Category: MIL-OSI

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AfDB approves $13m to support Ebola response in DRC, Uganda and South Sudan

Source: Government of South Africa

AfDB approves $13m to support Ebola response in DRC, Uganda and South Sudan

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved $13 million in emergency grants to strengthen efforts to contain the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.

The funding is aimed at reinforcing national emergency responses, curbing the spread of the virus and reducing deaths and illness in the most affected and vulnerable communities.

The outbreak was first reported by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 15 May in the Ituri province in the country’s east, with cases also reported in Bunia, Rwampara and Mongwalu.

Since then, the outbreak has spread to the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Under the funding package, $10 million will be drawn from reallocated resources within the African Development Bank Group’s existing DRC portfolio and channelled through the World Health Organisation.

A further $3 million will come from the bank’s Multi-Country Emergency Assistance Project covering the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, with implementation led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The DRC, which is at the centre of the outbreak, will receive $11 million, while Uganda and South Sudan will each receive $1 million.

The funds will be used in coordination with national health ministries to strengthen early diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, community engagement, public awareness and regional coordination, according to a statement issued by the AfDB.

“This emergency support reflects the African Development Bank Group’s commitment to supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo and countries in the region in protecting human lives, strengthening the resilience of health systems and preventing the spread of the epidemic,” said Mohamed Cherif, Deputy Director General for Central Africa and DRC country manager at the African Development Bank Group.

“Through this support, the Bank Group reaffirms its commitment to standing by regional member countries in times of crisis,” he added.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The strain is described as particularly virulent, and there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for it.

The AfDB said the emergency funding forms part of its Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan and is intended to help countries halt transmission while reducing mortality and morbidity, particularly in areas facing the greatest risks. – SAnews.gov.za

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Manamela appoints independent assessor at University of Venda

Source: Government of South Africa

Manamela appoints independent assessor at University of Venda

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has notified the University of Venda Council of his intention to appoint an independent assessor following escalating governance challenges and leadership instability at the institution.

The move follows allegations levelled against the university’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, as well as its Chief Operating Officer, and comes amid reports of the precautionary suspension of both executives.

According to the Department of Higher Education and Training, Manamela met the university’s Executive Management and Council on 5 June 2026, after anonymous letters containing allegations against the two officials led to strained relations within the institution, threats of suspension and subsequent litigation.

The meeting concluded with a resolution that the parties would resolve the matters through the university’s governance structures, rather than through continued litigation, with the Council expected to report back to the Minister on progress.

However, the department said the matters have not been resolved but have instead escalated.

Recent developments, including the reported precautionary suspensions of the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, have raised serious concerns about governance, leadership, and institutional stability.

Manamela has expressed his deep concern about these developments, which have implications for the effective functioning of the university and, most importantly, the academic project.

“The continued instability risks undermining the university’s ability to fulfil its mandate of providing quality teaching and learning,” Manamela said in a statement on Tuesday.

In light of the seriousness of the situation, and in order to prevent any further deterioration of governance at the institution, the Minister has invoked Section 44(1) of the Higher Education Act, by notifying the University Council of his intention to appoint an independent assessor to investigate the matter.

If appointed, he said the independent assessor will investigate among others, various allegations against the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, assess the current state of governance at the university, and evaluate the effectiveness of the institution’s governance and executive management structures.

In line with the Higher Education Act, the University Council has been given 14 days to make representations to the Minister regarding his intention to appoint an Independent Assessor.

The Minister has urged the public and the media to allow the statutory process to run its course without interference or undue speculation.

“The appointment of an Independent Assessor is a legislated governance mechanism intended to establish the facts and make recommendations that will enable the university to restore stability and strengthen institutional governance,” the Minister said.

