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Acquisition Approval Delays: The Wrong Look for Nigeria (By NJ Ayuk)

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NJ Ayuk

There is a crying need for a new level of efficiency, timeliness, and openness in the approval process to give a fair shake to domestic energy players

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 30, 2024/APO Group/ — 

By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (https://EnergyChamber.org).

The Nigerian government needs to step up its game regarding approvals for indigenous companies acquiring in-country foreign energy assets.

The negative consequences of approval delays, ranging from many months to two-plus years, include forfeited revenue from lost royalties and taxes, production shortfalls, investor discouragement, and safety issues that arise while maintenance is put on hold.

The government approval process has stymied several of these potential deals over the past couple of years. These puzzling delays raise questions about why they are happening, as well as how serious officials are about increasing energy production to help Nigeria’s economy and its people.

There is a crying need for a new level of efficiency, timeliness, and openness in the approval process to give a fair shake to domestic energy players. Without it, the country’s economy and its citizens have the most to lose. The government can and must do better than this to keep its oil industry competitive, profitable, and safe.

Chappal Energies: Unlocking Latent Resources

In July 2024 TotalEnergies EP Nigeria sold to Chappal Energies its 10% interest in the SPDC JV licenses in Nigeria for 860 million USD. These assets produce a lot of beautiful low carbon from gas from OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77.

In late 2023, Norway’s state-owned Equinor agreed to sell its Nigerian business, Nigeria Energy Company (ENEC), to Nigerian homegrown firm, Chappal Energies. The sale includes the unitized 20.21% interest Chevron operates in the country’s deepwater Agbami oil field, which has produced over 1 billion barrels of oil for Equinor since 1992.

Equinor has said it expects Chappal Energies will continue development of its long-held assets in Nigeria, to the betterment of the country’s economy. Chappal is optimistic, too, with its managing director, Ufoma Immanuel, expecting positive effects on both the environment and the community.

Chappal has just the sort of attitude and drive Nigeria needs in its indigenous petroleum businesses, having stated that it is intent on “unlocking latent value in Nigeria’s and Africa’s oil and gas resources.”

The sale can only close after specified conditions and all regulatory and contractual approvals are finished. These are still pending.

Oando: Doubling its State Partnership Stake

In the early fall of 2023, in line with the Eni 2023-2026 Plan, Italian supermajor Eni agreed to sell Nigerian Agip Oil Company Ltd (NAOC) to Oando, a Nigerian stock exchange-listed provider of energy solutions.

Eni’s plan includes an effort to divest itself of resources that offer value and opportunity to other owners.

NAOC concentrates on producing onshore Nigerian oil and gas and on generating power. Its Nigerian holdings include interests in four onshore blocks, two power plants, and two onshore exploration leases. Besides these assets in the Niger River Delta, the deal includes an interest in the Brass River oil terminal.

Overall, the agreement means that Oando can double its interest in NAOC JV, the partnership it has with the state, to 40%, and increase its reserves to over 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

Oando’s CEO, Wale Tinubu, sees the purchase as being “in alignment” with his company’s strategy of “acquiring, enhancing, appraising, and efficiently developing reserves.”

Closing the sale depends on authorization of all the relevant local and regulatory authorities — a process that is still ongoing nearly a year after the agreement was reached. There has been some talk of a approvals set to happen soon.

Renaissance: Making a Large Onshore Investment

In January 2024, Shell agreed to sell Shell Petroleum Development Co. of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), its Nigerian onshore subsidiary, to Renaissance, an association made up of five Nigerian exploration and production companies (ND Western Limited, Aradel Holdings Plc, FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited, and The Waltersmith Group) plus an international energy group (Petrolin Limited). The firms agreed to a sales price of USD 1.3 billion.

The government can and must do better than this to keep its oil industry competitive, profitable, and safe

All of SPDC’s operating capabilities and staff are to be maintained in the transaction, including technical expertise, management systems, and processes.

Describing Renaissance as “an experienced, ambitious Nigerian-led consortium,” Shell says the sale is part of its plan to concentrate its own Nigerian investment in deepwater and integrated gas.

With the bulk of Nigeria’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) feed gas coming from SPDC, it is important that Shell has agreed to play a supportive role after the sale so that all goes smoothly.

The sale cannot close until approvals from Nigeria’s federal government and other conditions are met.

