MIL-OSI – Page 339 – MIL Africa Engine

June 30, 2026

The Gambia: New African Development Bank report calls for women to be recognised as full partners in the country’s renewable energy transition

Source: APO – Report:

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare in the Gambia and with financing from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) (https://apo-opa.co/3QPAkcL), has released a report (https://apo-opa.co/4vz4jot) recognising women as equal partners in the nation’s energy transition

Women as Key Partners: A Gender-Transformative Renewable Energy Strategy and Action Plan for The Gambia, was released earlier this month. The report sets out a blueprint for ensuring that women are recognised and empowered as equal partners in The Gambia’s energy transition, and bridges the gap between progressive national frameworks and their implementation on the ground.

The findings show that energy poverty in The Gambia weighs heavily on women, particularly in rural areas. Approximately 90 percent of households still rely on biomass – firewood and charcoal- for cooking, while only 1.7 percent of the population has access to clean cooking fuels and technologies. Electricity access also remains uneven: around 85 percent in urban areas, compared to 35-40 percent in rural areas. Women remain largely absent from the sector that shapes these realities, holding only about one percent of staff positions at the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC).

The study draws on a survey of 279 respondents (67 percent of whom were women), focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and community radio dialogues across all seven regions of the country.

The plan is built around five priority areas – strengthening policy and governance; expanding capacity building through scholarships, vocational training and mentorship for women in renewable energy; improving access to finance; deepening community engagement, and scaling partnerships, including aligning with regional best practices and revitalising institutions such as the Gambia Renewable Energy Centre (https://apo-opa.co/4wapFZo) as a hub for women’s skills and innovation.

The report identifies the main barriers to women’s participation in renewable energy: limited access to finance, training, land and markets, alongside cultural norms, mobility restrictions, and low representation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. It also documents women already leading change in the sector, from solar installation cooperatives to clean cookstove and briquette production enterprises.

The Plan is designed for implementation between 2026 and 2030, led by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and a range of national and international partners.

Nathalie Gisabo Gahunga, Manager of Gender and Women’s Empowerment at the African Development Bank said: “Our goal is to see women and girls participating in the energy transition process at all levels in equal position as men. In The Gambia, we are seeing promising steps in renewable energy—but women’s participation is still limited.”

She added: “That means providing training, mentorship, and gender-responsive policies, while designing technologies, like clean cooking and solar tools, that truly serve women’s needs.”

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Saikou JC Trawally, in the Validation Workshop shared his views on the report. “This study is milestone in our country’s journey towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy future.” He further urged stakeholders, the government, private sector, civil society and development partners to actively engage in shaping a “robust renewable energy framework that is inclusive, practical, and responsive to the Gambia’s unique needs”

Foday Sanyang, from the Ministry of Petroleum, underscored government’s commitment to mainstreaming gender in all energy projects saying that renewable energy generation is an attractive option to meet growing demand, “but we must recognize the differentiated needs of men and women,” Sanyang said.

The full report is available in English (https://apo-opa.co/4vz4jot) and French (https://apo-opa.co/4v1evVF) on the African Development Bank’s website.

– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media contact:
Raissa Girondin
Communication and External Relations Department
email: media@afdb.org

June 30, 2026

South Africa’s move to renewable power is complex, but clearing 5 bottlenecks would speed it up

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rod Crompton, Visiting Adjunct Professor, African Energy Leadership Centre, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa is moving away from coal-fired electricity, which currently supplies 74% of the country’s power, to wind and solar energy. But as the country’s experience shows, the transition is complex and is being slowed down.

This is because renewable energy works very differently from coal. It needs a different kind of electricity system and new ways of planning and managing the grid.

The transition also requires major changes at the state-owned electricity utility, Eskom, which has long dominated South Africa’s power sector. It involves transforming an electricity system built around a few large coal-fired power stations into one that can absorb power from many renewable energy producers while keeping electricity reliable, affordable and accessible.

I’ve been working in the field of energy and economic regulation in South Africa for 40 years. I sat on the Eskom board for six years until I resigned in 2024 and I was involved in drafting key energy policies.

Based on my experience, I argue that there are five key factors slowing down the energy transition:

Eskom’s dominance over the country’s electricity system
inconsistent and politically driven government electricity planning, favouring certain technologies and restricting private energy providers
a grid that has not been designed to keep up with technological change
crumbling municipal electricity distribution networks and high levels of local government debt to Eskom
inability of rooftop solar to sell surplus power into the grid.

