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Africa pushes for access to clean cooking

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African Guarantee Fund

The African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) recently announced a partnership that promotes investments in clean cooking companies and programmes

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 19, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Africa is mobilizing capital to boost access to clean cooking with series of new deals aimed at funding energy transition projects across the continent.

The African Guarantee Fund (AGF) and the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) recently announced a partnership that promotes investments in clean cooking companies and programmes.

The two organizations, according to a statement (https://apo-opa.info/43HqviO), will focus on markets in East, Southern, and West Africa, where they see a significant need and opportunity to expand investments in green projects through clean cooking.

“The partnership will enable carbon project developers to access pre-financing, thus helping to speed up both customers’ access to clean cooking,” says Feisal Hussain, Senior Director of Innovative Finance at the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA).

The CCA, a non-profit organisation, operates with the support of the United Nations Foundation to promote clean cooking technologies in lower and middle income countries. Feisal Hussain says the CCA will use its network across the cooking and carbon markets in its partnership with the AGF in Africa. “We aim to lower the entry barrier for smaller clean cooking companies, helping to build carbon markets that are accessible to many.”

Partnerships for clean cooking tackle future risks

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that 970 million Africans lack access to clean means of cooking. And recent spikes in the price of cooking gas have forced millions back into more polluting but cheaper alternatives.

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), if nothing is done to provide cleaner cooking alternatives, 1.67 billion Africans will rely on wood and charcoal for cooking by 2050.

That has serious impact on climate, on the conservation of African forests, and especially on health. According to 2022 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.2 million people already die prematurely every year from illnesses attributable to household air pollution. No thanks to the incomplete combustion of solid fuels and kerosene used for cooking. But partnerships such as that between AGF and CCA can help to stem the dangerous tide.

 “Our partnership with the Clean Cooking Alliance targets financial institutions to enable them grow their clean energy portfolios by developing innovative financial solutions that promote clean cooking and use of clean fuels,” AGF Group CEO, Mr. Jules Ngankam said. 

The partnership will enable carbon project developers to access pre-financing, thus helping to speed up both customers’ access to clean cooking

AGF’s Green Guarantee Facility and Technical Assistance, according to Jules Ngankam, will address capacity-building gaps and risks that surround lending to green SMEs across Africa. 

“It will also prepare these SMEs to become credit and investment-ready to allow them fully play their role of promoting sustainability and growing Africa’s green economy.”

More partnerships for improved access to clean cooking

Earlier this month in Vienna, the OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) deepened their partnership in advance clean energy transition (https://apo-opa.info/41DNPft) in Africa. They signed a US$1.5 million technical assistance grant agreement in support of the National Clean Cooking Transition Program in Madagascar.

The OPEC Fund grant will finance detailed studies and pilot projects as part of the Madagascar clean cooking transition programme. OPEC Fund is funding the programme with a US$35 million loan. UNIDO and project partners will also develop a framework to track development results.

“We are very pleased to expand our cooperation with UNIDO and to support our flagship clean cooking program in Madagascar with UNIDO’s vast technical and advisory expertise, which is critical for an effective implementation,” OPEC Fund Director-General Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said. 

UNIDO is working with the OPEC Fund to expand the use of clean fuels and technologies to improve health and living conditions of communities in Madagascar, Director-General of UNIDO Gerd Müller said.  “This partnership will make a difference as we plan to roll-out clean cooking solutions to 500,000 households in five cities across the country.”

Madagascar is not alone

In Nigeria, a new Joint Venture agreement aims to invest in a range of carbon avoidance and removals projects as part of efforts to support the energy transition plan in Africa’s most populous country.

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Vitol, a global energy and commodities company, completed the Carbon Vista JV (https://apo-opa.info/41GnDRC).  Both parties have set aside an initial $50 million to the new venture. 

The JV’s first investment will go into a household energy efficiency programme. The programme, for a start, will deploy up to 200,000 devices each for clean cooking and water filtration.

