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African Energy Week (AEW) 2024’s Latest Speaker Lineup Affirms Global Interest in African Energy Opportunities

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2 years ago

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African Energy Chamber

Taking place November 4-8 in Cape Town, the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy conference serves as the largest event of its kind on the continent

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 16, 2024/APO Group/ — 

On the back of new discoveries in both frontier and proven basins and accelerated project rollout, Africa’s oil and gas market is projected to grow by more than 5.5% a year until 2027. Rising global demand and efforts to advance energy access and fuel security in Africa have seen a strong wave of investment flow towards oil, gas and clean energy projects, affirming the potential of the market.  

Amid growing global interest in African energy, a slate of national oil companies (NOC) and regulators have joined the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – taking place November 4-8 in Cape Town. NOCs from South Africa, Namibia and Algeria will be joined by a number of international oil companies, independent E&P firms and clean energy organizations as they converge in Cape Town to sign deals and advance projects.  

For more information about AEW: Invest in African Energy’s 2024 speaker lineup, visit  https://apo-opa.co/3WRnRUW

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit (https://apo-opa.co/3WKHqyp) for more information about this exciting event.  

Progressive reform across Africa’s NOCs continues to be made as countries strengthen the competitiveness and operational capacity of their state-owned institutions. In tandem with aggressive developments plans, reforms are enabling NOCs to fast-track projects. At the same time, energy ministries across the continent are making strides towards improving the investment climate for foreign participation. During AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024, NOCs and energy ministries will unpack how these strategies are driving projects forward. Speakers include:  

  • Bernard Magoro, Head: IPPO Office, Eskom 
  • Bheki Nxumalo, Executive: Generation, Eskom 
  • Bongani Sayindini, COO, Petroleum Agency of South Africa 
  • Humphrey Asiimwe, CEO, Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum 
  • Mourad Beldjehem, President, Algeria’s National Agency for the Valorization of Hydrocarbon Resources  
  • Ntokozo Nzimande, DDG: Mining, Mineral and Energy Policy Development, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa 
  • Segomoco Scheppers, Executive: Transmission, Eskom 
  • Thabang Audat, Chief Director: Planning, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa 
  • Victoria Sibeya, Executive Exploration Upstream, NAMCOR 

Amid regulatory reform across Africa, a strong lineup of IOCs and independent E&P firms are strengthening their presence across the continent’s energy markets. ReconAfrica spud the Naingopo exploration well on PEL 73 in Namibia last month while Kosmos Energy aims to increase its production two-fold by the end of 2024. During AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024, representatives from upstream oil and gas companies will provide projects updates as well as insight into future campaigns. Speakers include:  

  • Andrea Lovatini, Director: Exploration Data and Geosolutions, SLB 
  • Babajide Agunbiade, CEO, Alpha Energy Resources 
  • Brian Reinsborough, Vice President and CEO, ReconAfrica 
  • Chris Sembritzky, SVP Exploration, ReconAfrica 
  • Fidel Envo, VP and Country Manager, Kosmos Energy 
  • Gianni Gaspar-Martins, Managing Director, Alfort Petroleum 
  • Ismail Sid Ahmed, VP and Country Manager, Kosmos Energy 
  • Joe Mensah, SVP and Head of the Ghana Business Unit, Kosmos Energy 
  • Julien Vuillemet, General Manager, Trident Energy 
  • Lanre Kalejaiye, SVP, ND Western Limited 
  • Mike Anderson, SVP, Sustainability and External Affairs, Kosmos Energy 
  • Nick Mitchell, COO, Renergen 
  • Robert Bose, CEO, Sintana Energy Inc 
  • Scott Macmillan, Managing Director and Founder, Invictus Energy 
  • Todd Niebruegge, SVP and Head of Mauritania & Senegal Business Unit, Kosmos Energy 
  • Uduakobong Equere, General Manager, Commercial and Corporate Development, Petralon Energy 

Notwithstanding oil and gas developments, Africa’s clean energy market has also seen robust activity in recent months. Efforts to accelerate the energy transition while enhancing electrification in both grid-connected and off-grid areas have seen projects kick off in the power generation, transmission and distribution industries. Clean energy companies will provide further insight into project portfolios and promising investment opportunities during the AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024 conference. Speakers include:  

  • Chris Bellingham, Head of Project Development: Wind & Solar, JUWI 
  • James Cumming, General Manager, African Clean Energy Development 
  • Johnson Akinyemi, General Manager, Projects, Green Energy International Limited 
  • Margaret Mutschler, Project Director, CWP Global 
  • Pakinam Kafafi, CEO, TAQA Arabia 

There is still time to register your participation at the biggest energy event in Africa. Visit (https://apo-opa.co/3WKHqyp) or contact register@aecweek.com to secure your place at this highly-anticipated event.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Dangote Calls on Africa to Keep its Capital at Home as Industrialization Takes Center Stage at Unstoppable Africa

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20 minutes ago

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September 22, 2026

By

Africa

African business leaders call for a bigger share of the continent’s growth, with investment and local value creation high on the agenda

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 22, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa must stop sending its capital abroad and start investing in its own industrial future, Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Group, told global business leaders at Unstoppable Africa 2026 today, as he set out an ambitious vision for African industrialization backed by billions of dollars in investment, new refining capacity, and broader public ownership.

