not summer) using road counts in the Nama Karoo (a major part of our study area) during the period just before our study (a 61% decline between the late 1980s and early 2010s). This suggests that the decline detected earlier may have continued into the mid-2020s.
Secretarybird.Megan Murgatroyd, Author provided (no reuse)
We compared the direction of trends (whether species numbers were going up or down) from our road counts and the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP2). But only about half of the trends agreed between the two methods (road counts and the bird atlas). Species with consistent trends between the methods included amur falcon and lesser kestrel – both showing declines – and greater kestrel and white-backed vulture – both showing increases. Species with inconsistent trends all showed decreases according to our road counts but increases according to the bird atlas project. These included Ludwig’s bustard, blue crane, secretarybird, black-winged kite, and southern pale chanting goshawk.
If we assume that our road counts trends are reliable, these findings suggest that although the bird atlas project data can provide valuable information on the changes in distribution of birds, atlas data may be less well suited to capture changes in abundance at large spatial scales and across multiple species.
Across Africa, declines in birds of prey are often linked to human population growth, agricultural expansion and climate change. In our study area, there have been no major recent changes in land use or population density, but more subtle or long-term human impacts may be driving these changes.
Conflicts between people and raptors, including illegal killings, could play a role. Climate change and infrastructure like power lines and wind farms are adding further pressure by fragmenting aerial habitat and affecting survival and reproduction.
Human populations in Africa are expected to grow significantly over the next three decades, which will increase pressure on biodiversity.
Given the projected human population growth in Africa (79%), and a corresponding rise in demand for resources and energy, threats to vulnerable bird species are likely to get worse.
Gareth Tate.Author provided (no reuse)
It is therefore essential that we have reliable tools to monitor species trends and better understand the impacts of these pressures.
This is crucial for understanding the current biodiversity crisis and preventing severe wildlife loss.
– Birds of prey in South Africa are in trouble – a study analyses data from 16 years of road counts – https://theconversation.com/birds-of-prey-in-south-africa-are-in-trouble-a-study-analyses-data-from-16-years-of-road-counts-281908