“For countries like ours rich in fossil fuel, we also find ourselves in a situation where we are energy poor,” notes Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The Nigerian Vice President says the energy transition remains tough for gas-rich and fossil fuel-rich countries.  

That said, Yemi Osinbajo believes clean energy holds a lot of promise for the continent. “I believe Africa can become the first truly green civilisation to use renewable fuel for purposes of a transformative economic journey.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Green Energy Africa Summit.

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Reload Logistics Releases Outlook Report: “Unlocking Southern Africa’s Trade Potential”

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Reload Logistics

New insights highlight infrastructure, digital innovation, and sustainability shaping regional trade

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 24, 2025/APO Group/ –As trade corridors expand and the demand for sustainable supply chain solutions grows, Reload Logistics (www.ReloadLogistics.com) has released an industry outlook report titled “Unlocking Southern Africa’s Trade Potential in 2025 and Beyond.” The report sheds light on transformative trends in infrastructure, trade integration, and digital innovation driving Southern Africa’s logistics landscape.

Key insights from the report include:

  • Critical Minerals Driving Growth: Southern Africa provides around 30% of the world’s critical minerals for electric vehicles, including cobalt and copper, contributing to the transition towards cleaner energy.
  • Strategic Infrastructure Investments: The Kasomeno-Mwenda Road Project is removing over 300km from DRC-to-Tanzania routes, while the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project plans to double port capacity to 30 million tons by 2030.
  • Technological Transformation: Tech logistics solutions have improved route optimization by up to 15%.
  • Sustainability Imperatives: By 2030, demand for green logistics could reach approximately $350 billion globally, with exporters increasingly adopting lower-carbon transport options.
  • Transformative Trade Corridors: Port developments at Dar es Salaam, Durban, Walvis Bay, and Beira are enhancing efficiencies and opening cross-border opportunities.

The report projects that by 2030, the African Continental Free Trade Area will boost intra-African trade by over 50%, creating new commodity flows while regional infrastructure investments address network gaps.

Download the full report (https://apo-opa.co/3RuAwLx) to explore how your business can stay ahead in the evolving logistics landscape of Southern Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Reload Logistics

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African Mining Week (AMW) to Spotlight Investor Strategies Driving Africa’s Mineral Industrialization

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African Mining Week 2025 will convene global investors in Cape Town to explore financing strategies, geopolitical trends and ESG factors driving Africa’s mineral industrialization

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 24, 2025/APO Group/ –African Mining Week (AMW) – taking place from October 1–3, 2025, in Cape Town – will connect global investors with high-impact opportunities across Africa’s mining sector, spotlighting the strategies fueling the continent’s mineral industrialization.

A key highlight of the event will be a high-level panel, The Investor Perspective: Financing Africa’s Mineral Industrialization. The session will explore the evolving investment landscape and examine diverse financing mechanisms – including bank loans, private equity, venture capital and impact investing – that are mobilizing capital into African mining.

DFIs Drive Infrastructure Investments

Attracted by strong returns and Africa’s long-term growth potential, development finance institutions (DFIs) are ramping up investments into the continent’s mining infrastructure. In March 2025, the African Development Bank approved a $150 million loan to Mauritania’s state-owned mining company SNIM and committed $500 million to the Lobito Corridor – a strategic railway project linking Angola, the DRC and Zambia to international markets. Meanwhile, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) is backing several critical mineral projects, including Nyanza Light Metals’ $780 million PGMs facility in South Africa, Gecamines’ expansion in the DRC, Giyani Metals’ manganese development in Botswana and FG Gold’s project in Sierra Leone. Between 2014 and 2024, AFC invested over $1 billion into Africa’s mining sector. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is also deepening its commitment, providing more than $750 million toward the Lobito Corridor, $34 million for Pensana’s Longonjo rare earths project in Angola and $3.2 million to Chillerton’s green copper development in Zambia.

