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Namibia and Equatorial Guinea Youth-Focused Local Content, Gas Monetization a Boost for Intra-African Energy Growth

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3 years ago

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Energy Growth

Following an agreement forged during the Namibian International Energy Conference in 2022, a youth training initiative launched by Namibia and Equatorial Guinea has set the tone for an ambitious local content drive that will position Namibia as a competitive hydrocarbon producer

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, January 4, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Namibia, as an upcoming hydrocarbon producer, and Equatorial Guinea, as one of Africa’s top natural gas producers, have taken the lead towards positioning Africa as a globally competitive oil and gas producer, leveraging intra-African partnerships and cooperation to scale up the local workforce.

Following sizable oil and gas discoveries made in Namibia in 2022, the two countries forged an agreement during the Namibian International Energy Conference (NIEC) 2022 that saw four Namibian engineers receive training at the Equatorial Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas (EG LNG) facility. This program has been significant, both for Namibia’s future oil and gas industry and for Africa’s energy sector at large, and the African Energy Chamber (AEC) commends both countries on this bold initiative. 

During the NIEC 2022, Hon. Tom Alweendo, Namibia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, announced the training partnership with H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons. Hon. Minister Alweendo visited Equatorial Guinea and worked with his counterpart to kick off the training of Namibians.

To date, four Namibian engineers have received training at EG LNG, owned by Marathon Oil, Chevron and the Equatorial Guinean government. In addition to receiving exploration and production training at the facility, the engineers were trained at the associated Methanol Facility and the Turbo Gas Facility at the Punta Europa Complex.  

It is good to see energy companies in Equatorial Guinea taking the lead in the training and development of Namibian youth

The Namibian engineers also received training on various operational matters from British independent Trident Energy, known for operational efficiency and production improvements. Trident is the operator of Block G, which includes the producing Ceiba and Okume Complex fields — made up of six oil fields in the Gulf of Guinea, in shallow and deep water in the Rio Muni basin.

This training has not only signaled a new era of intra-African energy collaboration and partnerships but has opened up significant opportunities for Namibia to position itself as a globally competitive oil producer on the back of south-south cooperation. 

With both countries having placed local content at the center of their developmental strategies, this training initiative marks the start of a new era of hydrocarbon growth in Africa on the back of cooperation and collaboration. Long-term, Equatorial Guinea is committed to establishing itself as a regional energy hub, leveraging ambitious local content initiatives to develop a strong and competitive hydrocarbon market in-country. Similarly, Namibia, at the start of its hydrocarbon journey, has recognized the role local content will play in making energy poverty history while kick starting industrialization and economic prosperity. As such, the country has introduced proactive local content policies, with the Equatorial Guinean training initiative only furthering this agenda.

“It is good to see energy companies in Equatorial Guinea taking the lead in the training and development of Namibian youth. EG LNG, Trident Energy, Chevron, Marathon Oil should be given huge credit, incentive and encouraged to do more. It is important for young Africans. Energy companies are our partners, and we must support them as we push for Namibian energy growth,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman at the AEC.

The training initiative followed Shell’s Graff-1 discovery and TotalEnergies Venus discovery made merely weeks apart in February 2022, unlocking up to four billion barrels of recoverable reserves combined. The discoveries were significant, with their associated developments set to double Namibia’s GDP by 2040. Shortly thereafter, the country took a proactive approach to get advanced training from U.S. and regional firms, with the government eager to bring these projects online as soon as possible. In this scenario, Equatorial Guinea emerged as the obvious partner, with the country hosting a suite of global energy majors and large-scale hydrocarbon developments alike.

Owing to sizeable domestic oil and gas reserves, as well as an accelerated drive by the government to monetize regional untapped reserves, Equatorial Guinea has put in motion a series of large-scale projects such as the Punta Europa LNG Terminal – comprising Train 1, producing 3.7 million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG, and Train 2, set to produce up to 4.4 mtpa once completed – the wider Punta Europa Gas Complex – comprising Methanol and Turbo Gas Facilities – and the Central African Pipeline System. These projects have enabled the country to export gas worldwide, with Equatorial Guinea serving as a key supplier of gas to Europe in the ongoing gas crisis. In this scenario, companies such as Marathon Oil, Sonagas, ExxonMobil and Panoro have been key, and offer Namibia unparalleled insight into developing and operating large-scale projects.

