Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

As part of his working tour of Nigeria and the wider region, Dr George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), visited the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, reaffirming Afreximbank’s commitment to supporting the realisation of Africa’s health care sovereignty.

Developed by Afreximbank in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London, AMCE was established to help transform specialist healthcare delivery in Africa, by strengthening clinical capacity, advancing research and education, creating a sustainable ecosystem for world-class care on the continent and in turn, reducing dependence on medical travel abroad.

In its first year of operation, AMCE has moved from vision to measurable impact, demonstrating how development finance can transform healthcare on the continent.

The Centre has registered over 5,000 patients from more than 20 countries across four continents, underscoring its growing role as a regional and global referral centre for advanced specialist healthcare.

Beyond the numbers are lives already being transformed. During its first year, AMCE has achieved several important clinical milestones. The Centre delivered West Africa’s first Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer, treating an octogenarian with a localised lung tumour using a highly precise, non-invasive technique that previously required many patients to travel abroad. The Centre also completed its first complex Triple Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), demonstrating that advanced cardiac care can now be delivered to global standards within Africa. AMCE also successfully completed two Stem cell transplants.

 Its advanced laboratory has processed more than 40,000 diagnostic tests and investigations, completed 10 open-heart surgeries and 11 cardiac surgical procedures under the cardiac programme, administered 99 catheterisation laboratory procedures, and 173 anaesthesia-supported procedures in just a year.

Additionally, the Centre has commenced Nuclear medicine services, with Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging now available for bone scans, renograms, and perfusion scans, while Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) imaging is scheduled to commence later in the year.

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Elombi applauded the remarkable progress recorded by the Centre within its first year of operation, describing it as a compelling demonstration of African excellence, institutional resolve, and shared purpose. He stated: “The success of this Centre reflects the depth of talent assembled here and the pan-African spirit that underpins its service. The vision that inspired the conception and construction of this facility is the same conviction now being carried forward by the medical professionals delivering care to the continent. The AMCE provides health services and advances Africa’s health sovereignty while affirming our collective capacity to take responsibility for our own lives and future. The AMCE is a world-class quaternary healthcare facility delivering medical services of a standard that many would previously have sought beyond the continent. Nigerians, and citizens across Africa, must take full advantage of this facility—built by African institutions with the steadfast support of our governments.”

AMCE Chief Executive Officer, Brian Deaver, said Dr. Elombi’s visit marks an important milestone in the Centre’s journey and provides an opportunity to reflect on the impact AMCE has made in just one year.  

“Our progress, from pioneering clinical achievements to earning growing trust across the region, demonstrates that Africa can build and sustain world-class centres of excellence. With Afreximbank’s continued vision and support, we remain committed to advancing patient care, research, education and innovation to strengthen health systems across the continent”.  Deaver noted.

Dr Elombi also toured key clinical departments, interacted with healthcare professionals and staff, and received updates on the Centre’s operational performance, clinical achievements and long-term expansion plans. He thanked the facilities’ employees for their commitment to building a new benchmark for specialist healthcare in Africa, noting that the Centre’s early achievements reflect the dedication, professionalism and shared vision of its workforce.

Today, AMCE employs more than 600 clinical and non-clinical professionals, representing 12 nationalities, and reflecting its growing reputation as a destination for highly skilled healthcare professionals. Earlier this year, the Centre also earned Great Place to Work® Certification, with 90 percent of employees affirming it is a great place to work.

– on behalf of Afreximbank.

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About the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) Abuja:
The African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) Abuja is a tertiary-level multi-specialty medical institution developed by Afreximbank in collaboration with King’s College Hospital, London. In strategic partnership with Bank of Industry (BOI), and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), AMCE reflects what’s possible when African institutions unite with shared purpose. The centre is designed to set new standards in specialist healthcare, research, and medical education across Africa.

Created to address critical gaps in advanced medical services on the continent, AMCE provides world-class care in areas including oncology, haematology, cardiovascular care, and general healthcare. The centre is also equipped to deliver advanced procedures such as stem cell transplantation and other specialised treatments that have historically required patients to travel abroad.