Seplat: Securing a Long-Awaited Approval

There is, fortunately, one slow-moving approval story that has recently been resolved. On June 14, 2024, Arise News reported that NNPC has withdrawn its court case objecting to the ExxonMobil/Seplat deal, clearing a path for ExxonMobil to sell its entire interest in Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to Seplat Energy.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu had met with Liam Mallon, head of ExxonMobil, and members of the Ministers of Petroleum two months earlier, asking that officials remove barriers to approval.

The USD 1.28 billion deal was first greenlighted over two years ago by the parties, but politics and legalities hindered the sale from closing. The deal will turn over the U.S. company’s shallow-water OMLs 67, 68, 70, and 104 to Seplat and allow it to benefit from stakes in the Bonny River and Qua Iboe terminals and natural gas liquids recovery plants.

All of ExxonMobil’s offshore shallow-water operations are included in the agreement — the effect of which is to create a major independent Nigerian energy company. The upshot is that the sale is a very significant opportunity for the country to increase its daily crude production by 700,000 or more barrels.

The approvals process became gridlocked just months after the agreement was made when the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) cited an “overriding national interest,” and state-owned NNPC sued ExxonMobil.

Earlier this year, NUPRC tried to hasten regulatory approval for the sale, when NUPRC’s chief executive, Gbenga Komolafe, revisited a list of conditions that must be met for divestment.

Komolafe invited the parties involved to a May meeting and stated that, hinging on the results of the meeting, approval might be given within two weeks.

A signed settlement agreement resulted, with Komolafe, emphasizing the issues of decommissioning, host community development, and environmental remediation.

The terms of the agreement include increasing NNPC’s interest in the four OMLs from 60% to 70%, decreasing Seplat’s interest from 40% to 30%, while Seplat will gain a 10% interest in UTM Offshore’s floating LNG project.

Komalfe stated his unwillingness that Nigeria carry financial burdens resulting from divesting entities continuing to operate assets in the country.

Other issues that have been raised are:  

  • While waiting on approvals, divestors naturally don’t want to further invest further in these assets.
  • Production can decline while approvals are stalled.

Tinubu has asked ExxonMobil for suggestions on improving Nigeria’s oil and gas investment environment.

Step Up Approvals, for Nigeria’s Sake

President Tinubu’s efforts to bring together various parties around the ideas of stability, transparency, and an even playing field hold much promise for the role of Nigerian oil companies in increasing domestic production.

Delays in approvals for these companies’ acquisitions cripple the ability of these Nigerian companies to benefit their country. And that, after all, should be a goal that government regulators and homegrown petroleum firms share.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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$2.1 Billion and Counting: African Real Estate Is Executing

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July 21, 2026

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Africa

Ahead of the 17th Africa Property Investment (API) Summit in Cape Town, investment pipelines are converting into a record number of transactions as the continent’s real estate and hospitality sectors move from potential into real momentum

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 21, 2026/APO Group/ –Verified data gathered from across Africa’s real estate investment landscape reveals that the continent’s leading property and hospitality roleplayers completed more than $2.1 billion worth of transactions over the past 18 months, representing one of the most concentrated periods of institutional real estate deal activity in the continent’s history.

 

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/3TraTiH

The 28 transactions (across nine countries and eight asset classes) were closed by API Summit stakeholders from across the institutional property ecosystem – spanning listed capital markets, commercial, residential, hospitality, logistics and alternatives.

The full African Deals Index report – compiled in collaboration with Broll, the data and insights partner for API Summit 2026 – will be unveiled on the opening day of the event, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 17 and 18 September.

Talk turning to investment action

The deal-making activity is a signal of the much-spoken-about potential for Africa converting into tangible action, driven by enhanced investor confidence.

“This isn’t a forecast – it’s a balance sheet. $2.1 billion in completed transactions tells you African real estate has moved past the conversation about potential and into the discipline of execution,” said Malcolm Horne, Group CEO of Broll Property Group.

Horne highlighted several key shifts reflected in the data.

“What’s notable is where the conviction is coming from: domestic pension capital acting as a structuring investor, not a passive landlord, and green-linked financing becoming a board-level decision, not a marketing line. At Broll, we see this in our own data every day – across the assets we manage, the cost of capital is increasingly tied to the quality of the asset, not just its location.