“What Minister Alweendo and Obiang Lima have done should be commended. They have demonstrated the role that intra-African energy cooperation will play in Africa’s energy future. Equatorial Guinea, with its expertise as an oil and gas player, offers Namibia the knowledge and training that the country needs to develop a thriving domestic oil and gas industry. Through this training initiative, both countries have prioritized local content, developing the local industry and getting young people ready to lead oil and gas exploration and production. At the AEC, we are proud to see what Namibia and Equatorial Guinea are doing and want to see more African states following suit,” concluded Ayuk.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Week (AEW).

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First WATT Renewable Limited and MTN Nigeria Launch Renewable Energy Infrastructure Programme for Critical Operations and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Sites

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48 minutes ago

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June 15, 2026

By

WATT Renewable Limited

The programme is expected to support the avoidance of an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO ₂e) over five years, subject to operational performance and final emissions calculations

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 15, 2026/APO Group/ –First WATT Renewable Limited (www.WATTRenewables.com) and MTN Nigeria have announced a strategic renewable energy infrastructure partnership designed to reduce diesel dependence, improve operational resilience at MTN’s critical facilities and supply renewable energy systems to power electric vehicle charging infrastructure across selected MTN locations in Nigeria.

 

The programme comprises two major project components. The first is an Energy- as- a- Service deployment that will provide approximately 34 MWp of solar photovoltaic as a generation capacity and 40 MWh of battery energy storage across selected MTN facilities nationwide. These sites include data centres, switch facilities, cable landing stations, customer service centres and other network critical locations.

The second is the supply of renewable energy infrastructure to power 60 kW EV charging stations across eight MTN facilities located at Ikoyi, Matori, Ojota, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Asaba, Kano and Ibadan

Together, both components are designed to reduce dependence on diesel-based systems, lower operating emissions, support operational uptime, strengthen business continuity, and increase the contribution of renewable energy across MTN’s operational sites, including selected EV charging locations.

As digital demand continues to grow, reliable energy infrastructure remains critical to the performance of telecommunications networks and the wider digital economy. This partnership will support MTN Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of critical operations while increasing the use of renewable energy across selected facilities.

This programme helps address one of the key requirements for wider EV adoption: reliable and cleaner energy supply

Based on current project assumptions, the programme is expected to support the avoidance of an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO ₂e) over five years, subject to operational performance and final emissions calculations.

Commenting on the partnership, Oluwole Eweje, Chief Executive Officer of WATT Renewable Corporation, said:

“This partnership is a defining milestone for First WATT and an important step in strengthening the energy infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s digital economy. By deploying solar photovoltaic generation and battery energy storage across selected MTN facilities, we are helping to improve energy reliability at critical locations where uptime is essential.

“The EV charging component also demonstrates how renewable energy infrastructure can support Nigeria’s transition to lower-carbon mobility. By providing renewable power systems for EV charging sites, this programme helps address one of the key requirements for wider EV adoption: reliable and cleaner energy supply.”

Speaking on the initiative, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, said:

“As Nigeria’s energy and mobility landscape evolves, renewable energy will play an important role in building cleaner and more reliable infrastructure. This partnership supports our efforts to reduce diesel dependence, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the resilience of the systems that power connectivity.

“It is also aligned with Project Zero, under our Doing for Planet sustainability pillar, through which we are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the use of renewable energy across our operations.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WATT Renewable Corporation.

 

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RusselSmith Formally Transitions to Arridex

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4 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

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Nigeria

The change reflects the significant expansion of the organisation’s capabilities and the breadth of industries it now serves

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 12, 2026/APO Group/ –Arridex (www.Arridex.com), formerly RusselSmith, recently announced its formal change of name, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. The change reflects the significant expansion of the organisation’s capabilities and the breadth of industries it now serves, which extend well beyond the oil and gas services with which it began operations in the early 2000s.

 

Founded as an asset integrity company serving Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the organisation has grown into a multi-sector industrial technology group operating across oil and gas, maritime, aerospace, defence, construction, and manufacturing. Its subsidiaries cover engineering and construction delivery, autonomous systems development, and advanced technology products, in addition to its industrial additive manufacturing and asset integrity operations.

Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa

The organisation holds Pioneer Status in additive manufacturing, granted by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and is the first company qualified by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for additive manufacturing deployment in the oil and gas sector. Both represent formal recognition of Arridex’s capabilities and its role in building indigenous industrial capacity at scale. With more than twenty years of continuous delivery, Arridex holds certification to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018, underpinning an integrated management system that governs its operations across all sectors, and has recorded zero lost time incidents across over seven million man hours of operations.

