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Cameroon: The African Development Bank Engages in Dialogue with Cameroonian Financial Institutions

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Cameroon

Professional associations and the financial institutions that partner with them under the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa” initiative also took part

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, November 11, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) Director General for Central Africa, Serge N’Guessan, led a delegation for a series of talks with stakeholders in the Cameroonian private sector, including women entrepreneurs, between 24 and 30 September 2022 in Douala.

Professional associations and the financial institutions that partner with them under the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa” initiative also took part. The goal was to establish constructive dialogue between women entrepreneurs and financial institutions in Cameroon in order to catalyze women’s entrepreneurship in the country.

AFAWA, a flagship initiative of the African Development Bank, works to bolster access to finance for women entrepreneurs in Africa to bridge the $42 billion financing gap they face. The African Development Bank will mobilize up to $5 billion by 2025 to achieve this.

“It was a very good opportunity because these meetings enabled us to witness the obstacles which exist between the banks and us, women entrepreneurs,” said Michèle Kepeden Lewat, General Manager of Business Trade Cameroon SARL. The trading company specializes in the distribution of personal protective gear to industrialists and other workplace safety solutions, including gas detection and analysis, fire protection, lifting and handling, valves and fittings, and actuators.

The delegation visited two AFAWA partners in Cameroon: PRO-PME Financement S.A, a financial institution specializing in loans to small and medium-sized enterprises

The delegation visited two AFAWA partners in Cameroon: PRO-PME Financement S.A, a financial institution specializing in loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, and Ecobank, a pan-African bank.

“Beyond guarantees, which are a major constraint on women entrepreneurs, there is a problem of securing funds and keeping financial statements, which does not allow financial institutions like ours to properly assess the solvency of women entrepreneurs who approach us for a loan,” said Pierre Conrad Edzoa, CEO of PRO-PME Financement S.A.

For the Ecobank representative, Cameroon’s emergence depends on women. The bank has launched a program called Ellevate, which helps women entrepreneurs transition from the informal to the formal economy by offering them specific loans depending on the type of business and the guaranteed conditions.

“Before the guarantee, there is flexible pricing,” said Guy Martin Mbah, Head of small and medium-sized enterprises and Head of the network of branches at Ecobank Cameroon. He said, the ordinary loan is normally made on an interest basis of 10%, but women entrepreneurs benefit from a bonus. For the application fee, which is usually 1% of the total loan amount, women pay only 0.5%.

“We came to facilitate dialogue between women entrepreneurs and financial institutions. But we are very happy to see that this dialogue already exists, though it is still low-key,” said Charleine Mbuyi-Lusamba, Gender Officer at the African Development Bank. She added that: “The discussions of the past few days have enabled us to embark on the path to a flexible and frank dialogue, capable of creating a real economic dynamic in Douala and in Cameroon.” She also announced that a high-level AFAWA mission, headed by Esther Marieme Dassanou, AFAWA’s head, will soon visit Cameroon to strengthen ongoing initiatives.

“We sincerely thank AFAWA because its action effectively targets our needs. We are going to organize ourselves more and equip women entrepreneurs, so that they can be up to the job that AFAWA will bring later on,” said Alice Maguedjio, President of the Retailers Union of the Wouri Division, where the capital Douala is.

In Cameroon, AFAWA is a partner of three financial institutions through the African Guarantee Fund.

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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