Manamela reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding the university’s academic programme and assured students, staff and other stakeholders that the Department of Higher Education and Training will continue to support the institution to ensure that its core academic and administrative functions continue without disruption during this process. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Meren Energy mettra en avant la croissance de sa production et sa stratégie pour le bassin d’Orange en tant que partenaire Argent de African Energy Week (AEW) 2026

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

La société indépendante d’exploration et de production (E&P) Meren Energy participera à l’African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 — qui se tiendra au Cap, du 12 au 16 octobre — en tant que partenaire Argent. Elle y présentera son évolution vers le statut de producteur indépendant en amont de premier plan, doté d’un portefeuille équilibré comprenant une production à forte marge au Nigeria et des opportunités d’exploration de classe mondiale dans l’ensemble du bassin de l’Orange. La société arrive à cet événement après une année de transformation marquée par une refonte de sa marque d’entreprise, une consolidation importante de son portefeuille et une attention accrue portée à la réalisation d’une croissance de la production à long terme.

Anciennement connue sous le nom d’Africa Oil Corp., Meren Energy a achevé la refonte de sa marque d’entreprise en mai 2025, reflétant ainsi sa transition d’une société axée sur l’exploration vers un producteur en amont à cycle complet. Cette transformation s’est accélérée avec la finalisation de la consolidation de Prime Oil & Gas en juillet 2025, ce qui a permis de doubler la production et les réserves de la société dans laquelle elle détient des participations, tout en renforçant ses flux de trésorerie grâce à l’extension de ses participations dans les actifs en eaux profondes très productifs du Nigeria. 

À l’heure actuelle, le Nigeria constitue la pierre angulaire de l’activité de Meren. Par le biais de ses participations dans Prime, la société détient des participations dans certains des plus grands champs de production offshore du pays, notamment Akpo, Egina et Agbami. Ces actifs génèrent la quasi-totalité des flux de trésorerie actuels de la société, bénéficiant de prix majorés indexés sur le Brent, de faibles coûts d’extraction et d’une production à long terme. 

Cette stratégie s’est traduite par une situation financière solide. Au cours du premier trimestre 2026, Meren a enregistré une production à laquelle elle a droit d’environ 31 000 barils équivalents pétrole par jour (b/j), tout en maintenant ses prévisions d’une moyenne d’environ 30 000 b/j pour l’année. La société a également renforcé son bilan en refinançant sa ligne de crédit adossée à ses réserves, portant les engagements à 600 millions de dollars avec une échéance prolongée jusqu’en 2032, tout en continuant à redistribuer du capital aux actionnaires par le biais de dividendes trimestriels. 

Parallèlement à son portefeuille de production, Meren se positionne pour la prochaine phase de croissance grâce à l’une des provinces pétrolières émergentes les plus surveillées au monde : le bassin d’Orange. 

En Namibie, la société conserve une participation effective dans la gigantesque découverte de Venus grâce à son investissement dans Impact Oil & Gas. À la suite d’une restructuration d’entreprise annoncée en mai 2026, Impact est devenue une société simplifiée et axée sur la Namibie, dédiée à faire progresser le développement de Venus en vue de la décision finale d’investissement. Ce projet, mené par TotalEnergies, figure parmi les plus importantes découvertes offshore récentes en Afrique et devrait devenir l’une des nouvelles sources de production pétrolière les plus significatives du continent dès cette décennie. 

Alors qu’Impact se concentre exclusivement sur la Namibie, Meren continue de détenir directement une participation de 18 % dans le bloc 3B/4B en Afrique du Sud, dans le bassin de l’Orange, où des forages d’exploration de grande envergure sont prévus. La société conserve également des zones d’exploration qu’elle exploite en Guinée équatoriale, offrant un potentiel d’exploration supplémentaire à long terme en complément de ses actifs en production. ​

« Meren Energy incarne l’évolution du secteur indépendant de l’amont africain. En combinant des actifs de production solides avec des investissements stratégiques dans des bassins pionniers tels que le bassin de l’Orange, la société démontre comment les entreprises indépendantes axées sur l’Afrique peuvent apporter à la fois de la valeur aux actionnaires et contribuer au développement énergétique à long terme », déclare NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie. 

