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A Return to Onshore: How Independents are Leading Angola’s Inland Resurgence

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African Energy Chamber

As Angola reinvigorates its onshore basins through regulatory reform and flexible licensing, independent oil and gas companies are stepping forward to drive a new wave of inland exploration and production growth

LUANDA, Angola, January 28, 2026/APO Group/ –After decades defined by deepwater success, Angola’s upstream sector is rediscovering its onshore potential. Previously overshadowed by prolific offshore blocks, the country’s inland basins are re-emerging as a strategic frontier – not led by supermajors, but by independent oil and gas companies willing to take early-stage risk in pursuit of long-term value.

This shift is taking shape across basins such as Kwanza and Congo, where independents are advancing seismic campaigns, consolidating acreage and preparing for drilling activity that could unlock new reserves and extend the life of Angola’s hydrocarbons sector. Among the most active new entrants is Nigerian energy company Oando, which formally entered Angola’s upstream market in early 2025 through operatorship of Block KON 13 in the onshore Kwanza Basin. Holding a 45% stake, Oando has positioned the block as a long-term exploration opportunity, targeting underexplored plays with analogues to offshore success.

Corcel has also emerged as a key driver of onshore momentum. The London-listed company has consolidated its stake in Block KON 16 in Angola’s onshore Kwanza Basin to just over 70% through agreements with partners including Intank Global and Sintana Energy. The company is advancing technical studies and leveraging existing and new seismic data as it moves toward a drilling program in 2026. With its scale and increasing technical clarity, KON 16 is widely viewed as one of the most closely watched onshore exploration projects in Angola.

Angola’s inland basins are no longer a legacy asset, but a frontier once again shaping the future of its oil and gas industry

Further expanding the independent footprint, ReconAfrica signed an agreement with Angola’s upstream regulator ANPG in April 2025 to explore more than five million acres across underexplored inland areas. While still at an early stage, the company’s entry highlights the government’s willingness to open frontier acreage to companies with an appetite for basin-opening exploration. At the same time, Angolan players such as Etu Energias and Alfort Petroleum are advancing seismic interpretation and field evaluation efforts, with Alfort targeting the submission of a well proposal for Block KON 8 in the second quarter of 2026, reinforcing the breadth of interest in the onshore segment.

Angola’s ability to attract independent investment inland has also been the result of a deliberate shift in policy aimed at improving competitiveness, transparency and flexibility. Central to this effort has been the country’s multi-year licensing round, launched in 2019, which sought to award dozens of new concessions across both offshore and onshore areas. Through the regular award of new concessions, Angola has reduced uncertainty and allowed companies to plan exploration strategies over the medium term.

Equally important has been the introduction of a permanent offer regime, enabling companies to negotiate access to available blocks outside of formal bidding rounds. This mechanism has proven particularly attractive to independents, allowing them to pursue tailored opportunities without waiting for scheduled tenders. When combined with risk service contracts and marginal field frameworks, the regime offers multiple entry points suited to different capital structures and risk appetites.

“These policy tools are now converging with industry dialogue at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference, which has become a central platform for advancing the country’s onshore ambitions,” says NJ Ayuk Executive Chairman, African Energy Cahmber.

The 2026 edition of AOG was officially launched in Luanda this on Tuesday, marking the next chapter of an event now entering its seventh edition and positioned as a catalyst for up to $70 billion in investment across the upstream value chain. Scheduled to take place in September, the event brings together government leaders, operators, financiers and service companies to translate licensing success into executable projects.

“By spotlighting onshore basins alongside offshore developments, AOG provides a forum for independents to showcase progress, secure partnerships and align with Angola’s long-term energy strategy. As the country looks to sustain production and attract diversified capital, the return to onshore – led by agile, exploration-focused companies – is becoming an increasingly important part of the narrative. In this new chapter, Angola’s inland basins are no longer a legacy asset, but a frontier once again shaping the future of its oil and gas industry,” Ayuk states.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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