These five problems are closely linked to slow-moving institutions, outdated ways of thinking, poor management and corruption. Many countries face similar challenges, but South Africa is a politically fractured society, with low trust in government, weak education systems and high rates of crime. All this shows in the slow pace of the energy transition.

The slow pace comes at a cost. Communities living near coal-fired power stations continue to face health risks. And South African exports could become less competitive as the European Union introduces border taxes on products produced with coal-fired electricity. The country’s coal-fired power stations continue to produce high levels of greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change.

Five bottlenecks

I have ranked the factors slowing the transition from most to least influential. Others may rank them differently.

The first bottleneck is Eskom: state-owned and slow to respond to change. It controls electricity generation, transmission and distribution. Because it controls so much of the system, Eskom has had the power to influence who can connect to the grid and how quickly new competitors can enter the market.

Eskom is also struggling financially. As more households and businesses generate their own cheaper solar power, its sales have declined. It has tried to slow down the energy transition by challenging licences for electricity traders and by resisting plans to make the national transmission grid fully independent.

It has also backed expensive coal projects. In 2024, Eskom decided to extend the lives of the Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina coal-fired power stations until 2030 at a cost of about R90 billion (about US$5.5 billion). That money could instead have gone towards new renewable energy projects that would have lasted much longer.

The second bottleneck is the government’s electricity plans (known as Integrated Resource Plans). They are supposed to set out the cheapest ways of providing the country with the electricity it needs. But instead, the government uses them to pick technologies that it prefers, like nuclear and gas, over cheaper renewable energies.

The country passed law setting up a wholesale electricity market, but in contradiction, the government intervenes in the market using the Integrated Resource Plans to limit the operation of market forces.

The third bottleneck is the electricity grid itself. There are two problems here. The first is that South Africa’s grid was built decades ago to carry electricity from coal-fired power stations in the eastern province of Mpumalanga to the country’s main cities and industries. But the best wind and solar resources are mostly in the west of the country. So the grid now needs to become a two-way street, able to move electricity from west to east as well.

The National Transmission Company of South Africa (a wholly owned subsidiary company of Eskom) plans to build 14,500km of new transmission lines over the next decade to help this happen. Until then, some renewable energy projects have to cut back how much electricity they produce because the grid cannot carry it. Coal-fired power stations continue to fill the gap. Years of poor planning and Eskom’s financial problems have made this bottleneck worse.

The second problem is that managing a national grid with thousands of renewable energy providers is more complex than one based on a few coal plants. To keep the system stable, there have to be services in place to respond to sudden changes in power and to restart the grid after a blackout.

Wind and solar need a suite of such services. South Africa is still working out how to organise, fund and allocate responsibility for these services.

The fourth bottleneck is crumbling municipal electricity distribution networks which create a serious risk to the electricity system. Local governments also owe over R100 billion (about US$6 billion) to Eskom, and this debt is rising fast.

Rising non-payment is worsening the problem, making it harder to fund and maintain electricity services. With weak public finances, government support is limited. Eskom has received R464 billion (US$28 billion) in bailouts. But some of these have gone towards covering losses linked to non-payment, crime and corruption.

The fifth bottleneck is is that renewable energy from rooftop solar systems is being wasted. Over the past five years, solar generation has shot up to about 8%-10% of total generation, powering about 3 million to 4 million households. Excess electricity generated is not used or sold back into the grid because municipalities and Eskom make it difficult and costly to do that.

When people disconnect from the grid, it reduces Eskom’s revenue and raises costs for those who remain. Over time, a weaker grid also makes it harder for large renewable projects to deliver power where it is needed.

What needs to happen next

To address the electricity crisis, the Presidency has set up a National Energy Crisis Committee. This is a collaborative effort by relevant national government departments, Eskom, and representatives from the private sector.

It has made progress but still faces many problems.

There is no magic solution for all these challenges. However, the focus of attention needs to be the establishment of a fully independent National Transmission Company. This will allow private capital to invest in removing the bottlenecks from the grid, and limit some of Eskom’s market power.