Lors de l’AEW 2026, Meren Energy devrait présenter aux investisseurs, aux opérateurs et aux parties prenantes gouvernementales les opportunités offertes par son portefeuille diversifié, en mettant particulièrement l’accent sur le développement du projet Venus, le potentiel d’exploration dans le bassin de l’Orange, en Afrique du Sud, et l’investissement continu dans le secteur offshore au Nigeria. En tant que partenaire Argent, l’entreprise renforce son engagement à promouvoir la prochaine génération de projets en amont en Afrique, tout en soutenant le rôle croissant du continent dans l’approvisionnement énergétique mondial. ​

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.

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Chambre Africaine de l’Energie (AEC) se joint aux tournées mondiales de promotion des investissements de la « Venezuela Energy Week » à Londres et à Houston

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


La Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) participera aux prochaines tournées mondiales de promotion des investissements organisées par la Venezuela Energy Week à Londres le 30 juillet et à Houston le 18 août, soutenant ainsi les efforts visant à mettre en relation les investisseurs internationaux, les entreprises du secteur de l’énergie et les développeurs de projets avec les opportunités offertes par le secteur énergétique vénézuélien en pleine évolution.

Cet engagement s’inscrit dans le prolongement d’une coopération croissante entre l’AEC et les institutions énergétiques vénézuéliennes, notamment une mission effectuée à Caracas en février 2026 qui a abouti à un cadre de coopération axé sur la promotion des investissements, le transfert de savoir-faire technique, le développement des compétences de la main-d’œuvre et la collaboration tout au long de la chaîne de valeur énergétique. Une rencontre réciproque au Cap en mars a permis de faire avancer les discussions concernant la formation des cadres, la mise en relation d’investisseurs et les programmes d’enseignement technique.

Pour l’AEC, le Venezuela représente une opportunité d’approfondir la coopération Sud-Sud dans le domaine de l’énergie et d’échanger des enseignements entre des marchés riches en ressources confrontés à des priorités de développement similaires. Tant en Afrique qu’au Venezuela, la libération du potentiel énergétique nécessite des investissements dans les actifs existants, la réhabilitation des infrastructures, une expertise opérationnelle et des partenariats capables de transformer les ressources naturelles en croissance économique.

La récente reprise de la production au Venezuela met également en évidence des domaines d’intérêt commun pour les producteurs africains. Le redressement du pays a été largement porté par des améliorations opérationnelles, la remise en service des capacités existantes et un regain d’attention porté à l’optimisation des actifs – des enseignements pertinents pour les marchés africains cherchant à stabiliser leur production, à maximiser le rendement des gisements matures et à attirer de nouveaux investissements.

En amont de la principale édition de la « Venezuela Energy Week » (conférence et salon), qui se tiendra du 26 au 29 octobre à Caracas, les événements de Londres et de Houston offriront aux investisseurs, aux opérateurs, aux institutions financières, aux prestataires de services et aux leaders du secteur l’occasion de s’impliquer directement dans le paysage énergétique vénézuélien en pleine évolution.

Le salon de Londres réunira des investisseurs, des institutions financières, des entreprises énergétiques internationales, des négociants en matières premières et des cadres supérieurs, offrant ainsi aux acteurs britanniques et européens un aperçu des opportunités d’investissement au Venezuela et des partenariats nécessaires pour soutenir le développement futur du secteur.

Le salon de Houston rassemblera des sociétés américaines d’exploration et de production, des opérateurs indépendants, des prestataires de services pétroliers, des entreprises d’ingénierie et de technologie, des banques commerciales, des sociétés de capital-investissement et des family offices afin d’explorer les perspectives techniques et commerciales dans l’ensemble du secteur en amont vénézuélien.

