DAKAR, Senegal, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –The MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference and exhibition, taking place from December 1–3 in Dakar, will introduce a dedicated Investment Track designed to deepen capital engagement across West Africa’s energy landscape. Building on the region’s expanding upstream activity, infrastructure development and cross-border integration, the track will serve as a platform where governments, investors and project developers can align on investment pathways across the MSGBC basin.

 




  

At the core of the Investment Track will be the Ministerial Leadership & Global Capital Roundtable, where energy ministers will convene to examine how enhanced regional cooperation, regulatory alignment and coordinated infrastructure development can accelerate capital flows into the sector. The session is expected to focus on the policy and financing frameworks required to unlock large-scale projects, including investment codes such as Mauritania’s 2025 reform, as well as strengthening fiscal incentives and improving regulatory clarity to attract capital into the energy sector.

For the first time at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power event, the Project Development Clinic will introduce a more technical format. In this small-group advisory setting, project developers, government representatives and investors will engage directly on project challenges. The clinic aims to improve project structuring, address financing bottlenecks and identify practical solutions to accelerate development timelines and move projects closer to final investment decisions.

The Investment Track will also feature structured Business-to-Business Matchmaking sessions designed to connect stakeholders across the energy value chain. These targeted engagements will facilitate discussions between investors, operators, service companies and public-sector institutions, enabling participants to explore partnerships and co-investment opportunities.

Together, these sessions reflect the MSGBC region’s broader shift toward investment-led growth. In Senegal, this momentum is already visible through the partnership between state-owned agencies APIX and COS-PETROGAZ to improve the business environment for energy projects and streamline investment processes. With PETROSEN advancing development work on the Yakaar-Teranga gas project and targeting a final investment decision in December 2026, alongside new exploration opportunities emerging onshore, the Investment Track will provide a platform to connect the region’s resource potential with investors and project developers.

“The Investment Track is designed to move beyond dialogue and into deal facilitation, bringing together decision-makers who can directly shape the next phase of energy investment across the region. By creating a space for investors, project developers and public-sector stakeholders to engage directly, the track will help turn investment priorities into concrete partnerships and project opportunities,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director, Energy Capital & Power.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

COTONOU, Benin, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), in partnership with the Société d’Investissement et de Promotion de l’Industrie (SIPI-BENIN S.A), the entity responsible for developing the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), and Panafritex, hosted the Special Economic Zones Investment Forum (FocusSEZ 2026) on 21 and 22 October 2026 at the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel and the GDIZ.

 




  

Held under the theme “Investing in Local Processing and Industrialisation”, the forum brought together international investors, industrialists, buyers and development finance institutions to explore the vast opportunities for local processing and strategic partnerships offered by the GDIZ.

Local processing at the heart of discussions

In his address, Mr Jean Arsene Yemina, Regional Director of Operations for Francophone West Africa at Afreximbank, speaking on behalf of Ms Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, highlighted the role of financing and industrial partnerships in transforming Africa’s raw materials into finished products:

“Here in Benin, textiles have become the driving force behind this transformation. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone was established through a partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE IIP, with Afreximbank proud to have contributed to financing its development.

“Here in Benin, the textile industry has become the driving force behind this transformation. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone was created through a partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE IIP, and Afreximbank is proud to have helped finance its establishment. Today, the zone is home to West Africa’s first fully integrated cotton-to-garment manufacturing platform, operated by Benin Textile (BTEX). The entire value chain, from ginning and spinning to weaving and finished garments, is carried out on African soil by African hands. Before the creation of the GDIZ, less than 1% of Benin’s cotton was processed locally. In just three years, the zone has come to process approximately 40,000 metric tons of cotton—nearly 12% of national production—and to produce millions of “Made in Benin” garments for major international brands such as US Polo, Kiabi, and H&M.”

He also highlighted similar efforts underway at the GDIZ to develop local processing in the cashew, soybean and shea value chains.

Mr Létondji Beheton, Director General of SIPI-BENIN S.A., emphasised the need to strengthen value addition across the continent:

“Our ambition can no longer be limited to producing and exporting raw materials. We must go further by processing more of these resources on our continent, developing competitive industries, strengthening our value chains and retaining a greater share of the wealth generated from our natural resources.”

He added: “It is against this backdrop that the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) was established, as the outcome of a public-private partnership between the Republic of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP). This integrated industrial platform embodies a shared commitment to making local processing a driver of economic growth, job creation and industrial development.

“By attracting manufacturing facilities and developing integrated value chains, the GDIZ is helping transform raw materials into higher-value-added products, strengthen Benin’s industrial capacity and enhance its competitiveness in regional and international markets. In doing so, it is contributing to the development of a more diversified economy that generates wealth and creates sustainable opportunities for the country.”

Mr Arvind Mathur, CEO of PANAFRITEX, highlighted the role of ARISE IIP’s textile platform in developing an integrated textile industry in Africa, capable of transforming the continent’s cotton into finished, high-value-added products.

“Africa has significant potential to strengthen its position in the global textile industry. Realising this ambition will require the development of integrated industrial capacities that can transform cotton grown on the continent into higher-value-added finished products, while enhancing the competitiveness of the sector and expanding its access to international markets.