– South Africa’s move to renewable power is complex, but clearing 5 bottlenecks would speed it up
– https://theconversation.com/south-africas-move-to-renewable-power-is-complex-but-clearing-5-bottlenecks-would-speed-it-up-286002

June 30, 2026

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meets EU Special Representative for Gulf Region

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | June 30, 2026

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Tuesday with HE European Union Special Representative for the Gulf region Luigi Di Maio, who is visiting Qatar.
During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the State of Qatar and the EU and ways to support and strengthen them. They also explored the latest regional developments, particularly the diplomatic efforts to enhance security and stability in the region following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to a number of topics of common concern.

June 30, 2026

Several people arrested for looting and attempted looting

Source: Government of South Africa

Several people arrested for looting and attempted looting

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has, since the early hours of this morning, arrested several individuals in connection with incidents of looting and attempted looting reported in various parts of the country, as law enforcement continues to monitor the planned marches taking place nationwide today.

According to the police, policing operations have been effective thus far, with demonstrations remaining largely peaceful across the country. Police have, however, responded to isolated incidents of looting and attempted looting.

“Police remain on high alert, with heightened deployments in place to ensure public safety, protect businesses and critical infrastructure and maintaining law and order.

“Members deployed across the country have been instructed to act swiftly and decisively against anyone who engages in criminal activities, including looting, attempted looting, public violence, malicious damage to property, intimidation or any other unlawful conduct.

“We urge citizens to exercise their constitutional rights responsibly and to ensure that demonstrations remain peaceful and lawful.

“Those who choose to exploit the marches to commit criminal acts will face the full might of the law. Police will continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those responsible for criminal conduct,” Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said.

On Monday evening, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures (Natjoints) chairperson, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, warned that where criminality presents itself, law enforcement agencies would respond swiftly, proportionately and decisively within the confines of the law.

Mosikili said specialised operational units were ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

Mosikili warned those who intend to break the law that “they should not test the resolve of the State”.

“To those who intend to demonstrate peacefully, we assure you that your constitutional rights will be protected. To every South African: be confident that your safety remains our highest priority,” Mosikili said.

She said contingency plans had been tested and law enforcement was ready, adding that the Air Wing would provide aerial surveillance and operational support wherever required.

“There is a clear distinction between exercising democratic rights and committing criminal offences. Anyone who crosses that line must expect the full and immediate consequences of the law,” she said.

Mosikili said no dangerous weapons including firearms, knives and traditional weapons will be allowed in terms of Section 17 of the Constitution.

“The State will act decisively against any person who seeks to exploit demonstrations to commit acts of lawlessness,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Tue, 06/30/2026 – 12:50

June 30, 2026

The Most Expensive Communication Failures Are the Ones You Never See (By Laila Bastati)

Source: APO – Report:

By Laila Bastati, Chief Commercial Officer, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com/).

I have yet to meet a CEO who missed a revenue target and blamed a 3% decrease in share of voice.

And yet communication is almost always somewhere in the room when revenue disappoints. Just never on the list.

Because the most expensive communication failures don’t appear in communications dashboards.

They appear later. In a regulatory process that takes twice as long as expected. In a partner who goes quiet after an announcement. In a market that understood the decision perfectly and still didn’t move. In a deal that stalled for reasons nobody could articulate cleanly.

You know the room I mean. Sales blames the market. Finance blames the timing. Operations blames the execution. Everyone has a theory. Nobody calls the communications director.

I’ve watched this happen across more markets than I can count. And the pattern is consistent enough that I’m going to say something that will make some of my peers uncomfortable.

Most of the time, communication shaped the outcome. Not the press releases. Not the coverage. The stuff that never got commissioned because nobody knew how to measure it. The regulatory relationship that wasn’t built before it was needed. The stakeholder ground that was never prepared before the announcement landed. The trust that was never established before the market was asked to move.

Kenya’s Finance Bill didn’t fail because people didn’t know about it. Everyone knew. It failed because explanation never travelled as far as interpretation. Nigeria’s fuel subsidy removal wasn’t a visibility problem. It was a confidence problem. People understood what was happening. They didn’t trust that the consequences had been thought through on their behalf. And large infrastructure stories, including the Dangote Refinery, do not stall because of lack of attention. They stall when competing interpretations fill the space that should have been occupied by trust.

Awareness is rarely the scarce resource. Confidence is.