« Le Venezuela a entrepris des réformes et démontré qu’il était capable de collaborer avec des entreprises énergétiques mondiales de premier plan. Aujourd’hui, nous exhortons nos partenaires de la communauté énergétique et financière internationale à choisir le Venezuela. Apportez des capitaux, des technologies et de l’expertise, mais surtout, nouez des partenariats qui créent des opportunités pour les citoyens vénézuéliens », a déclaré NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de l’AEC.

La participation de l’AEC au VEW 2026 reflète l’importance de développer des partenariats internationaux pour soutenir les ambitions énergétiques du Venezuela tout en renforçant la coopération entre les marchés énergétiques émergents. Compte tenu des investissements considérables nécessaires pour réhabiliter les infrastructures, accroître la production et développer les ressources du pays, la collaboration entre investisseurs, opérateurs, prestataires de services et partenaires techniques sera essentielle pour débloquer une croissance à long terme.

« Mobiliser des milliards de dollars dans le secteur de l’énergie peut servir de catalyseur à une reprise économique plus large, et l’AEC se tiendra aux côtés de ses partenaires mondiaux à Londres, Houston et Caracas pour aider à transformer ce potentiel en investissements », a ajouté M. Ayuk.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.

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Western Cape speeds up flood-damaged road repairs

Source: Government of South Africa

Western Cape speeds up flood-damaged road repairs

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has assured residents and farmers that a temporary crossing at the flood-damaged Smalblaar Bridge will be in place before the end of the year, while the  permanent restoration of the bridge is expected to take more than 12 months.

The bridge serves as a vital transport link for farms, residents and businesses in the Rawsonville area and was one of the sites Winde visited during a two-day oversight visit to flood-damaged infrastructure in the Central Karoo and Cape Winelands Districts on 16 and 17 July 2026.

During the visit, the Premier met members of the farming community in Rawsonville to discuss progress on the bridge’s reconstruction and the measures being implemented to restore access as quickly as possible.

“These bridges and passes enable businesses to thrive and residents to access opportunities. I understand their importance and am focused on ensuring we get safe solutions in place as quickly as possible,” Winde said.

Winde also assessed damage to the Meiringspoort and Swartberg passes, which were severely affected by recent record-breaking floods. The infrastructure is critical to connecting communities and supporting economic activity across the Klein and Groot Karoo regions.

Meiringspoort, which links De Rust and Klaarstroom, sustained extensive damage during the floods. The route comprises 20 river crossings, all of which were affected, while four major sections of the road were completely washed away.

According to the provincial government, permanent restoration of the pass is expected to take at least two years and cost hundreds of millions of rand.

Restoration work has already started from the De Rust side, with a temporary route expected to be completed by December 2026. Once opened, the road will operate under strict access controls.

Winde also inspected the Swartberg Pass, which was closed following the floods before reopening in June after emergency repairs. During the visit, Department of Infrastructure officials briefed the Premier at the Teeberg Lookout Point on the progress of ongoing restoration work.

The Premier acknowledged infrastructure teams currently working across the province to restore roads and other public infrastructure damaged by the severe weather.

“These recent severe weather events were unprecedented, with hundreds of thousands of people affected, and many hundreds of roads closed. The Western Cape road network connects communities, businesses and families, driving growth and jobs in every town and city.

“There are people on site across the province restoring roads in just about every district. Thank you for the hard work. We have a long way to go still, but we are moving in the right direction,” Winde said.

He also urged road users adhere to road regulations, warning that heavy vehicles should not use the Swartberg Pass.

“The Swartberg pass is not designed for use by heavy motor vehicles, such as semi-trailers and trucks. These vehicles must find alternative routes, via Laingsburg or Willowmore. While we rebuild bridges, passes and roads, I urge road users to follow road signs and adhere to warnings,” the Premier said.

The Premier is expected to continue receiving regular progress briefings from provincial officials, with further oversight visits to flood-affected districts. – SAnews.gov.za

 

 

 

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ExxonMobil Backs Angola’s Next Growth Phase as Gold Sponsor of Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

Source: APO

ExxonMobil has joined Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing its long-term commitment to one of Africa’s largest upstream markets. Taking place in Luanda from September 9–10 – with a pre-conference day on September 8 – AOG 2026 will bring together operators, investors, financiers and policymakers as Angola pursues more than $70 billion in upstream investment to sustain production and unlock new exploration opportunities. 