Geopolitics and African Prospects

Geopolitical shifts are intensifying the global race for Africa’s critical minerals, vital for the energy transition and digital economy. From 2019 to 2023, companies from the United Arab Emirates committed over $110 billion to African projects. In early 2025, UAE-based Ambrosia Investment Holding acquired a 50% stake in Allied Gold’s projects in Ethiopia and Mali, investing $375 million to scale up gold production. Canadian mining investment on the continent has now surpassed $37 billion, with companies like Ivanhoe Mines, Fortuna Silver, Pioneer Lithium and Trigon Metals leading expansion efforts. Similarly, Australia’s mining footprint in Africa reached $60 billion in asset value in 2024, supported by firms such as Sovereign Metals, Cazaly Resources and Atlantic Lithium.

Private Placements

Private placements are emerging as a preferred capital-raising vehicle for mining ventures across Africa. Companies including Zanaga Iron Ore, Moab Minerals, Global Atomic Corporation, Premier African Minerals and Trigon Metals are leveraging this mechanism to fast-track project development and attract investor interest. As ESG criteria take center stage in investment decision-making, AMW will serve as a platform for financiers and project developers to engage on sustainability metrics, transparency and responsible investing.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power

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Moore Global Partners with U.S.-Africa Energy Forum (USAEF) to Advance Critical Minerals Investment in Africa

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Moore Global has partnered with the U.S.-Africa Energy Forum in Houston to enhance investment in Africa’s energy and critical minerals sectors, leveraging its financial expertise to support sustainable resource development and global market integration

HOUSTON, United States, April 24, 2025/APO Group/ –The U.S.-Africa Energy Forum (USAEF) is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Moore Global, a leading global accounting, audit and advisory network, to drive investment and collaboration in Africa’s energy sector, with a focus on critical minerals. This partnership underscores the growing significance of Africa’s mineral resources in supporting global energy transitions and securing supply chains for key industries, including oil and gas, renewables and battery technologies.

Moore Global brings decades of expertise in financial advisory, investment facilitation and strategic consulting across key markets, including Africa. With a strong presence in the region, the firm has played a pivotal role in guiding energy and natural resource investments, helping stakeholders navigate regulatory environments and optimizing project financing. Given Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals essential for clean energy and industrial applications – estimated to hold approximately 30% of the world’s proven volumes – Moore Global’s involvement in USAEF will enhance discussions on sustainable extraction, value chain development and the continent’s positioning in global markets.

As part of the forum, Moore Global will lead a dedicated private equity session on financing African energy projects, featuring in-depth discussions on deal structuring, risk mitigation and capital deployment. As a premier platform for U.S.-Africa energy cooperation, USAEF brings together investors, policymakers and industry leaders to catalyze deals and partnerships across the energy value chain. Through this collaboration, Moore Global will provide thought leadership, financial expertise and strategic insights – reinforcing USAEF’s mission to accelerate investment in Africa’s oil, gas and critical minerals sectors. With energy security and resource independence high on the global agenda, the partnership aims to shape impactful investment strategies and policy frameworks that support Africa’s long-term growth.

Moore Global’s partnership with USAEF marks a crucial step in advancing Africa’s energy and critical minerals sectors

“We are delighted to be a key part of this forum. Our global expertise, coupled with our sector knowledge and global relationships, means we can add real value to these conversations and ongoing energy projects. Moore has a wealth of knowledge and insight to share, and I look forward to working closely with all of those involved,” said Candice Czeremuskin, Moore Global Leader, Private Equity.

“Moore Global’s partnership with USAEF marks a crucial step in advancing Africa’s energy and critical minerals sectors. With their deep understanding of financial structures and investment landscapes, they bring valuable expertise that will help bridge the gap between African resource holders and global capital markets. We look forward to working together to drive meaningful engagement and sustainable investment in Africa’s future,” said James Chester, CEO,  Energy Capital & Power.

For tickets, sponsorship opportunities and more information, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com. Join us in Houston this August to connect with the leaders shaping Africa’s energy landscape and experience the momentum that drives ECP’s events worldwide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power

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