Walmart learned this in South Africa. Clean acquisition. No competition concerns. Years in court anyway, fighting unions and government ministries and community groups who felt the company had arrived without earning its place. The friction wasn’t about the deal. It was about everything that hadn’t been done before the deal was announced. The communications metrics, had anyone been tracking them, would have looked fine. The business felt the cost for years.

This is what we see at APO Group, working across all 54 African markets simultaneously. The companies that move fastest are never the ones generating the most coverage. They’re the ones where communication was already doing its real work before anyone in the commercial team needed it to. Trust already built. Regulators already informed. Executives already visible in the right places. Narrative already set. The groundwork already there.

That work is rarely reactive. It’s a different brief. Earlier. Broader. Closer to where decisions actually get made: preparing spokespeople to be credible under scrutiny, ensuring leadership voices are present in the media environments that will shape opinion, and building regulator and stakeholder relationships long before they are required in moments of pressure.

Because here’s what nobody says out loud when the post-mortem starts. Revenue misses get examined in forensic detail. Pricing. Product. Timing. Execution.

Communication is not missing from the analysis.

It is miscategorised as everything else.

– on behalf of APO Group Insights.

Media Contact:
marie@apo-opa.com

About APO Group:
Founded in 2007 by Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, APO Group is the communications consultancy built for performance – combining strategic advisory, on-the-ground execution, and guaranteed visibility across all 54 African markets. Its owned newswire, Africa Newsroom, secures placement on 250+ Africa-focused news sites, connecting organisations directly with 450,000+ journalists, analysts, investors, and policymakers worldwide.

Recognised internationally for communications excellence including SABRE, Davos Communications, and World Business Outlook distinctions, APO Group partners with global and African organisations for whom the continent is a strategic priority. Clients include the African Development Bank Group, Africa CDC, Afreximbank, NFL, Nestlé, Emirates, Canon, Western Union, GITEX Global, and Cassava Technologies.

Media files

June 30, 2026

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) calls for urgent US$18 million to close the funding gap on critical research ready to commence

Source: APO – Report:

Africa CDC (http://www.AfricaCDC.org) commends the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, clinical investigators, and development partners for the launch of clinical trials evaluating candidate therapeutics for Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease in Bunia this week. This marks an important milestone in the response, demonstrating the country’s commitment to generating the evidence needed to improve clinical care while contributing to the development of medical countermeasures for this rare Ebola virus. However, a funding gap remains for the full implementation of the trials. Africa CDC has therefore called on governments, multilateral development banks, philanthropic organizations, the private sector, and global partners to provide US$16million within days to close a funding gap that threatens clinical trials against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no licensed vaccine or therapy.

The ongoing Bundibugyo outbreak is unlike recent Ebola epidemics. The absence of any licensed vaccine or therapeutic for this strain makes it aa scientifically and operationally challenging outbreak Every day without sufficient financing allows the virus to spread further, increases the humanitarian burden, and raises the risk of regional and international transmission.

Working with WHO, Africa CDC, ANRS, Oxford University, IAVI, CEPI, Gilead Sciences and other partners, Africa has assembled one of the fastest scientific mobilizations ever mounted against a newly emerging Ebola strain. The portfolio includes the first post-exposure prophylaxis trial, using obeldesivir to prevent infection among exposed contacts; adaptive randomized treatment trials evaluating remdesivir, MBP134, to reduce mortality among infected patients; cross-protection vaccine studies; and accelerated development and manufacturing of next-generation Bundibugyo-specific vaccines.

Financing for the vaccine trials is largely in place. The gap is in therapeutics. Of the US$26 million needed to run the therapeutics trials, US$10 million has been secured leaving a shortfall of US$18 million. This comprises US$16 million to continue and complete the post-exposure prophylaxis study among exposed contacts and $2-3 million to ensure sufficient contract tracing to enable the trial.

“We have the science. We now need the funding to use it. Clinical trials must start this week, and every day of delay costs lives we could save,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.

This is an investment in proving that Africa and the global community can rapidly develop, test, and deploy lifesaving countermeasures against emerging pathogens while building preparedness for future pandemics.

The window to act before the outbreak grows larger is open today. The time to invest is now.