ExxonMobil has been a cornerstone of Angola’s offshore industry for more than three decades and remains one of the country’s leading international operators, with interests in producing deepwater Blocks 15, 17 and 32. The company continues to support Angola’s objective of maintaining production above one million barrels per day while advancing the next generation of deepwater investment.  

Momentum accelerated in 2026 with the redevelopment of Block 15, where ExxonMobil awarded a major EPCI contract for the Likembe Redevelopment 2.0 Project. The subsea tie-back development is designed to restore and increase production by leveraging existing infrastructure, extending the productive life of one of Angola’s most prolific offshore assets while improving capital efficiency. 

The redevelopment follows the extension of the Block 15 production sharing agreement, which supports continued operations and new investment across the asset. The renewed framework paves the way for additional redevelopment activity while extending the operational life of the Kizomba A, Kizomba B, Mondo and Saxi-Batuque FPSOs. Together with an 18-well redevelopment campaign that increased production by approximately 30% and discoveries such as Bavuca South-1 and Likembe-01, the project underscores ExxonMobil’s strategy of maximizing value from mature deepwater assets while pursuing production growth. 

Alongside redevelopment, ExxonMobil continues to expand its long-term exploration portfolio. The company is evaluating opportunities in Angola’s frontier Namibe Basin following completion of the basin’s first exploration well and has continued geological studies to assess future investment potential. Company executives have reaffirmed their commitment to further investment in Angola while advanced data analysis is used to determine the basin’s long-term resource potential.  

ExxonMobil’s participation as a Gold Sponsor reinforces AOG 2026 as the premier platform for shaping Angola’s upstream future. As the country advances licensing opportunities, mature field redevelopment and frontier exploration, the conference will provide a forum for operators, government and investors to examine the partnerships, technologies and capital required to sustain long-term production growth. ​

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

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Native Acquires Frontline Research Group to Build the Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Layer for Africa’s $1.7 Trillion Traditional Trade Market

Source: APO

Native (https://Native.io/), the agentic intelligence company building the operating system for offline trade, today announced it has acquired Frontline Research Group (https://FrontlineResearchGroup.com/), a leading market intelligence business serving consumer goods companies across more than 14 African markets.

Native is acquiring Frontline to add independent market share data that tells brands whether their commercial actions are translating into real gains. Together, the two companies give consumer goods companies a complete picture from action to outcome within a single subscription. The acquisition extends Native’s footprint from Latin America into Africa, marking the next step in the company’s plan to serve the world’s largest offline consumer markets.

Native is building the operating system for offline trade, a platform that helps consumer goods companies see, act and measure across the world’s largest fragmented markets. Its global subscriptions include Lattice (field execution), Strata (distribution analytics) and Overwatch (commercial optimization), giving brands the tools to decide where to act and grow share in fragmented, physical trade environments.

Africa represents a vastly underpenetrated growth market for global consumer goods companies. Approximately $1.7 trillion in consumer spend flows through the continent annually, with ~80% moving through traditional trade channels. These fragmented networks of more than 10 million analog stores have historically been difficult for the largest global brands to see, measure and act on.

“Most people would look at Frontline and see a regional research company. We see a proprietary data asset at the center of a $1.7 trillion consumer economy,” said Matt McNabb, CEO of Native. “Frontline has built market share signals in 14 African markets that cannot be credibly scraped, inferred or bought off the shelf. When that signal connects to Native’s 3D Store Graph and agentic workflows, the equation changes: brands can see what is happening in the store, understand whether share actually moved and know what to do next. That is the operating system we are building for the offline trade.”

