DAKAR, Senegal, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah, Mauritania’s newly appointed Minister of Energy and Petroleum, has confirmed his participation at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 in Dakar. Minister Vetah was appointed on October 10 in a new 29-member government, having previously served as Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines from 2016 to 2020. His participation at the upcoming summit offers delegates direct engagement with the official responsible for Mauritania’s gas and power agenda as the country seeks to attract capital across its evolving energy and hydrocarbon sectors

 




  

Minister Vetah joins the event as Mauritania enters a new investment cycle anchored by efforts to scale gas monetization, incentivize exploration and open new opportunities in renewable energy and power development. The country has been an LNG exporter since early 2025, when the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, developed jointly with Senegal, shipped its first cargo. The project is now operating at full capacity, and gas is also set to anchor domestic power supply, with national utility Somelec and state miner SNIM having signed power purchase agreements with Saudi Arabia’s TAQA and Egypt’s GoGas Holding. The agreements fit within a gas-to-power program tied to the country’s Banda field and targeted for 2028.

 

Mauritania has committed to a fully private power generation model in which independent power producers develop all new plants, with two gas-fired projects in development expected to add a combined 550 MW to the grid. Renewables are scaling in parallel, led by a 220 MW solar-wind plant with 370 MWh of battery storage, developed under a 15-year concession with Somelec and slated to begin commercial production in the final quarter of 2026.

 

Minister Vetah’s career spans Mauritania’s gas sector and regional energy cooperation. During his previous term, Mauritania and Senegal signed the GTA gas sales agreement with bp and Kosmos Energy in 2020, and before entering government he served as General Manager of state gas company SOMAGAZ and as a consultant to TotalEnergies E&P Mauritania. Most recently, he spent nearly four years as High Commissioner of the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River.

 

Regional cooperation has been an early priority for the minister, who was received in Dakar by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on October 16 and reaffirmed his commitment to cooperation between the two countries. At MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026, Minister Vetah will speak during the event’s Ministerial Dialogue, titled ‘Executing the MSGBC Region’s Energy Strategy’ and the Mauritania National Spotlight.

Organized by Energy Capital & Power, MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 takes place December 1-3 at the Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf (CICAD) in Dakar under the High Patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. For more information and registration, visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com.

 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –Nuclear energy is returning to strategic power-sector discussions as countries consider how to secure reliable, low-carbon baseload electricity while expanding variable renewable generation.

 




  

For African governments assessing nuclear power, the debate has moved beyond the broad question of whether the technology should form part of the energy mix. Attention is on the practical requirements of implementation, including:

• reactor selection,

• regulation,

• finance,

• skills and training,

• projecting structures, and

• long-term institutional capacity.

These issues are examined in the Industry Insights Nuclear Energy Volume, created by VUKA Group through its trusted media house, ESI Africa. The volume considers which nuclear technologies are leading the generation market, why other technologies are struggling, and which African countries have progressed furthest in translating nuclear intent into practical programmes.

Download Industry Insights Nuclear Energy Volume (https://apo-opa.co/4zB4Fx9)

The execution challenge extends beyond reactor technology

Technology selection remains an important part of any nuclear programme. The volume examines the reactor types available to the market and the technologies that are likely to attract attention once South Africa’s bidding and procurement processes begin.

Detailed coverage of the AP1000 and VVER-1200 places these designs within their development and operating contexts. The volume also considers the mined minerals supporting the nuclear energy future and the wider resource requirements behind the fuel cycle.

Reactor selection, however, is only one part of delivery. Nuclear programmes also require credible governance, regulatory capacity, appropriate skills, financing structures and sustained policy commitment.

The volume reflects this wider view by bringing together technology, markets and the practical conditions needed to advance projects.

Africa’s nuclear pathways are developing at different speeds

Several features within the volume examine Africa’s race for atomic power and the countries moving furthest towards implementation.

The coverage considers why nuclear energy is becoming an execution question for governments rather than a purely philosophical discussion. It also examines the cost of excluding nuclear power from long-term planning and what must happen to move programmes from a national vision towards bankable reality.

Each country will need to assess nuclear development against its own electricity demand, financial position, regulatory environment and institutional capabilities. Comparing progress across African markets can nevertheless help decision-makers understand the different pathways available and the foundations that need to be established before procurement or construction begins.

Financing determines whether policy becomes a programme

Nuclear development involves large capital requirements and long planning and delivery periods. The structure of a programme is therefore as significant as its technical case.

Projects must be supported by clear ownership arrangements, credible institutions and financing models suited to their development timelines. Governments and utilities must also consider how risks will be allocated and how programmes will retain continuity across planning, procurement, construction and operation.

The volume’s focus on moving the conversation from vision to bankable reality places finance within this broader delivery system. It examines the conditions needed before nuclear ambition can become an investable infrastructure proposition.

Understanding Africa’s emerging nuclear market

The ESI Africa on-demand webinar Africa’s emerging nuclear power market extends the discussion by examining the factors influencing nuclear development across the continent.

It provides a further resource for stakeholders assessing the direction of the market, the technologies under consideration and the requirements associated with implementing new nuclear programmes.