– on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media Contact:
Saran Koly
Director of Communications and Spokesperson, Africa CDC
+251 98 434 6488
kolys@africacdc.org

Follow Africa CDC on:
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/4fca99y
X: https://apo-opa.co/3Tb0d7F
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4eLJj8l
YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/4voJk7f

About Africa CDC:
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: http://www.AfricaCDC.org

Media files

June 30, 2026

Government reaffirms commitment to managing migration

Source: Government of South Africa

Government reaffirms commitment to managing migration

Government has assured citizens that it is actively managing migration through lawful, coordinated and constitutional measures, as planned demonstrations against illegal migration take place across the country.

“Our objective remains clear: a South Africa where immigration laws are respected and enforced, where borders are secure, where communities are safe, where businesses compete fairly, and where human dignity and constitutional values are upheld,” a statement issued by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration (IMC) said on Tuesday.

Government said it will continue to intensify efforts to combat criminality, corruption, human trafficking, labour exploitation and all forms of illegality associated with irregular migration, while ensuring that enforcement actions are carried out within the framework of the Constitution and the law.

“We call on all South Africans to remain calm, reject misinformation and xenophobia, and continue working with government and law enforcement agencies to build safe, stable and cohesive communities.

“Together, we can manage migration in a manner that protects our national interest, promotes the rule of law and advances the values upon which our democracy is founded,” the IMC said.

Government further acknowledged genuine concerns about migration, border management, service delivery, public safety and economic opportunities.

“These concerns deserve to be heard and addressed through lawful and democratic processes. Government particularly welcomes the fact that most participants rejected violence, vigilantism, intimidation, looting and damage to property. Such actions have no place in a constitutional democracy and undermine the very goals that communities seek to achieve,” the IMC said.

Government also reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to implementing the President’s Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management.

The five-point plan focuses on strengthening the enforcement of immigration and labour laws, securing borders, improving migration management systems, closing legislative and policy gaps, and working with countries across the continent to address migration challenges in a coordinated manner.

Meanwhile, government expressed its sincere appreciation to all South Africans who are exercising their constitutional right to protest peacefully and responsibly.

“We commend citizens, community leaders, organisers, civil society formations, religious leaders and law enforcement agencies for their commitment to peace, restraint and respect for the rule of law throughout the country,” the IMC said.

Government said the peaceful conduct displayed today reflects the strength of democracy and demonstrates that South Africans can voice their concerns firmly and lawfully while respecting the rights and dignity of others. –SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Tue, 06/30/2026 – 12:42

June 30, 2026

O que a Namíbia pode aprender com o modelo de reforma petrolífera de Angola

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

Baixar .tipo

A Namíbia emergiu como um dos mercados de petróleo e gás de fronteira mais promissores do mundo, com descobertas de vários milhares de milhões de barris que posicionam o país para a primeira produção até 2030. No entanto, passar da descoberta para a produção comercial requer mais do que apenas potencial de recursos. Requer um quadro de investimento que proporcione segurança fiscal, reduza o risco de execução e permita a mobilização de capital a longo prazo em grande escala.

Angola oferece um dos exemplos mais claros de África de como uma reforma direcionada do setor a montante pode remodelar todo um setor. Estas lições são exploradas no livro «Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola», de NJ Ayuk, Presidente Executivo da Câmara Africana de Energia (AEC), agora disponível a nível global. O livro destaca como as reformas políticas e fiscais reposicionaram Angola, transformando-a de um produtor em declínio num dos destinos de investimento no setor a montante mais competitivos de África.

A reforma que redefiniu o setor a montante de Angola

Após anos de declínio na produção, Angola lançou um programa de reformas abrangente destinado a revitalizar tanto os ativos maduros como os de fronteira. Em 2018, a produção tinha caído cerca de 20 % após um longo período sem novas rondas de licenciamento, enquanto as importações representavam cerca de 80 % da procura de produtos petrolíferos refinados.

Hoje, essa trajetória mudou. Angola atraiu aproximadamente 70 mil milhões de dólares em investimento planeado no setor a montante, apoiado por uma atividade de exploração renovada e por uma onda de desenvolvimentos de projetos offshore. Os marcos-chave incluem o desenvolvimento do Greater PAJ, no valor de 5,1 mil milhões de dólares, que atingiu a decisão final de investimento (FID) em 2026, a par dos projetos Begonia e CLOV Fase 3, ambos os quais entraram em produção em 2025. A FPSO Agogo já está em funcionamento, enquanto o desenvolvimento de Kaminho tem como objetivo a primeira produção de petróleo por volta de 2028.