Frontline’s 14 African market share panels give Native a proprietary measurement layer in one of the world’s most important offline consumer regions. Trusted by global consumer leaders including AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Diageo, Pepsi, and Unilever, Frontline brings deeply verticalized market share data to Native’s platform as a durable input for agentic intelligence.

“Frontline has built a unique regional position in the market by delivering Traditional Trade market share and other market intelligence in some of the world’s most important offline consumer markets,” said Sean Barnes, CEO of Frontline. .”Native’s platform gives that data a new dimension, pairing our regional depth with major advancements in machine-readable retail, agentic AI and subscription software. That is a fundamentally stronger offering than either company could deliver alone, and it opens up an exciting new chapter for our team.”

Sean Barnes will join Native as Chief Strategy Officer following the close of the transaction. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Native.

Additional Link:
https://apo-opa.co/3RtdAQj

Media Contact:
pr@native.io

About Native:
Native is an agentic intelligence company digitizing analytics for the world’s largest offline consumer markets. Native transforms analog stores into machine-readable 3D Store Graphs — digital databases of physical retail environments where every product and fixture can be identified, placed and measured — enabling AI agents to surface insights and direct commercial action. Native’s global subscriptions include Lattice, Strata and Overwatch. Native is headquartered in New York City with operations across Latin America and Africa.

About Frontline Research Group:
Frontline Research Group is a leading African traditional trade market share intelligence platform, with subscription panels across more than 15 markets. Its proprietary data assets help global consumer brands measure market share, understand channel dynamics and track change across some of the world’s most important offline consumer markets. Following the acquisition, Frontline will become Native’s Africa platform.

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Meren Energy to Spotlight Production Growth and Orange Basin Strategy as African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Silver Partner

Source: APO

Independent E&P company Meren Energy will participate at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 – taking place in Cape Town from October 12–16 – as a Silver Partner, showcasing its evolution into a major independent upstream producer with a balance portfolio spanning high-margin production in Nigeria and world-class exploration opportunities across the Orange Basin. The company arrives at the event following a transformational year marketed by a corporate rebrand, a major portfolio consolidation and a sharpened focus on delivering long-term production growth.

Formerly Africa Oil Corp., Meren Energy completed its corporate rebrand in May 2025, reflecting its transition from an exploration-led company into a full-cycle upstream producer. The transformation accelerated with the completion of its Prime Oil & Gas consolidation in July 2025, which doubled the company’s working interest production and reserves while strengthening its cash flow through expanded interests in Nigeria’s prolific deepwater assets.

Today, Nigeria represents the cornerstone of Meren’s business. Through interests in Prime, the company holds stakes in some of the country’s largest offshore producing fields, including Akpo, Egina and Agbami. These assets underpin virtually all of the company’s current cash flow, benefitting from premium Brent-linked pricing, low lifting costs and long-life production. 

The strategy has translated into a strong financial position. During the first quarter of 2026, Meren reported entitlement production of approximately 31,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (bpd) while maintaining guidance for an average of roughly 30,000 bpd for the year. The company also strengthened its balance sheet by refinancing its reserve-based lending facility, increasing commitments to $600 million with maturity extended to 2032, while continuing to return capital to shareholders through quarterly dividends. 

Alongside its producing portfolio, Meren is positioning itself for the next phase of growth through one of the world’s most closely watched emerging petroleum provinces: the Orange Basin. 

In Namibia, the company retains an effective interest in the giant Venus discovery through its investment in Impact Oil & Gas. Following a corporate restructuring announced in May 2026, Impact has become a streamlined Namibia-focused company dedicated to advancing the Venus development toward final investment decision. The project, led by TotalEnergies, ranks among Africa’s largest recent offshore discoveries and is expected to become one of the continent’s most significant new sources of oil production later this decade. 