“That’s the market maturing in real time, and it’s exactly the momentum my team and I are looking forward to presenting and unpacking at API this year.”

The 17th Annual API Summit takes place under the theme Bold Capital. Real Momentum. and is expected to attract over 600 delegates from more than 30 countries.

Niyi Adeyele, Head of Real Estate Finance, Africa Regions at Standard Bank Group, commented on the evolution of real estate sector funding across Africa.

“It remains interesting to track the resilience and the evolution of activities in the sector, from growing capital market activities, to the rapidly increasing participation of domestic capital sources within the African continent from domestic focused institutional capital sources such as pension funds and family offices to pan-African investor platforms that tend to operate across multiple countries.”

He said that accordingly, sectoral activity levels remain positive, with the “growing pace of green field projects in key markets” providing “early indications of a new growth cycle for the sector”.

Investors now have listed, liquid exposure to African real estate, and issuers have a repeatable route to permanent capital

Major moves from domestic capital and DFIs

Domestic pension capital has moved decisively beyond its traditional role as a passive landlord, emerging as an active, structuring investor in African real estate – a shift that will be central to discussions at the summit.

The charge was led by South Africa’s Government Employees Pension Fund (through the Public Investment Corporation and retail property powerhouse Pareto), which concluded commercial, residential and industrial transactions valued at over $343.5 million since the start of 2025.

“Through the Standard Bank Group’s franchise operations across multiple countries, there are observed increase deployment of institutional capital to across key markets driving increased primary and secondary market activities,” said Adeyele, pointing to examples such as Grene Capital’s raising of $100 million from Nigerian pension for property investments in Nigeria and beyond.

Sustainability-linked deal leads the way

Sustainability remains a critical factor in real estate financing considerations – evidenced by the largest transaction completed over the past 18 months.

Standard Bank and its African Regions brand Stanbic (along with Rand Merchant Bank) acted as co-lender on a $300 million green financing facility to facilitate Lango’s bid to become Africa’s first Green Pure Play real estate company, with 90% of its portfolio certified according to international standards.

Amongst several other milestones, the Africa Logistics Property (ALP) Industrial REIT listing on the Nairobi Stock Exchange in March 2026 was notable as East Africa’s first listing featuring entirely IFC EDGE-certified green buildings.

Listed capital makes major moves

REIT capital markets were the second largest asset class by value across the period, accounting for $568.5 million of activity, with the action extending well beyond South Africa’s established counters.

East Africa welcomed ALP’s Industrial REIT (marking the region’s first industrial and first USD-denominated security); Centum’s TRIFIC Dollar I-REIT (the first green, income-distributing USD-denominated) and Acorn Holdings’ build-to-rent D-REIT.

On Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, the Pfuma Fund REIT and Eagle REIT both listed, deepening a hard-currency capital market that scarcely existed five years ago.

“Seeing multiple REITs listing on exchanges in one cycle tells you the asset class has crossed from novelty to norm. Investors now have listed, liquid exposure to African real estate, and issuers have a repeatable route to permanent capital,” said Raghav Gandhi, CEO of ALP.

API Summit 2026 – ushering in the next wave of deals

The unprecedented commitment of capital into Africa’s real estate sector takes centre stage when the 17th Annual API Summit convenes. Welcoming the investors, developers, financiers and policymakers behind the continent’s most prominent deals, this year’s event features a new Multifamily Forum alongside the popular Hospitality and Proptech Forums; an impactful main plenary, workshops, deals and meetings rooms and investment showcases, and the 10th edition of the prestigious API Awards.

For more information and to register, visit www.APISummit.co.za

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of API Events.

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ST Telemedia Global Data Centres Delivers on Responsible Scaling, Surpassing 2028 Carbon Intensity Target Three Years Early with Renewables at 83.2%

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July 21, 2026

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ST Telemedia

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 July 2026 – ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) today published its 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, setting out how the Singapore-headquartered global data centre provider is meeting accelerating demand, including from AI-driven workloads, through infrastructure that is more resilient, efficient and sustainable by design. The report highlights 83.2% renewable energy usage, a 70.5% reduction in carbon intensity from its 2021 baseline, 41.2% improvement in water usage effectiveness (WUE) from the 2020 baseline, and continued progress in embedding ESG considerations into how STT GDC designs, builds, finances and operates its data centres at scale.