O dinamismo da exploração também está a acelerar, com a TotalEnergies, a ExxonMobil e a Shell a garantirem novas áreas em Benguela e Namibe, a par da atividade onshore contínua de empresas independentes como a Afentra, a Corcel e a Etu Energias. Em conjunto, estes desenvolvimentos refletem uma maior confiança dos investidores no ambiente regulatório e fiscal de Angola.

Da Reforma à Certeza de Investimento

A reviravolta de Angola não foi impulsionada apenas pela geologia, mas por uma mudança deliberada na qualidade e previsibilidade do seu quadro de investimento. Desde 2018, o país introduziu reformas estruturais, incluindo a Lei do Gás Natural, a Lei de Monetização do Gás, o quadro da Oferta Permanente e a legislação relativa aos Campos Marginais, as quais simplificaram os procedimentos de licenciamento, melhoraram a competitividade fiscal e reforçaram a visibilidade a longo prazo para os investidores.

Fundamentalmente, estas reformas estabeleceram as condições essenciais que sustentam as decisões de alocação de capital no setor a montante. Os investidores obtiveram maior certeza fiscal através de regimes fiscais e de royalties mais previsíveis, enquanto as cláusulas de estabilização proporcionaram proteção contratual contra alterações fiscais ou regulatórias unilaterais ao longo da vida útil dos projetos. Ao mesmo tempo, os processos de aprovação e licenciamento foram simplificados para reduzir os atrasos entre a descoberta, a decisão de investimento final (FID) e a produção, melhorando a velocidade de execução em toda a cadeia de valor a montante. Estas reformas foram reforçadas por uma maior continuidade institucional no âmbito do sistema regulatório, ajudando a preservar os conhecimentos técnicos e a garantir uma tomada de decisões mais consistente ao longo dos ciclos políticos.

A Lei do Gás Natural de 2018 estabeleceu um quadro específico para o investimento no gás, desbloqueando oportunidades de monetização nas reservas estimadas de Angola, que ascendem a 11 triliões de pés cúbicos. O mecanismo de Oferta Permanente, introduzido em 2021, melhorou ainda mais a eficiência do mercado, permitindo o licenciamento contínuo fora dos concursos formais, reduzindo os prazos de negociação e melhorando o fluxo de novas oportunidades para os investidores. Angola introduziu também a Iniciativa de Produção Incremental para prolongar a vida útil dos campos maduros e desbloquear reservas ociosas, um quadro que se espera que recupere cerca de 500 milhões de barris adicionais e prolongue os ciclos de vida dos campos em até duas décadas, melhorando significativamente a rentabilidade dos projetos e reduzindo o risco de investimento.

Um Plano para a Próxima Fase da Namíbia

A Namíbia enfrenta um desafio semelhante, mas distinto. Embora as suas descobertas a tenham posicionado como uma importante bacia de fronteira, a sustentabilidade do investimento para além do primeiro petróleo dependerá da implementação de um quadro regulatório viável, ancorado na certeza fiscal, em mecanismos de estabilização e em sistemas de licenciamento rápidos e transparentes que permitam a rápida execução dos projetos. A experiência de Angola demonstra que, para além dos incentivos fiscais por si só, a rapidez de execução e a previsibilidade regulatória são igualmente decisivas para determinar se as descobertas serão convertidas em ativos produtores.

Igualmente importante é a continuidade institucional no seio dos órgãos reguladores, garantindo que os conhecimentos técnicos e a capacidade administrativa sejam mantidos ao longo dos ciclos políticos. Esta continuidade ajuda a reduzir a incerteza para os investidores e apoia processos de aprovação de projetos mais eficientes, sendo ambos aspetos críticos em ambientes de upstream intensivos em capital.

Angola também reforçou a participação nacional através da sua Lei do Conteúdo Local, introduzida em 2020. Isto tem apoiado o surgimento de empresas nacionais, como a Etu Energias e a CABSHIP, que desempenham agora um papel cada vez mais importante ao longo de toda a cadeia de valor. Só a Etu Energias realizou quase mil milhões de dólares em operações de fusões e aquisições entre 2022 e 2025 e tem como meta atingir 80 000 barris por dia até 2030, sublinhando a importância dos operadores locais na sustentação do crescimento da produção e na redução do risco operacional.