While Impact concentrates exclusively on Namibia, Meren continues to directly hold an 18% interest in South Africa’s Block 3B/4B in the Orange Basin, where high-impact exploration drilling is anticipated. The company also maintains operated exploration acreage in Equatorial Guinea, providing additional long-term exploration upside alongside its producing assets. ​

“Meren Energy represents the evolution of Africa’s independent upstream sector. By combining strong producing assets with strategic investments in frontier basins like the Orange Basin, the company is demonstrating how African-focused independents can deliver both shareholder value and long-term energy development,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. 

At AEW 2026, Meren Energy is expected to engage investors, operators and government stakeholders on opportunities across its diversified portfolio, with particular emphasis on the Venus development, exploration potential in South Africa’s Orange Basin and continued investment in Nigeria’s offshore sector. As a Silver Partner, the company reinforces its commitment to advancing Africa’s next generation of upstream projects while supporting the continent’s growing role in global energy supply.  ​

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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African Energy Chamber (AEC) Joins Venezuela Energy Week’s Global Investment Roadshows in London and Houston

Source: APO


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The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) will participate in Venezuela Energy Week’s upcoming global investment showcases in London on July 30 and Houston on August 18, supporting efforts to connect international investors, energy companies and project developers with opportunities across Venezuela’s evolving energy sector.

The engagement follows growing cooperation between the AEC and Venezuelan energy institutions, including a February 2026 mission to Caracas that resulted in a cooperation framework focused on investment promotion, technical knowledge transfer, workforce development and collaboration across the energy value chain. A reciprocal engagement in Cape Town in March further advanced discussions around executive training, investment matchmaking and technical education programs.

For the AEC, Venezuela represents an opportunity to deepen South-South energy cooperation and exchange lessons between resource-rich markets facing similar development priorities. Across Africa and Venezuela, unlocking energy potential requires investment in existing assets, infrastructure rehabilitation, operational expertise and partnerships that can translate natural resources into economic growth.

Venezuela’s recent production recovery also highlights areas of shared interest for African producers. The country’s rebound has been driven largely by operational improvements, the restart of existing capacity and renewed focus on asset optimization – lessons that are relevant for African markets seeking to stabilize production, maximize mature fields and attract new investment.

Ahead of the main Venezuela Energy Week Conference & Exhibition, taking place October 26–29 in Caracas, the London and Houston showcases will provide opportunities for investors, operators, financial institutions, service companies and industry leaders to engage directly with Venezuela’s evolving energy landscape.

The London Industry Showcase will convene investors, financial institutions, international energy companies, commodity traders and senior executives, offering UK and European stakeholders insight into Venezuela’s investment opportunities and the partnerships required to support future sector development.

The Houston Industry Showcase will bring together U.S. exploration and production companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers, engineering and technology firms, commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices to explore technical and commercial pathways across Venezuela’s upstream sector.

“Venezuela has undertaken reforms and shown that it can work with world-class global energy companies. Now, we urge our partners across the international energy and financial community to choose Venezuela. Bring capital, technology and expertise, but above all, build partnerships that create opportunities for Venezuelan citizens,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

The AEC’s participation in VEW 2026 reflects the importance of expanding international partnerships to support Venezuela’s energy ambitions while strengthening cooperation between emerging energy markets. With significant investment required to rehabilitate infrastructure, increase production and develop the country’s resources, collaboration between investors, operators, service companies and technical partners will be critical to unlocking long-term growth.

“Mobilizing billions of dollars into energy can be a catalyst for broader economic recovery, and the AEC will stand with global partners in London, Houston and Caracas to help turn that potential into investment,” Ayuk added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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A Meren Energy vai destacar o crescimento da produção e a estratégia para a Bacia de Orange enquanto Parceiro Prata da African Energy Week (AEW) 2026

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

A empresa independente de exploração e produção (E&P) Meren Energy participará na African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 — que decorrerá na Cidade do Cabo, de 12 a 16 de outubro — como Parceiro Prata, apresentando a sua evolução para um importante produtor independente a montante, com um portfólio equilibrado que abrange a produção de margem elevada na Nigéria e oportunidades de exploração de classe mundial em toda a Bacia de Orange. A empresa chega ao evento após um ano de transformação marcado por uma reformulação da marca corporativa, uma importante consolidação do portfólio e um foco mais acentuado na concretização de um crescimento da produção a longo prazo.