“At PANAFRITEX, we are contributing to this momentum by developing a model that brings together industrial processing, business development and the promotion of finished products. Our own brands, Obalé and SúSú, are part of this approach, connecting Africa’s manufacturing capabilities with consumer markets.

“The commissioning of our first industrial facilities at the GDIZ in Benin marks a major milestone in the rollout of this model. At the same time, the development of new facilities in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania reflects our ambition to progressively expand our industrial footprint across the continent.

“Through this expansion, we aim to contribute to strengthening Africa’s textile value chains, creating skilled jobs and ensuring that a greater share of the value generated is retained locally.”

Financing, Market Access and Business Networking

Discussions focused on the development of a new generation of African industrial hubs, the cotton value chain, financing for the textile industry, as well as logistics and integrated supply chains. The programme also featured business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) meetings with targeted public-sector institutions, aimed at identifying investment opportunities, financing solutions and potential business partnerships.

Afreximbank presented the range of financial instruments and support facilities it offers investors and businesses to facilitate the establishment and expansion of their industrial operations. These include long-term financing and equipment financing, trade finance and working capital facilities, guarantees and risk-sharing mechanisms, as well as project preparation support and equity investment through the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA).

The Bank also highlighted its Africa Buyers Programme, which connects African buyers with manufacturers operating in industrial zones across the continent. The initiative aims to complement access to finance with market opportunities for products manufactured in Africa.

A full day was dedicated to a visit to the GDIZ, during which participants toured its infrastructure and industrial facilities and took part in business matchmaking sessions bringing together investors, manufacturers and buyers. These activities were designed to facilitate the establishment of new manufacturing facilities and expand sourcing opportunities for “Made in Benin” products, particularly in agribusiness, textiles, plastics, packaging and industrial equipment.

Across sectors ranging from agro-processing and textiles to plastics, packaging and industrial equipment, the overarching objective is to accelerate the establishment of new production facilities and strengthen the supply of quality-certified “Made in Benin” products.

An Integrated Model for Advancing Industrial Sovereignty

Covering 1,640 hectares, the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) is the result of a strategic partnership between the Republic of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms. Designed as a comprehensive, integrated ecosystem, it supports investors across the entire value chain, from securing supplies of locally sourced agricultural and mineral raw materials to industrial processing and the export of finished products, leveraging its direct connectivity to the country’s logistics infrastructure and the Port of Cotonou.

By hosting this international forum, Benin is once again demonstrating its ability to offer an attractive business environment, an enabling regulatory framework and world-class infrastructure to help build the future of African industry.

CAIRO, Egypt, November 3, 2026/APO Group/ –Canon Middle East (www.Canon-ME.com) today outlined its priorities for strengthening collaboration with established channel partners and responding to evolving customer needs in Egypt at a press conference marking the introduction of Frame the Future. Taking place in Cairo on 3–4 November, the two-day programme brings together distributors, channel partners ,retailers, system integrators and imaging specialists for strategic dialogue, product experiences and practical knowledge sharing.

 




  

Frame the Future is a continuing regional platform for Canon Middle East’s channel engagement, bringing together Canon’s imaging and printing heritage, emerging creative applications and the local expertise of its partners. Beginning in Egypt, the platform is intended to support closer collaboration and help partners connect customers with relevant technologies and experiences across Middle East markets. It builds on Canon’s longstanding relationships in Egypt.

“Egypt presents important opportunities for the future of consumer imaging, supported by a vibrant creative community and partners who understand their customers. As people move increasingly between photography, video and printed expression, our priority is to help partners respond with relevant technology, stronger product knowledge and experiences that show what is possible. Frame the Future creates a platform to listen, collaborate and shape the next chapter of customer engagement together,” said Binoj Nair, Business Unit Director – B2C, Canon Middle East

The photography and video programme on the evening of 3 November will feature hands-on experiences with Canon’s imaging line-up. In a vibrant, colour-rich creative zone, Mohammed Alaa, CEO of Cairo Photography Club (CPC), will lead a live demonstration of the video capabilities of the Canon EOS R6 V, drawing on his experience of using the camera to create content. The EOS R8 Mark II will also be on display, alongside other products in the imaging portfolio. The programme is designed to give channel partners practical insight into the ways creators are using imaging technology today.

On 4 November, Frame the Future will turn its focus to Canon’s home and office printing portfolio, reinforcing Egypt’s strategic importance as a key market for printing solutions and channel partnerships. A central focus will be on deepening engagement with system integrators and value-added resellers, demonstrating how Canon’s printing technologies, integrated solutions and applications deliver value beyond the device itself. Through hands-on experience, solution-led discussions and knowledge sharing, the programme will highlight opportunities for partners to address evolving customer requirements, expand their solution offerings and drive sustainable business growth.

The programme reflects Canon Middle East’s focus on the Customer of Tomorrow: people whose creative and everyday needs continue to evolve, who move across different formats and who value accessible expertise alongside technology. It also reflects Canon’s corporate philosophy of Kyosei — living and working together for the common good  through collaboration with the partners and communities that support Egypt’s imaging market.