A Certeza Política Atrai Capital

À medida que a Namíbia se aproxima da primeira produção de petróleo, a experiência de Angola sublinha um princípio central: a geologia atrai a atenção, mas os quadros políticos previsíveis e aplicáveis atraem o capital. Uma regulamentação estável, um processo de licenciamento transparente, regimes fiscais competitivos, cláusulas de estabilização, sistemas de autorização eficientes e continuidade institucional determinam, em conjunto, se o potencial a montante se traduz em produção a longo prazo.

«O quadro regulamentar resiliente e favorável aos investidores de Angola tem atraído investimento sustentado na exploração, na reabilitação de campos existentes e em novos projetos offshore», afirma Ayuk. «Para a Namíbia, a oportunidade reside em tirar partido das suas descobertas de classe mundial, incorporando a certeza fiscal, as cláusulas de estabilização e a capacidade institucional que dão aos investidores a confiança necessária para comprometerem capital a longo prazo.»

Com a intensificação da concorrência global pelo investimento a montante, Angola oferece um roteiro prático para os produtores de fronteira. Ao combinar o potencial de recursos com quadros políticos previsíveis, exequíveis e administrados de forma eficiente, a Namíbia pode acelerar a sua transição do sucesso na exploração para uma produção sustentada, uma participação local mais profunda e um crescimento económico a longo prazo.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.

June 30, 2026

What Namibia Can Learn from Angola’s Oil Reform Playbook

Source: APO – Report:

Namibia has emerged as one of the world’s most promising frontier oil and gas markets, with multi-billion-barrel discoveries positioning the country for first production by 2030. Yet moving from discovery to commercial production requires more than resource potential. It requires an investment framework that provides fiscal certainty, reduces execution risk and enables long-term capital deployment at scale.

Angola offers one of Africa’s clearest examples of how targeted upstream reform can reshape an entire sector. These lessons are explored in Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola by NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC), now available globally. The book highlights how policy and fiscal reforms repositioned Angola from a declining producer to one of Africa’s most competitive upstream investment destinations.

Reform That Reset Angola’s Upstream Sector

Following years of production decline, Angola launched a wide-ranging reform program aimed at revitalizing both mature and frontier assets. In 2018, production had fallen by around 20% after an extended period without new licensing rounds, while imports accounted for roughly 80% of refined petroleum demand.

Today, that trajectory has shifted. Angola has attracted approximately $70 billion in planned upstream investment, supported by renewed exploration activity and a wave of offshore project developments. Key milestones include the $5.1 billion Greater PAJ development, which reached FID in 2026, alongside the Begonia and CLOV Phase 3 projects, both of which entered production in 2025. The Agogo FPSO is now onstream, while the Kaminho development is targeting first oil around 2028.

Exploration momentum is also accelerating, with TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil and Shell securing new acreage in Benguela and Namibe, alongside continued onshore activity from independents such as Afentra, Corcel and Etu Energias. Together, these developments reflect improved investor confidence in Angola’s regulatory and fiscal environment.

From Reform to Investment Certainty

Angola’s turnaround was not driven by geology alone, but by a deliberate shift in the quality and predictability of its investment framework. Since 2018, the country has introduced structural reforms including the Natural Gas Law, Gas Monetization Law, Permanent Offer framework and Marginal Fields legislation, all of which streamlined licensing procedures, improved fiscal competitiveness and strengthened long-term visibility for investors.

Crucially, these reforms embedded the core conditions that underpin upstream capital allocation decisions. Investors gained greater fiscal certainty through more predictable tax and royalty regimes, while stabilization clauses provided contractual protection against unilateral fiscal or regulatory changes over the life of projects. At the same time, approval and permitting processes were streamlined to reduce delays between discovery, FID and production, improving execution speed across the upstream value chain. These reforms were reinforced by stronger institutional continuity within the regulatory system, helping preserve technical expertise and ensure more consistent decision-making across policy cycles.

The 2018 Natural Gas Law established a dedicated framework for gas investment, unlocking monetization opportunities across Angola’s estimated 11 trillion cubic feet of reserves. The Permanent Offer mechanism, introduced in 2021, further improved market efficiency by enabling continuous licensing outside formal bidding rounds, reducing negotiation timelines and improving the flow of new opportunities to investors. Angola also introduced the Incremental Production Initiative to extend the life of mature fields and unlock stranded reserves, a framework expected to recover around 500 million additional barrels and extend field life cycles by up to two decades, significantly improving project economics and lowering investment risk.