The flagship facility forms part of Afreximbank’s broader vision to strengthen Africa’s healthcare ecosystem by reducing medical tourism, supporting medical training and research, and creating employment opportunities across both clinical and non-clinical sectors.

With its growing network of specialists, researchers, and healthcare professionals, AMCE is positioning itself as a leading hub for advanced medicine in Africa while contributing to a stronger, more resilient healthcare system for the continent.

For more information, visit: www.AMCE.net

About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2025, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$48.5 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$8.4 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), and. Moody’s (Baa2). Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), Moody’s (Baa2) and S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

Source: APO

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has expressed confidence that the 12th Parliament has the potential to become the best in Uganda’s history, citing the calibre, commitment and readiness of the newly elected legislators.

Closing the five-day induction programme for Members of the 12th Parliament at Speke Resort Munyonyo on Saturday, 05 July 2026, Tayebwa said the quality of debate, curiosity and willingness to learn displayed by the Members had convinced him that the House is poised to make history.

“I have been following the induction programme. I must tell you, I think you are going to make the best Parliament that we have ever had. You have the capacity. I have read through the CVs of the Members we have and compared them with those of past Parliaments. I have heard the questions that you have been asking and engaged with many of you. I see how you are ready to learn, to ask difficult questions, you are also ready to follow your clear mandate,” Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa urged MPs to distinguish themselves by ensuring that government programmes translate into better service delivery in their constituencies, saying this would strengthen both public confidence in Parliament and government.

He encouraged legislators to closely monitor the utilisation of public funds allocated to local governments for roads, water and wealth creation programmes, instead of leaving implementation entirely to technical officers.

“My district Mitooma was receiving over Shs300 million. The President directed, Parliament supported and Shs1 billion was added, but I have not heard people saying the budget has improved when it was tripled,” Tayebwa said.

He added, “Let us use government programmes to deliver services. Go to the districts and ask where the money for roads is. Ask why boreholes are not repaired when every district receives money for water. If you use government programmes to deliver services, people will feel that you care for them”.
 

Reflecting on the performance of the 11th Parliament, Tayebwa commended its achievements in legislation, appropriation and oversight, but called for stronger participation by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members in accountability processes.

“The oversight committees are led by the Opposition but the majority of the members are NRM. The hard questions should be asked by all people,” he said.

He tasked the Prime Minister and Government Chief Whip to ensure that ministers involve area Members of Parliament whenever implementing government programmes in constituencies.

“There is no minister who should visit a constituency without informing the area MP. There is no government programme that should be taken to the constituency without involving MPs because that money is appropriated by Parliament,” Tayebwa said.

The Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, implored the new legislators to prioritise their health and family life despite the demanding nature of parliamentary work.

“When they say you can gain the whole world and lose your life, it means you can gain the title of Member of Parliament but at the end of 10 years you have no home and no family,” Mwesige said.

Drawing from his experience as a former Minister of Local Government, Mwesige revealed that the pressures of public office once resulted in a brain tumour, from which he later recovered.

Mwesige made remarks during a health and wellness session facilitated by the State Minister for Primary Health Care, Hon. Charles Ayume, who acknowledged the demanding schedules of public leaders.

“Ever since I became a State Minister, I mostly eat in the morning and the second meal is in the evening because you are moving from one meeting to another,” Ayume said.

Ayume informed Members that the government-funded Heart Hospital in Naguru is expected to be completed by June 2027, a development expected to reduce referrals to the Uganda Heart Institute at Mulago.

The week-long induction programme brought together experts and seasoned leaders who equipped Members with knowledge on legislation, oversight, budgeting, ethics, leadership and other technical aspects. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO – Report:

For years, a Johannesburg school’s soccer coach did the entire team’s laundry himself. Several evenings a week he and the teachers carried the kit home, washed and dried it, and brought it back so the squad had something clean to train in. Their changing room was a bare space with one toilet, a broken mirror and nowhere to store a thing. There was no shortage of talent or commitment – the surroundings just held it all back.