The name change coincides with a significant operational milestone. The Arridex Omnifactory, West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility, has been commissioned in Lagos. The Omnifactory integrates multiple additive manufacturing technologies including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), Cold Spray, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) under one roof, enabling on-demand production of industrial components, spares, and improved part designs for critical industries. The Omnifactory’s large-format additive manufacturing capabilities also enable the production of large-scale structures, including full-size marine components. Its commissioning is the clearest measure of the distance that Arridex has travelled from its origins.

Africa’s critical industries have for decades depended on components and specialist expertise imported from outside the continent, with supply chains that routinely extend across multiple jurisdictions and lead times that affect operational continuity for asset owners when dealing with legacy parts. The Omnifactory manufactures industrial components and parts on demand in Lagos, helping to build operational resilience in critical industries.

Kayode Adeleke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Arridex, said: “The name RusselSmith defined what we were at the start. Arridex defines what we have built. The dependency of African industry on fragile supply chains is a structural problem that this continent has accepted for too long. The Omnifactory is a concrete answer to the challenge of manufacturing sovereignty. Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa.”

Arridex is a Designated Strategic Partner of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and serves clients across Nigeria and the wider African region. The organisation has a joint venture partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) for military-grade additive manufacturing, is a member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and is also a member of the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN). With the Omnifactory commissioning in June 2026, Arridex enters its next phase of operations under a name that reflects the full scope of what it has built.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Arridex.

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New Quality, Shared Future – Beijing CBD Extends a Global Invitation for Cooperation

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4 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

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Beijing

If there are only three days to understand China’s economic development, Beijing CBD is a good place to start.
BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 June 2026 – In mid-June this year, 2026 Beijing CBD Forum Annual Conference will be held as scheduled. Nearly ten thousand participants from five continents will gather here, with international speakers accounting for more than 50% of the lineup. Yet the Forum is but a window; the true landscape worth the world’s attention lies just outside – the central business district itself.

“International Density” on Seven Square Kilometers

In the core area of Beijing CBD – a mere seven square kilometers – nearly 16,000 foreign-funded institutions and 125 regional headquarters of multinational corporations (MNCs) are located. This represents half of all MNC headquarters resources in Beijing.

This is no coincidence. The district is one of China’s most internationally oriented, service-rich, and mature international business zones. From law firms and consultancies to financial institutions, the world’s top professional services firms have formed a complete ecosystem here.

What makes the area even more valuable for overseas companies and organizations is that policies here are not just written on paper – they are embedded in actual processes.

From pilot schemes on cross-border data flows, to facilitated access for foreign financial institutions, to one‑stop service desks for international talent – Beijing CBD has long served as a pilot zone for institutional opening‑up. Foreign enterprises find that issues they encounter here tend to be addressed and resolved more quickly.

During this year’s Beijing CBD Forum annual conference, the Ambassadors’ Roundtable Dialogue will establish a regular communication mechanism, and the “International Delegations’ China Tour” will allow overseas business representatives and zone managers to conduct in‑depth site visits and exchange experiences. What is even more noteworthy, however, is that such exchanges are not confined to the Forum – they continue year-round here.

Beijing CBD: A Sincere and Pragmatic Invitation

Artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green technologies – these areas, known as “new quality productive forces,” are not empty buzzwords here. The Forum includes dedicated sessions on technological innovation, financial opening‑up, law-business integration, cultural industries, and international consumption. Yet what truly deserves the attention of potential international partners is the industrial foundation behind these topics.

Beijing CBD is home to the densest concentration of foreign financial institutions and cross‑border capital in China. A large number of tech companies are engaged in cross‑sector collaboration with traditional industries here. High‑end professional services – international law, arbitration, compliance – are highly concentrated, providing support for both inbound and outbound business activities. Moreover, as the starting area of the city’s international demonstration zone for law-business integration, the district continues to focus on strengthening the rule of law in commercial affairs, improving its legal services framework, enhancing the resolution of international commercial disputes, and fostering a stable, transparent, predictable, and internationally competitive business environment. In the future, Beijing CBD will build a one‑stop legal and commercial service platform that integrates legal, auditing, intellectual property and other professional resources to precisely serve companies going global and managing cross‑border operations.

Here, you will find that its vitality derives mainly from genuine business judgments about market opportunities. For enterprises, the cooperation logic here is predictable, commercial, and sustainable.

Beijing CBD is not merely a striking poster – it is a real‑world district where hundreds of thousands of business people move every day, thousands of foreign‑funded institutions operate, and countless cross‑border transactions take place.

If you are looking for a stable gateway to the Chinese market, or a high-level hub to connect global resources with local applications, it deserves your consideration.

The Forum’s 2026 annual conference lasts only three days. But Beijing CBD is open all year round.

 

 

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