Anteriormente conhecida como Africa Oil Corp., a Meren Energy concluiu a sua reformulação da marca corporativa em maio de 2025, refletindo a sua transição de uma empresa orientada para a exploração para um produtor a montante de ciclo completo. A transformação acelerou-se com a conclusão da consolidação da Prime Oil & Gas em julho de 2025, o que duplicou a produção e as reservas da empresa em que detém participações, ao mesmo tempo que reforçou o seu fluxo de caixa através da expansão das participações nos prolíficos ativos em águas profundas da Nigéria. 

Atualmente, a Nigéria representa a pedra angular do negócio da Meren. Através das participações na Prime, a empresa detém participações em alguns dos maiores campos de produção offshore do país, incluindo Akpo, Egina e Agbami. Estes ativos sustentam praticamente todo o fluxo de caixa atual da empresa, beneficiando de preços premium indexados ao Brent, baixos custos de extração e produção de longa duração.

Esta estratégia traduziu-se numa sólida posição financeira. Durante o primeiro trimestre de 2026, a Meren registou uma produção a que tem direito de aproximadamente 31 000 barris equivalentes de petróleo por dia (bpd), mantendo simultaneamente a previsão de uma média de cerca de 30 000 bpd para o ano. A empresa também reforçou o seu balanço através do refinanciamento da sua linha de crédito baseada em reservas, aumentando os compromissos para 600 milhões de dólares com o prazo de vencimento alargado até 2032, ao mesmo tempo que continua a devolver capital aos acionistas através de dividendos trimestrais.

A par do seu portfólio de produção, a Meren está a posicionar-se para a próxima fase de crescimento através de uma das províncias petrolíferas emergentes mais observadas do mundo: a Bacia de Orange.

Na Namíbia, a empresa mantém uma participação efetiva na gigantesca descoberta de Venus através do seu investimento na Impact Oil & Gas. Na sequência de uma reestruturação corporativa anunciada em maio de 2026, a Impact tornou-se uma empresa simplificada e focada na Namíbia, dedicada a avançar com o desenvolvimento de Venus rumo à decisão final de investimento. O projeto, liderado pela TotalEnergies, figura entre as maiores descobertas offshore recentes de África e espera-se que se torne uma das novas fontes de produção de petróleo mais significativas do continente ainda nesta década.

Enquanto a Impact se concentra exclusivamente na Namíbia, a Meren continua a deter diretamente uma participação de 18% no Bloco 3B/4B da África do Sul, na Bacia do Orange, onde se prevê a realização de perfurações de exploração de grande impacto. A empresa mantém também áreas de exploração operadas na Guiné Equatorial, proporcionando um potencial adicional de exploração a longo prazo a par dos seus ativos em produção.

«A Meren Energy representa a evolução do setor independente de upstream africano. Ao combinar ativos de produção sólidos com investimentos estratégicos em bacias de fronteira como a Bacia do Orange, a empresa está a demonstrar como as empresas independentes focadas em África podem proporcionar tanto valor para os acionistas como desenvolvimento energético a longo prazo», afirma NJ Ayuk, Presidente Executivo da Câmara Africana de Energia.

Na AEW 2026, espera-se que a Meren Energy envolva investidores, operadores e partes interessadas governamentais nas oportunidades do seu portfólio diversificado, com especial ênfase no desenvolvimento do projeto Venus, no potencial de exploração na Bacia de Orange, na África do Sul, e no investimento contínuo no setor offshore da Nigéria. Na qualidade de Parceiro Prata, a empresa reforça o seu compromisso em impulsionar a próxima geração de projetos de upstream em África, apoiando simultaneamente o papel crescente do continente no abastecimento energético global. 

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.

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