Until very recently, this was the reality at Kensington Secondary School. With the help of LG Electronics South Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4eQr5B2), the achiever who chose to fix it was Williams Okpara, the Nigerian goalkeeper who spent more than a decade guarding Orlando Pirates’ posts and still holds the club’s appearance record. His episode opens Make Life Good, LG’s six-part reality series made in partnership with MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, and hosted by Jessica Nkosi. It has aired on Mzansi Magic every Thursday at 19:00 since 11 June, with repeats on Saturdays at 14:00 and Sundays at 09:30.

The premise is rare for reality television. No prizes or eliminations, no scandals or tempers boiling over. Instead, six change-makers – or as they are affectionately known by LG as ‘Achievers’ – each return to a cause they already back, and the build teams get 24 hours to remake a space that shapes the people who use it. What connects them is geography as much as generosity: the Achievers come from across the continent, from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, yet every organisation they chose sits in a South African community close to their hearts and in need of support.

In Lanseria, that community is a safe home and orphanage for babies and young children called LIV Lanseria, backed by Saray Khumalo, the South African mountaineer who became the first Black African woman to summit Everest. Her makeover turned a room with a single two-plate stove into a fully-fledged, working kitchen. A 900 L fridge now holds food for the whole home. A dishwasher returns the hours volunteers used to lose at the sink. A microwave warms a bottle evenly, without the cold spots that catch out a tired caregiver. The appliances follow the problem, which is the guiding principle in bringing together the Achievers, LG and Multichoice to make a difference by using their specialities.

The pattern holds at a skills programme for unemployed men, where a small projector gave way to a 100-inch smart display that now runs learning demonstrations and its written theory side by side, as well as an energy-efficient air conditioner that keeps a packed training room usable through the afternoon. In a country that plans its weeks around the unpredictable availability of service delivery, that efficiency is what lets a stretched organisation keep the equipment running once the cameras leave.

“Life’s Good is our slogan, but this series asks us to prove it where life isn’t always easy or fair,” says Pennileigh Naidu, Head of Corporate Marketing and PR at LG Electronics South Africa. She frames it as a deliberate move away from product-led marketing. “We didn’t want to talk about impact, we wanted to show it. For every organisation, we started with the operational problem they live with daily, then chose the technology that removes it.” Her measure of success, she emphasises, is the hours a caregiver gets back and the dignity a working kitchen restores.

That is the shift worth a marketer’s or a technologist’s attention. Corporate social investment has tended to sit off to the side of the business, a cheque written and a photograph taken. Make Life Good folds the impact into the brand and invites the harder question of whether the fridge is still working, and still useful, a year from now. Naidu calls it shared value rather than charity, the point where commercial capability and social relevance stop competing for the same budget.

The series reaches viewers in Kenya and Nigeria too, and sits within LG’s wider regional storytelling, gathered in its newsroom feature “Beyond the Product”. This season, though, the work was South African, room-by-room and need-by-need.

The crews have now packed up, and the Achievers have started their work on making changes with more communities. What stays behind in a Lanseria kitchen and a Kensington changing room is quieter and more durable: kit dried overnight, meals prepped faster, an afternoon lesson a full class can finally see. None of it will trend, but all of it will still be working when the next intake of children arrives.

Make Life Good – the Achievers and their causes

Williams Okpara (Nigeria) – Kensington Secondary School soccer programme, Johannesburg

• Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper who holds the club’s appearance record and was part of the 1995 CAF Champions League-winning team, and is now Pirates’ team manager.
• Products: 13Kg Front Loader with AI DD™ & Steam+™ in Black Finish (https://apo-opa.co/4wpZzSf); 10kg A+++ Dual Inverter Heat Pump Dryer in Black Finish (https://apo-opa.co/3QEJSrj); LG XBOOM Stage 301 by will.i.am Bluetooth Speaker (http://apo-opa.co/4aG3IsW).

Saray Khumalo (South Africa) – LIV Lanseria children’s home, Lanseria

• The first Black African woman to summit Mount Everest and to ski to the South Pole, and founder of the Summits With a Purpose foundation, which raises funds to build libraries in disadvantaged schools.
• Products: 900L InstaView™ Door-in-Door French Door Fridge with UVnano™ in Black Finish (https://apo-opa.co/3SKr5eF); 42L NeoChef™ Grill Microwave Oven in Stainless Finish (https://apo-opa.co/4f4TweN); 14 Place QuadWash™ Dishwasher with TrueSteam™ in Stainless Finish (https://apo-opa.co/4f4Twvj).