A Blueprint for Namibia’s Next Phase

Namibia faces a similar but distinct challenge. While its discoveries have positioned it as a major frontier basin, sustaining investment beyond first oil will depend on embedding a bankable regulatory framework anchored in fiscal certainty, stabilization mechanisms and fast, transparent permitting systems that enable rapid project execution. Angola’s experience demonstrates that beyond fiscal incentives alone, execution speed and regulatory predictability are equally decisive in determining whether discoveries are converted into producing assets.

Equally important is institutional continuity within regulatory bodies, ensuring that technical expertise and administrative capacity are retained across policy cycles. This continuity helps reduce uncertainty for investors and supports more efficient project approval processes, both of which are critical in capital-intensive upstream environments.

Angola has also strengthened domestic participation through its Local Content Law, introduced in 2020. This has supported the emergence of indigenous companies such as Etu Energias and CABSHIP, which now play an increasingly important role across the value chain. Etu Energias alone has executed nearly $1 billion in M&A activity between 2022 and 2025 and is targeting 80,000 barrels per day by 2030, underscoring the importance of local operators in sustaining production growth and reducing operational risk.

Policy Certainty Drives Capital

As Namibia approaches first oil, Angola’s experience underscores a central principle: geology attracts attention, but predictable and enforceable policy frameworks attract capital. Stable regulation, transparent licensing, competitive fiscal regimes, stabilization clauses, efficient permitting systems and institutional continuity collectively determine whether upstream potential is converted into long-term production.

“Angola’s resilient and investor-friendly regulatory framework has attracted sustained investment across exploration, brownfield redevelopment and new offshore projects,” states Ayuk. “For Namibia, the opportunity is to build on its world-class discoveries by embedding the fiscal certainty, stabilization clauses and institutional capacity that give investors confidence to commit long-term capital.”

With global competition for upstream investment intensifying, Angola offers a practical roadmap for frontier producers. By combining resource potential with predictable, enforceable and efficiently administered policy frameworks, Namibia can accelerate its transition from exploration success to sustained production, deeper local participation and long-term economic growth.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

June 30, 2026

Guinea’s Mining Advisor to Highlight Simandou-Led Growth Strategy at African Mining Week (AMW) 2026

Source: APO – Report:

Daouda Diakité, Principal Advisor to Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Geology, Bouna Sylla, has been confirmed as a speaker at the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa’s Most Influential Mining Conference – scheduled for October 14-16 in Cape Town. His participation reinforces AMW’s role as the leading platform connecting African governments with international capital to unlock the continent’s next generation of mining investments.

Guinea is currently accelerating the rollout of its Simandou 2040 strategy, a long-term development plan designed to leverage mining revenues to finance large-scale infrastructure, industrialization and economic diversification.

At AMW 2026, Diakité is expected to provide insights into the policy reforms and investment frameworks shaping the country’s next phase of mining-led growth. In early 2026, Guinea adopted its Planning Law and Program Law, establishing the legislative foundation to mobilize private capital across 122 priority infrastructure and industrial projects under the Simandou 2040 program. The government is also preparing a series of additional regulatory reforms aimed at strengthening the mining investment climate, alongside the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund to channel future mining revenues into long-term national development.

In parallel, Guinea is advancing the Simandou Iron Ore Project, widely regarded as the world’s largest untapped deposit of high-grade iron ore. Construction reached approximately 74% completion in Q1 2026, with rail infrastructure completed and port development nearing commissioning ahead of first production expected in 2027.

The country is also reinforcing its position as the world’s leading bauxite supplier, with exports rising by 25% to 182.8 million tons in 2025. A series of alumina refinery developments are underway to support downstream processing and value addition, including major projects backed by international partners such as Chalco, State Power Investment Corporation, Chinalco, Alteo and Alcoa.

Against this backdrop, Diakité’s participation at AMW 2026 will provide investors and industry stakeholders with a timely update on Guinea’s evolving mining landscape and the expanding opportunities emerging across its value chain. The engagement is also expected to reinforce Guinea’s positioning as a long-term investment destination, as the country moves to convert resource wealth into large-scale industrial and infrastructure development.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.