 




  

Pointing to Asia’s economic rise, he argued that Africa cannot build comparable industrial strength while its own money continues to flow into foreign banks and markets. Emphasizing the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in creating the scale required for major industrial projects, he noted, “We must believe in our continent,” urging businesses to stay focused despite the challenges involved in building major organizations in Africa. “Once you start, it gets easier. But the more you don’t do anything, it becomes difficult.”

With more than 3,000 African and global business leaders and heads of state gathered for the two-day forum in New York, Unstoppable Africa 2026 demonstrated the scale of global interest in Africa’s economic opportunities and the appetite for stronger commercial partnerships with the continent.

Another notable highlight was the South African Business Initiative for Impact (SABII), which brought South Africa’s business, investment, and partnership proposition into sharper focus. Discussions explored how local opportunities can connect with global capital and translate into tangible economic impact.

Eine Zeidane, Director of the African Department at the International Monetary Fund, highlighted the importance of structural reforms, stronger domestic financial markets, and wider African markets through AfCFTA in attracting private investment.

The discussions also turned to the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy. Olugbenga Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave, highlighted the opportunity presented by Africa’s young and increasingly connected population, pointing to digital payments, AI, and other technologies that can help businesses access markets and grow.

We must believe in our continent

Elly Savatia, Founder and CEO of Signverse, highlighted technology’s potential to expand inclusion through African sign languages. With U$2 million in Google funding, Signverse has developed the largest publicly documented dataset for an African sign language to date and is building a framework that can expand to multiple local sign languages.

In the sporting arena, H.E. Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of Namibia, signed a partnership agreement between the Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Foundation (NNN Foundation) and the Queens of the Continent Foundation (QoTC), founded by two-time WNBA All-Star and ESPN host Chiney Ogwumike. The landmark partnership will explore opportunities to support the empowerment and development of young people in Namibia, with a particular focus on girls and young women.

African creative industries take their place on the global stage

The creative economy was another major focus, with speakers highlighting the growing ability of African brands, filmmakers, and technology innovators to build global audiences and markets.

Khanyi Mashimbiye, Manager, Creatives at Afreximbank, highlighted the Afreximbank CANEX program, which connects African fashion brands with international buyers through Tranoï in Paris and Japan and Coterie in New York. Since 2022, the initiative has secured more than 120 offtake agreements, with Zimbabwean brand Vanu Vanwerk now selling in more than 50 stores globally.

Closing the forum, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed said, “We are entering a new age of technology and AI that will fundamentally shape the future, and Africa has a tremendous opportunity to leapfrog. Just as industrialisation transformed economies and created new forms of work, AI can open new pathways for growth, innovation and opportunity. Africa has the talent and the ideas. What we need is the opportunity, infrastructure and investment to deploy them at scale. This is a moment for Africa to shape its own AI story, combining the continent’s talent with the technology and infrastructure needed to build the future.”

As the conversations concluded, the focus turned to the practical work ahead: translating Africa’s investment momentum into initiatives that can deliver growth, jobs, and lasting economic value.

For event photos, visit HERE (https://apo-opa.co/3TJQpSP). For speakers’ video soundbites and highlights, visit HERE (https://apo-opa.co/477SpHE). The entire event can be viewed on Unstoppable Africa YouTube channel (https://apo-opa.co/4xE0FKs).

For more about GABI please visit the website GABI.UNGlobalCompact.org

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Global Africa Business Initiative.

 

 




 

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Frasers Hospitality unveils Fraser Suites Reserve, a new luxury serviced living brand

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1 hour ago

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September 22, 2026

By

Fraser Suites

Fraser Suites Reserve Bangkok starts welcoming guests at One Bangkok in December 2026
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 September 2026 – Frasers Hospitality, a business unit of Frasers Property, today announced Fraser Suites Reserve, a new luxury serviced living brand created for discerning global travellers seeking the privacy, ease and familiarity of home while away, complemented by the service and standards of luxury hospitality.

Building on Frasers Hospitality’s longstanding expertise and established track record in extended stays, Fraser Suites Reserve addresses a distinct segment at the luxury end of the market. Its introduction further sharpens the company’s portfolio of clearly differentiated brands.

 




 
 

“Fraser Suites Reserve represents the next strategic step in strengthening our portfolio,” said Eu Chin Fen, Chief Executive Officer, Frasers Hospitality. “It draws on our experience in long stays, while responding to the evolving expectations of an increasingly sophisticated segment of travellers accustomed to the world’s finest hospitality.”