Adze Ugah (Nigeria) – Bold Men Skills Program / BBM Foundation

• Nigerian-born, Johannesburg-based filmmaker, one of the directors of Shaka iLembe, whose feature Sierra’s Gold won Best South African Feature Film at the 2024 Durban International Film Festival.
• Products: 100 inch LG QNED evo AI QNED86 MiniLED 4K 120Hz Smart TV (https://apo-opa.co/4bt52j0); 9.1.5 ch LG Home Cinema Soundbar with Surround Sound and Rear Speakers S95TR (https://apo-opa.co/4wmHX9H); [Wifi] 24k BTU DualCool+ Inverter (https://apo-opa.co/4wt1WDP).

Esther Munyi (Kenya) – Botshabelo Babies Home, Midrand

• Kenyan data and analytics leader, founder of Charmed by Data and former Group Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Sasfin.
• Products: 900L InstaView™ Door-in-Door French Door Fridge with UVnano™ in Black Finish (https://apo-opa.co/3SKr5eF); 42L NeoChef™ Grill Microwave Oven in Stainless Finish (https://apo-opa.co/4f4TweN); 13Kg Front Loader with AI DD™ & Steam+™ in Black Finish (https://apo-opa.co/4wpZzSf).

Thandi Mavata (South Africa) – The House Group, Johannesburg

• South African entrepreneur, author and women’s-empowerment advocate, and founder of the Doek on Fleek movement.
• Products: 77 inch LG OLED evo AI G5 4K 165Hz Smart TV (https://apo-opa.co/4eUHWTq); [Wifi] 24k BTU DualCool+ Inverter (https://apo-opa.co/4wt1WDP) air conditioner; 3x LG UltraFine 27″ QHD IPS Monitor with USB-C (https://apo-opa.co/4buggnp).

Perpetual Kendi (Kenya) – Moses Molelekwa Arts Foundation, Tembisa

• Kenyan Pan-African entrepreneur and communications strategist, founder and CEO of Addleston PR and of the Laute Luxury Wines brand.
• Products: 65 inch LG QNED evo AI QNED86 MiniLED 4K 120Hz Smart TV (https://apo-opa.co/3QYRg0v); LG MR11 2300W, 4.2Ch AV Receiver System (https://apo-opa.co/4brSdW9).

– on behalf of LG Electronics.

Source: APO – Report:

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South Africa has entered a critical phase in its upstream development. With new petroleum legislation in place, a national petroleum company established and the Karoo shale gas moratorium lifted, the country has taken important steps toward unlocking its oil and gas potential. The key question now is whether South Africa can translate policy momentum into investment, and Angola’s reform experience provides a practical roadmap for doing so.

In Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, documents how coordinated legal, fiscal and structural reform reversed years of production decline in the country. The two countries operate in different contexts: Angola reformed a mature producing sector while South Africa is working to establish one. There is, however, a transferable lesson in the sequencing and institutional commitment that made Angola’s reforms effective.

Angola Prioritized Structural Reform
When President João Lourenço took office in 2017, his administration conducted a 30-day sector review that led to sustained regulatory change. The newly-established National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) took over upstream regulation, a function previously housed within state oil company Sonangol alongside its commercial portfolio. This coincided with the creation of a dedicated downstream regulator, Instituto Regulador dos Derivados do Petróleos, strengthening governance across the entire hydrocarbon value chain.

On a policy front, the 2018 Natural Gas Law gave Angola its first standalone framework for gas exploration and commercialization across an estimated 11 trillion cubic feet of reserves. The Permanent Offer Regime, introduced in 2021, opened acreage for negotiation on a rolling basis rather than through periodic bid rounds, resulting in 27 block awards. Following that, the Incremental Production Law came into effect in November 2024 and targets recovery of an estimated 500 million barrels from mature assets while extending their productive life by as much as 20 years.