The report positions responsible growth as a core business discipline for STT GDC, linking sustainability performance to long-term asset resilience, customer trust and operational excellence. Across its global platform, STT GDC is integrating ESG considerations into capital allocation, site selection, design, operations, risk management and workforce development to support reliable digital infrastructure at scale.

Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, says, “The next phase of digital growth will be defined by how the industry resolves the tension between rising demand — particularly from AI — and the finite nature of energy, water and land. Responsible scaling is therefore not a sustainability commitment alone; it is a commercial and operational imperative that shapes where we build, how we design, and how we run our data centre platform. Our 2025 progress reflects disciplined execution of a strategy we have been advancing for years, delivering meaningful improvements in energy efficiency, emissions and resource management across our global platform. As we scale further, we will continue to advance with the same discipline — in the infrastructure we build, the governance that underpins it, and the positive impact we create for the communities and ecosystems we are part of.”

Scaling efficient, lower-carbon infrastructure

STT GDC continued to advance its decarbonisation strategy in 2025, delivering measurable reductions in emissions and improvements in resource efficiency while scaling its global data centre platform to meet rising digital demand. The Group’s approach focuses on embedding sustainability into the design and operation of its infrastructure, enabling long-term performance while managing growing energy and resource requirements. Key environmental achievements include:

Furthered renewable energy adoption, with 83.2% of electricity consumption sourced from renewables, supporting STT GDC’s transition towards carbon-neutral operations by 2030.
Reduced carbon intensity by 70.5% from the 2021 baseline, surpassing STT GDC’s 2028 target three years ahead of schedule, alongside a 15.2% year-on-year reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions
Improved energy efficiency across operations, achieving an average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.44, a 13.0% improvement from the 2020 baseline, reflecting continued optimisation of data centre design and operations.
Enhanced water stewardship, with Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) improving by 41.2% from the 2020 baseline, supported by a balanced approach to managing energy and water use in cooling systems.
Continued progress in sustainable infrastructure, with 48% of its data centres achieving green building certification, reflecting the integration of sustainability considerations across the lifecycle of its facilities.
Building a safe and future-ready workforce

As STT GDC continues to scale its global data centre platform, investing in people, safety and workforce capabilities remains central to delivering reliable and sustainable operations. In 2025, the Group maintained a strong focus on safeguarding its workforce, strengthening organisational capability and supporting the development of future-ready talent to meet the growing demands of the digital economy. Key social achievements include:

Maintained strong safety performance, with zero work-related fatalities and a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.1 across more than 41 million hours worked, reflecting robust health and safety management across construction and operations.
Strengthened workforce capability, with an average of 18 training hours per employee, supporting the development of technical, operational and leadership skills across the organisation.
Advanced diversity and inclusion, with 21.7% women representation across the Group, reinforcing ongoing efforts to build a more inclusive and balanced workforce.
Expanded talent development initiatives, including the DC Power Up programme and partnerships with 10 Institutes of Higher Learning across our markets, helping to build a pipeline of industry-ready talent for the growing digital infrastructure sector.
Deepened community and workforce engagement, through skills development programmes and industry-academic partnerships that support long-term talent development and contribute to local economic growth.
Strengthening Governance and Resilience at Scale

Strong governance, disciplined risk management and robust operational controls underpin STT GDC’s ability to scale responsibly in an increasingly complex digital environment. In 2025, the Group continued to strengthen its enterprise-wide approach to governance, embedding ESG considerations into decision-making, risk management and day-to-day operations to support long-term resilience and performance. Key achievements include:

Strengthened governance and ethical business practices, with 100% of employees completing anti-corruption training, reinforcing STT GDC’s commitment to integrity and accountability across its global operations.
Enhanced enterprise-wide risk management, incorporating climate, cybersecurity and operational risks into planning and decision-making, ensuring infrastructure resilience as the Group scales.
Advanced cybersecurity and operational resilience, including strengthened governance, technical controls and preparedness through initiatives such as executive-level cyber exercises and risk assessments across key facilities.
Improved supply chain governance, embedding ESG criteria into procurement processes and reinforcing responsible sourcing practices across its global vendor network.
Strengthened organisational alignment and execution, through the inaugural Group ESG Summit, supporting capability building and consistent application of ESG priorities across markets.
These efforts come as data centre operators face growing expectations to deliver capacity while managing energy, water, climate and cybersecurity risks with greater transparency and accountability.