Time for what matters

Fraser Suites Reserve is anchored in the belief that time is the ultimate luxury for today’s global professionals. Each property brings together refined design, intuitive service, curated wellness and lifestyle experiences intended to make life away from home easier, leaving guests free to focus on what matters most, whether their work, wellbeing, relationships or personal pursuits.

Designed as private sanctuaries within the city, its rooms are designed to offer privacy and calm. Many feature integrated kitchenettes, allowing guests to maintain familiar routines of home while away, an independence that becomes particularly valuable during longer stays. The experience is complemented by the discreet yet highly personalised service of luxury hospitality.

Beyond the rooms, guests can enjoy distinctive dining concepts, wellness and leisure experiences on property, as well as Club Frasers, a private lounge designed for conversation, connection and curated experiences.

“For guests accustomed to the highest standards, luxury service gives the assurance that every detail has been carefully thought through and every need understood,” said Chew Hang Song, Chief Operating Officer, Frasers Hospitality. “With Fraser Suites Reserve, this means providing an experience that feels immediately familiar and deeply human, supported by service that is warm and intuitive, yet respectful of their privacy.”

Wellbeing, made part of everyday

Holistic wellbeing is integrated into the Fraser Suites Reserve experience. At Fraser Suites Reserve Bangkok, the House of Rejuvenation will offer a dedicated environment for recovery and renewal, pairing therapist-led treatments with advanced wellness facilities such as thermal pools, cold plunges, compression therapy, dry flotation and red-light therapy.

Guests will also have access to The Wellness Edit, Frasers Hospitality’s proprietary global wellness programme. Through simple, repeatable everyday rituals that can be incorporated naturally into a guest’s stay, the programme is designed to integrate wellbeing with simple gestures, making wellbeing easier to sustain even amid demanding schedules and frequent travel.

Global debut at One Bangkok

Fraser Suites Reserve Bangkok, the brand’s first property, will begin welcoming guests in December 2026 as part of a phased opening. Its grand opening is planned for March 2027 when the complete range of facilities and experiences will be available.

The 255-room property will occupy the top ten floors of a 45-storey premium office and retail tower at One Bangkok, located right in the heart of Bangkok at the intersection of Rama IV Road and Wireless Road, with panoramic views of the Bangkok skyline and Chao Phraya River with easy access to Bangkok’s dining, entertainment and cultural attractions. Further details to be announced in the coming months.

Find out more about Fraser Suites Reserve at frasershospitality.com/en/our-brands/fraser-suites-reserve/

NOTE:
For more information, please visit www.frasershospitality.com.

About Frasers Hospitality
Frasers Hospitality is a leading investor-operator within the lodging sector, backed by 28 years of proven expertise. Frasers Hospitality specialises in optimising and managing hospitality assets to deliver sustainable value for its stakeholders. As a business unit of Frasers Property Limited, its presence spans Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

With a diversified portfolio of over 100 lodging assets across geographies and segments, Frasers Hospitality offers a comprehensive end-to-end ecosystem of bespoke lodging expertise and solutions to maximise performance, value and growth for its partners across the real estate value chain. Frasers Hospitality is a trusted expert and preferred partner within the lodging sector with a proven track record and a business model optimised to deliver value.

Frasers Hospitality is distinguished by its style of hospitality from their progressive mindset that fosters innovation and matched with an award-winning brand portfolio tailored to new ways of travelling, living and socialising. Recognised globally for our commitment to hospitality excellence, Frasers Hospitality has earned numerous industry accolades and awards, showcasing its leadership in delivering exemplary, quality services, and curating memorable, life-enriching experiences for its guests and residents – by people, for people.

For more information on Frasers Hospitality, please visit www.frasershospitality.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Frasers Property Limited
Frasers Property Limited (“Frasers Property” and together with its subsidiaries, the “Frasers Property Group” or the “Group”) is an integrated investor-developer-operator of real estate products and services. Listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (“SGX-ST”) and headquartered in Singapore, the Group has total assets of approximately S$40.0 billion as at 31 March 2026.

Frasers Property operates across five asset classes: industrial & logistics, retail, commercial & business parks, residential and hospitality. Its businesses span Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe and China, and its well-established hospitality business owns and/or operates serviced apartments and hotels in 20 countries.

The Group is the sponsor of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), Frasers Centrepoint Trust and Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust, listed on the SGX-ST, as well as Frasers Property Thailand Industrial Freehold & Leasehold REIT and Golden Ventures Leasehold Real Estate Investment Trust, listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Guided by its purpose of inspiring experiences and creating places for good, the Group promotes an ESG framework that supports long-term value creation through focus areas such as transparent governance, sustainable finance, inclusive communities and reducing its carbon emissions. Frasers Property aims to deliver lasting shared value for its customers, people, investors and communities, while fostering a progressive, collaborative and respectful culture.

For more information on Frasers Property, please visit frasersproperty.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
 




 

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

Published

6 hours ago

on

September 22, 2026

By

ASEAN

NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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