Watch Africa’s emerging nuclear power market on-demand (https://apo-opa.co/4ztOrpf)

Nuclear within Africa’s wider energy conversation

Nuclear energy will form part of the wider discussion around generation, investment and electricity-system development at Enlit Africa, taking place from 11 to 13 May 2027 at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa. As the host media partner, ESI Africa will once again conduct in-person studio interviews at the event.

The event brings together stakeholders from across the power and energy sector to examine the policies, technologies, investments and delivery models influencing Africa’s electricity future.

Explore Enlit Africa 2027 (https://apo-opa.co/4BQA003)

Connecting infrastructure plans with capital

Large infrastructure programmes require more than national ambition. Projects need to be structured, tested and connected with organisations able to finance and support their delivery.

The Project & Investment Network, in partnership with African Infrastructure Elites: Projects and People annual magazine, hosted at Enlit Africa 2027 connects project owners with investors, financiers, developers, offtakers and solution providers. Its focus is on strengthening project propositions, building bankability and moving viable African energy and water projects closer to implementation.

Submit a project to the Project & Investment Network (https://apo-opa.co/4fkfxHk)

Recognising infrastructure leadership and delivery

African Infrastructure Elites: People and Projects 26/27 documents the projects, partnerships and people contributing to infrastructure delivery across the continent.

As Host Media Partner of the Project & Investment Network, the publication connects the investment discussion with evidence of implementation and achievement. Readers can join the waiting list for the forthcoming edition.

Join the African Infrastructure Elites 26/27 waiting list (https://apo-opa.co/4C87zLx)

ESI Africa’s next related sector discussion will continue through the Smart Solutions & Data Centres Volume 2027, examining the technologies and infrastructure systems influencing growing digital demand.

Explore Smart Solutions & Data Centres Volume 2027 (https://apo-opa.co/4An2hKo)

JUBA, South Sudan, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –South Sudan is seeking new investment to expand oil production, develop exploration acreage and strengthen petroleum infrastructure as African financial institutions increase their focus on energy project financing. With 14 exploration blocks available and plans to raise crude output from approximately 174,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 230,000 bpd in the near term, the country is targeting capital for both new developments and existing producing assets.

 




  

The upcoming South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) conference – scheduled for November 24-25, 2026, in Juba – will serve as the premier venue for investors, development finance institutions (DFIs) and project developers to structure funding, forge partnerships and allocate capital across the nation’s evolving energy value chain.

South Sudan Advances Upstream, Infrastructure Opportunities  

South Sudan’s investment pipeline spans exploration, enhanced oil recovery, refining, crude transportation and power infrastructure. With an estimated 3.5 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the country is seeking to attract new operators and technical partners to develop available acreage while improving production efficiency across mature fields.

Regional national oil companies are already advancing exploration activities. The South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC), through its subsidiary Strategic Fuel Fund, holds a 90% interest in Block B2 alongside national oil company Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet). SANPC is preparing further exploration work, including a planned 2D seismic campaign, creating opportunities for geophysical contractors, equipment suppliers and technical service providers.

Nilepet is also pursuing investment in downstream infrastructure, including a proposed 350-kilometre crude pipeline connecting the Tharjiath oilfields in Block 5A with the Paloch oilfields in Blocks 3 and 7. The company is seeking strategic investment partnerships for refinery development and the pipeline project, alongside plans to expand fuel storage, distribution and LPG infrastructure.

Development Finance Expands Investment Options 

The formal establishment of the Africa Energy Bank on October 31, 2026, marks a significant development in regional energy financing. Created by the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation and Afreximbank, the institution has $5 billion in authorized capital and is expected to begin financing projects in 2027.

The bank aims to address funding gaps across Africa’s oil and gas sector, with an initial focus on regional infrastructure, including pipelines, refining and domestic energy development. Its establishment could create additional financing options for South Sudan’s petroleum projects, although no funding commitments to the country have been announced.

Beyond the AEB, development finance institutions are already supporting South Sudan’s wider energy infrastructure. The World Bank is financing the $53 million South Sudan Energy Sector Access and Institutional Strengthening Project, which includes grid expansion in Juba and support for decentralized electrification. Meanwhile, the African Development Bank Group has approved $153.66 million in financing for the Uganda–South Sudan electricity interconnection project, supporting regional power trade and improved electricity access.

Afreximbank also maintains a trade finance partnership with South Sudan’s Kush Bank, which was appointed as an intermediary in 2023. The arrangement provides a framework for trade finance instruments, including letters of credit and bank guarantees, that can support equipment imports and commercial activity. Access to these instruments could benefit domestic suppliers and service companies participating in the energy sector.

SSOP 2026 Connects Energy Projects with Global Capital 

As South Sudan seeks to accelerate production growth and expand its energy infrastructure, SSOP 2026 will provide a platform to connect priority projects with regional and international financiers.

Returning as the country’s official energy investment platform, the conference will bring together government representatives, national and international oil companies, development finance institutions, commercial banks, private investors and technology providers to explore financing structures, investment partnerships and project development opportunities.

Held under the theme Resource Renaissance – Energy-Fueled Growth for a New Generation, SSOP 2026 will focus on mobilizing capital across exploration, production optimization, refining, petroleum transportation and power infrastructure, supporting South Sudan’s efforts to translate its energy resources into commercial development.

For more information, visit https://SouthSudanOilPower.com/.