STT GDC’s 2025 ESG Report reflects a continued evolution in how the Group approaches sustainable growth, with a stronger focus on disciplined execution, operational resilience and long-term performance as it scales its global platform. As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly critical to economies and societies, STT GDC will continue to embed sustainability, risk management and governance into how it designs, builds and operates its data centres.

By working closely with customers, partners and communities, the Group aims to deliver infrastructure that is not only efficient and resilient, but also capable of supporting the next phase of digital growth, including AI-driven workloads, in a responsible and sustainable way.

The full 2025 ESG Report is available at https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/about-us/our-esg-progress

About ST Telemedia Global Data Centres
ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) is one of the fastest-growing data centre providers with a global platform serving as a cornerstone of the digital ecosystem that helps the world to connect. Powering a sustainable digital future, STT GDC operates across Singapore, the UK, Germany, Italy, India, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, providing businesses an exceptional foundation that is built for their growth anywhere. For more information, visit https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/

 

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London Showcase to Bring Venezuela’s Energy Opportunities to Global Investors Ahead of 2026 Summit

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July 21, 2026

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A high-level London industry showcase on July 30 will bring together UK and European investors, financiers and energy leaders to explore emerging opportunities across Venezuela’s oil, gas and power sectors ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2026

LONDON, United Kingdom, July 17, 2026/APO Group/ –As Venezuela accelerates efforts to revitalize its energy sector and attract international investment, Venezuela Energy Week 2026 will host an exclusive Industry Showcase in London on July 30, bringing together investors, financial institutions, international oil companies, commodity traders and energy executives for market intelligence, networking and partnership development ahead of the flagship conference taking place this October in Caracas.

 

Designed as a strategic preview of the main event, the London showcase will provide UK and European stakeholders with first-hand insight into Venezuela’s evolving investment landscape while creating opportunities for commercial dialogue with industry leaders, potential partners and key decision-makers.

Home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves and significant natural gas resources, Venezuela is entering a new phase of energy development focused on increasing production, expanding gas commercialization and modernizing critical infrastructure. Ongoing reforms and renewed international engagement are creating opportunities for companies able to provide capital, technology and technical expertise.

The timing is particularly significant as several UK and European energy companies continue to strengthen their presence in Venezuela. UK-based majors Shell and BP are advancing key natural gas developments, with Shell preparing for 2027 drilling at the Dragon offshore gas project and BP signing agreements in April to develop the Cocuina-Manakin offshore gas field, marking its return to the Venezuelan market. Spain’s Repsol recently announced plans to increase production from its Venezuelan assets, while Italy’s Eni is relaunching a heavy crude project in the Orinoco Belt. France’s Maurel & Prom, meanwhile, remains a key partner in strategic assets such as the Urdaneta Oeste field. On the trading and commercialization front, Geneva-headquartered energy trader Vitol has renewed its engagement with Venezuelan crude exports, reflecting broader international interest in reconnecting the country’s resources with global markets.

Against this backdrop, the London Industry Showcase will highlight Venezuela’s re-emerging investment potential while creating a platform for strategic networking and direct engagement with government leaders, national energy companies, regulators and private sector partners.

The event is expected to attract representatives from investment funds, export credit agencies, commercial banks, private equity firms, commodity traders, engineering companies, technology providers and UK-based independent energy companies exploring opportunities across Venezuela’s energy value chain.

The showcase will also provide an exclusive preview of Venezuela Energy Week 2026, including ministerial dialogues, executive forums, technical conferences and dedicated business-to-business networking sessions designed to connect international investors with the decision-makers shaping the country’s energy future.

Taking place on October 26–29, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela Energy Week serves as the country’s premier platform for advancing investment across the oil, gas and power sectors. By bringing the conversation to London – one of the world’s leading financial and energy centers – the Industry Showcase builds momentum ahead of the flagship event while strengthening ties between international capital and one of the world’s most resource-rich energy markets.

To participate in the London Industry Showcase on July 30 or secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2026 in Caracas this October, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com to learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities.

Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery

 

Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.

 

To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/3RKKqfz).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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