These reforms quickly yielded strong results. Foreign direct investment rose by $2.59 billion in the same year Angola improved from 167th to 146th on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. Hydrocarbon production has now been sustained above one million barrels per day, while $70 billion in planned upstream investments signal rising international confidence in Angola’s oil and gas opportunities.

“Angola’s regulatory reforms demonstrate that political will, matched with clear fiscal and legal frameworks, can transform an upstream sector within a single policy cycle. These reforms offer critical lessons for countries such as South Africa, which has the opportunity to be a first-mover in establishing a strong regulatory environment,” states Ayuk.

South Africa’s Regulatory Window is Open
South Africa has begun moving in a similar direction. The Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act (UPRDA) was enacted in late 2024, consolidating upstream licensing and establishing a 20% mandatory carried interest for the state. The South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) launched in May 2025, merging PetroSA, iGas and the Strategic Fuel Fund. In October 2025, the government lifted a 13-year moratorium on shale gas exploration in the Karoo Basin – estimated to contain up to 300 trillion cubic feet of shale resources.  

The challenge for South Africa is implementation. Environmental litigation has blocked or delayed offshore exploration by TotalEnergies and Shell since 2022. In August 2025, the Western Cape High Court rescinded the environmental authorization for Block 5/6/7 off the southwest coast. The Brulpadda and Luiperd gas-condensate discoveries in the Outeniqua Basin, which an FTI Consulting analysis estimates could contribute up to R25 billion per year to the balance of payments, remain undeveloped.

Angola’s experience suggests that legislative reform alone does not produce investment outcomes. The country’s upstream investment trajectory followed from how quickly and consistently those reforms were applied – from the ANPG’s operational launch through to the rolling award of blocks under the Permanent Offer Regime.

With the UPRDA, the SANPC and the Karoo moratorium lift, South Africa has put its own legislative foundation in place. Whether it can match that pace of execution will determine if the current wave of exploration interest in southern Africa’s offshore basins finally extends south of the Namibian border.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO – Report:

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Dr. Innocent Matshe, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), has been confirmed as a speaker at African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa’s Most Influential Mining Conference, taking place from 14–16 October 2026 in Cape Town. His participation comes as African central banks assume an increasingly important role in financing mining projects, supporting mineral value addition and creating investment-friendly monetary frameworks to attract private capital.

Dr. Matshe will participate in the Central Bank Governors, Finance and Investor Roundtable, where policymakers, financial institutions and investors will explore strategies to mobilize the capital needed to unlock Africa’s estimated $8.5 trillion in untapped mineral wealth. The session will examine innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and monetary policies that can accelerate investment across the continent’s mining sector.

As Zimbabwe  targets gold production of 55 metric tons in 2026 – up from 50.6 metric tons in 2025 and 38.6 metric tons in 2024 – the RBZ has expanded its support for the sector through its reserve-building gold purchase program. The initiative provides financing to mining companies while advancing the formalization of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASGM) sector. To address foreign currency constraints, the central bank also pays ASGM producers – who account for more than 60% of Zimbabwe’s gold production – directly in foreign currency, enabling miners to purchase equipment, improve productivity and sustain operational growth.

Dr. Matshe will also speak during the Unlocking Refining Investment panel, where industry leaders will discuss financing strategies to accelerate investment in mineral processing and downstream beneficiation projects across Africa. His participation aligns with Zimbabwe’s efforts to strengthen domestic mineral value addition and attract investment into processing infrastructure.

The government is targeting approximately $1 billion in lithium processing investments ahead of its planned January 2027 ban on lithium concentrate exports, a policy designed to encourage in-country beneficiation and increase export value. At the same time, Zimbabwe is expanding its gold refining capacity through the approval of a new refinery in Bulawayo, supporting the country’s ambition to process a greater share of its mineral production domestically.

At AMW 2026, Dr. Matshe is expected to outline how the Reserve Bank’s monetary policies, foreign exchange reforms and financing initiatives are supporting mining sector expansion while creating a more attractive investment environment across Zimbabwe’s mining value chain, from exploration and production to refining and mineral processing.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.