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Agility Warehouses in Cote d’Ivoire are First in West Africa to Earn International Finance Corp (IFC) ‘Green Building’ Excellence in Design

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Agility Warehouses

State-of-the-art Abidjan warehouse recognized for energy-efficient design

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, November 1, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Agility (www.Agility.com), a supply chain services, infrastructure and innovation company, announced that the warehouses at its Agility Logistics Park in Abidjan are the first in Cote d’Ivoire and West Africa to receive EDGE Advanced certification as green buildings.

EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is the global standard for energy-efficient buildings, a certification system overseen by the International Finance Corp. (IFC), an arm of the World Bank. Basic EDGE certification requires a minimum projected reduction of 20% energy use, water use and “embodied energy” in materials when benchmarked against a standard local building.

Agility received EDGE (https://EDGEBuildings.com) Advanced certification for the current 27,000 SQM of warehousing at its Abidjan park. EDGE Advanced buildings are “zero-carbon ready” structures that are at least 40% more energy efficient than others in the market.

The EDGE Advanced warehouses in Agility’s Abidjan park provide energy savings ranging from 57% to 74%; water savings ranging from 53% to 57%;  and construction materials containing 63% to 69% less embedded carbon. Energy efficiency was enhanced through reduced window-to-wall ratios, insulated roofing and exterior walls, and special lighting. Water use was lowered through use of bathroom and kitchenette plumbing systems that conserve water. Roofing, slab, exterior wall materials, and window glazing materials lowered the amount of embedded carbon.  

Agility warehouse parks provide a simple foundation for supporting efficient, competitive businesses in Africa

“Agility is determined to lead the way in Africa with the development of modern, energy-efficient warehouse parks to meet the growing demand across the Continent. Agility warehouses are used for storage, distribution, packing, processing and light manufacturing. We want to help multinationals meet international standards and be able to scale to meet the burgeoning African market demand. The provision of quality infrastructure improves efficiency, reduces costs and enables growth, generating jobs and prosperity,” said Geoffrey White, CEO of Agility Africa.

Agility Logistics Parks (https://apo-opa.info/40A9zK9) are secure, connected, 24/7 complexes with Grade A and Grade B, international-standard warehouses designed with advanced engineering and sustainability features, and sites for data center campuses. Elsewhere in Africa, Agility Logistics Parks has a 160,000 SQM facility in Accra, Ghana; a 320,000 SQM park in Maputo, Mozambique; a 270,000 SQM park in Lagos, Nigeria; as well as the 270,000 SQM Yanmu East logistics park in Cairo, Egypt, part of a joint venture with Hassan Allam Utilities.

The Abidjan facility is the second Agility warehouse to receive EDGE Advanced certification. In 2022, a warehouse at the Agility Logistics Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was the first warehousing facility in the Middle East and North Africa to receive EDGE Advanced certification.

Tenants at Agility Logistics Parks include international and local businesses in the retail, consumer goods, technology, automotive, energy and e-commerce sectors.

White said: “Agility warehouse parks provide a simple foundation for supporting efficient, competitive businesses in Africa. The ready-built Agility warehouses permit local companies to grow and develop, and reduce time-to-market for new companies coming to Africa. The growing network of Agility warehouse parks are aligned with the significant opportunities being created by the AfCFTA to improve and expand trade both regionally and internationally.” 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Agility.

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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Sinclair

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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PAPSS

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Sonangol

Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

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

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