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African Development Bank, African Guarantee Fund Kick Off Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) Finance Series in Kenya

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AFAWA

The AFAWA initiative seeks to increase women’s access to finance in the continent by bridging the $42 billion financing gap for women-led and owned small and medium enterprises

NAIROBI, Kenya, November 22, 2023/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, in partnership with African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and in collaboration with the Office of the President’s Advisor on Women’s Rights, have inaugurated the 6th edition of the AFAWA Finance Series in Nairobi, Kenya. This 3-day event themed “Enhancing Financial Inclusion for Women”, running between 21-23 November, 2023, is a pivotal initiative aiming to revolutionise the financial landscape and foster an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs, facilitating their growth and contribution to the continent’s economic development.

Download document (1): https://apo-opa.co/3MWydip
Download document (2): https://apo-opa.co/3STbzep

The AFAWA initiative seeks to increase women’s access to finance in the continent by bridging the $42 billion financing gap for women-led and owned small and medium enterprises. Since its inception just over two years ago, the AFAWA initiative has already approved $1.2 billion in funding for women-led enterprises in 32 countries across Africa with a goal to mobilise $5 billion in financing for African women-led businesses by 2026.

“Financial products need to be tailored to women’s unique lived experiences, needs and aspirations from the start not later when at scale,” said Her Excellency Governor Ann Waiguru, Chair of the Council of Governors in Kenya and the chief speaker at the Finance Series Kenya opening ceremony.

“Financial institutions face a major challenge in understanding and responding to the unique needs of the women entrepreneurs. We need innovative approaches to improve women’s creditworthiness as traditional collateral requirements only serve to reinforce gender inequalities,” she added.

The AFAWA Finance Series will emphasise the tangible benefits of gender financing for women-led small and medium enterprises, financial institutions, the Kenyan Government and policymakers. The opening conference will be followed by a 2-day training to sensitize lending institutions on gender smart investing.

Financial institutions face a major challenge in understanding and responding to the unique needs of the women entrepreneurs

“Kenyan women are known for their resilience and tenacity,” Harriette Chiggai, Women’s Rights Advisor to the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya told reporters, when detailing table banking, grants and other Government programs targeting women entrepreneurs.

“The AFAWA Finance Series is an acknowledgement of our commitment to creating an environment where Kenyan women can access essential financial tools for enterprise and development,” Chiggai added.

The Series explores ways to enhance regulatory frameworks that can boost access to finance for women-led small and medium enterprises. The event will also build understanding of AFAWA’s Guarantee for Growth (G4G) mechanism as implemented by the AGF.

“Too many women entrepreneurs across the continent are denied opportunities to grow their businesses. We’re here today to help challenge common misperceptions and emphasize that there’s business to be had in offering financial services to women-led enterprises. AFAWA understands the challenges women face and the initiative is addressing them head on,” said Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery at African Development Bank Group.

Research shows women are better at repaying loans than men, and typically reinvest up to 90% of their income in the education, health and nutrition of their families and communities.

“The question we are addressing is how to support women and increase their productivity to fully participate in the GDP of the African economy,” said AGF Group CEO, Jules Ngankam. “Through the AFAWA G4G program we are derisking financial institutions that on-lend to women-led SMEs increasing their appetite for this target market,” he added.

Previous AFAWA Finance Series have been held in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Angola and Nigeria..

Representing AFAWA’s donor nations at the Kenya launch were His Excellency H.E. Roberto Natali, Ambassador of Italy to Kenya and Her Excellency Caroline Vicini, Ambassador of Sweden to Kenya.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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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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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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