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African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 Underscores Energy Security as the Imperative of African Development

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African Energy Week

Africa and its energy resources are poised to play a central part in advancing global energy security, with the right investment turning this potential into a reality

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 17, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Home to over 125 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves and 620 trillion cubic feet of gas, Africa’s resource wealth stands at the intersection of global energy security. Not only a solution to advancing industrialization and electrification across the continent, investing in African energy will stabilize global markets, thereby strengthening a resilience to global challenges.

The opening panel discussion at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 conference in Cape Town – organized by the African Energy Chamber – drew attention to the vital role Africa’s energy resources will play in addressing global security concerns. Speakers explored the potential the continent holds in this arena while providing insights and recommendations to fast-tracking development.

Ahead of the panel discussion, Calib Cassim, Interim Group CEO of South Africa’s state-owned Eskom, provided insight into the utility’s efforts to achieve energy security. He stated that, “We look forward to using transition technologies such as gas and renewables. There will be some element of nuclear [in the energy mix] as well. Eskom cannot do this ourselves: we need to work with government and the private sector.”

Recent geopolitical challenges have highlighted the need to diversify global supply chains, and Africa has emerged as the market of choice amid these efforts. The continent not only offers an array of established energy markets with proven plays but a wealth of untapped opportunities, opening lucrative prospects for E&P players and capital providers.

António Saide, Vice Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mozambique, shared that, “We have the solution to the world’s challenges regarding energy security. We have the energy resources, from coal to renewable energy. We have land for agriculture and can produce biofuels. We can deliver as much as is needed for the world.”

While African energy stands to provide the security global markets so desperately require, the continent’s own energy needs take precedence. Over 600 million people are without access to electricity, a figure expected to grow unless adequate investment is made across the entire energy value chain.

According to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, Ghana, “We need energy security, we need industrialization, and the opportunities that African countries have with their oil and gas resources cannot be ignored. We are interested in developing a blend of energy sources to make [Africa] energy self-reliant. For those reasons, Africa cannot afford to stop drilling and utilizing gas.”

Osvaldo Inácio, Executive Board Member, Sonangol echoed these remarks, stating that, “Half of the population addition will be in Africa. We will need to make sure that there is energy security to meet that demand. As we do that, we also need to make sure we are decarbonizing our operations by deploying technology…it requires multiple solutions.”

Speakers highlighted the need to transition to cleaner sources of energy, with partners such as Saudi Arabia playing a key role in facilitating opportunities in this area.

Eng. Fuad Mosa, Deputy Minister of Localization, Local Content and Risk Management, Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia, stated that, “We are trying to help, not only Africa, but the youth of the future. Yes, we need the energy transition, but we need to understand that the energy transition will be different from place to place.”

Following a surge in regulatory reforms and policy adjustments, Africa’s investment climate has never been more attractive. The continent has turned into a not-to-be-missed business opportunity and #AEW2023 stands to facilitate a wave of new deals. 

Countries such as South Sudan are highly attractive. Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum, explained further, stating that, “South Sudan has a bankable alternative pipeline and scalable refinery projects. Investing in fossil fuels, particularly in South Sudan, is not a waste. You will not be there supporting us; we will be doing business together.”

Neighboring Uganda has made great strides towards developing an attractive investment environment. According to Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, “You must create an investment-conducive environment to pull the private sector to come and develop. You also have to work on regional cooperation. Uganda is developing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and the East African Power Pool. This allows us to share resources.”

The panel discussion represented the first of the #AEW2023 conference in Cape Town. #AEW2023 takes place this week in Cape Town under a mandate to make energy poverty history by 2030. Keep following aecweek.com for more exciting information and updates about Africa’s premier energy event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Novum Studio Secures New Funding to Launch Ahoy Project, an AI-Native Enterprise Transformation Platform, Building on Its 20-Million-User Gen Z App Frog

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July 24, 2026

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Novum Studio
  • Novum Studio has raised a new round of funding to launch Ahoy Project, its enterprise AI solution, with internal testing scheduled for July 2026.
  • Ahoy Project is positioned as the infrastructure for AI-native enterprise transformation – an AI-native communication platform serving as the underlying system, delivered as an end-to-end tailored solution.
  • The launch expands the company beyond Frog, its Gen Z consumer social app that has reached 20 million users across the U.S. and Europe.
  • Novum Studio said it is applying lessons from operating high-frequency social platforms at scale to workplace communication and knowledge systems.

NEW YORK, USA – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 July 2026 – Novum Studio, the company behind Frog – a Gen Z social app often described as a “new-generation Snapchat” – said it has raised a new round of funding and will use the proceeds to launch Ahoy Project, an AI-native enterprise communication and collaboration platform, with internal testing scheduled for July 2026.

The Novum Studio team at London Tech Week 2025.

Unlike conventional workplace software, Ahoy Project will not be sold as a standalone software subscription, the company said. Novum Studio provides the infrastructure and a full tailored solution for enterprises undergoing AI-native transformation, with the communication platform serving as the underlying system on which that transformation is built.

Founded as a consumer social company, Novum Studio has reached more than 20 million users across the U.S. and Europe. Frog gained traction among younger users through spontaneous, real-time sharing designed around authenticity and low-pressure interaction. The company said its experience building large-scale social “spaces” – where millions of people communicate, form groups and coordinate in real time — directly informs its approach to enterprise collaboration.

The new funding will support the launch and international expansion of the enterprise business as artificial intelligence reshapes how organizations communicate, collaborate and operate, the company said.

Novum Studio was founded by Anna Danyi, who graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2018 and began her career in consulting and technology. Before founding Novum Studio, she built multiple consumer applications and exited through an acquisition. In 2025, Forbes China recognized her among the Top 100 most influential global Chinese figures in AI digital products area.

“We spent years understanding how millions of users communicate online,” Anna Danyi said. “In the AI era, communication itself is becoming intelligent. We believe the next generation of platforms will not only connect people — they will understand workflows, collaboration and organizational behavior.”

From Consumer Social to Enterprise AI

Modern organizations face growing challenges as critical knowledge, decisions and workflows become fragmented across chats, meetings and disconnected tools, the company said. Ahoy Project addresses this as a conversation-driven, AI-native collaboration layer: it captures context from day-to-day communication to build a searchable enterprise knowledge base and support workflow coordination.

Core capabilities include conversation-based knowledge organization, AI-assisted collaboration and workflow support integrated directly into team communication. Because the platform sits at the layer where work is discussed and decided, it can serve as the foundation for a broader AI-native operating model – with Novum Studio designing and delivering the surrounding transformation solution for each enterprise client.

Ahoy (Popeye AI) turns everyday team conversations into a searchable enterprise knowledge base.

A New Direction for Social Technology

Novum Studio said its expansion reflects a broader shift across the technology industry. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram defined how content was distributed and consumed in the mobile social era; as AI becomes embedded in digital products, the company believes the next stage will center less on feeds and more on intelligent systems that understand communication and coordination.

“We are no longer just building products where people post content,” Anna Danyi said. “We are building systems that understand how humans communicate and operate together.”
 

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Venezuela Energy Week to Host Houston Industry Showcase, Unlocking United States (U.S.) Commercial Engagement Ahead of October Summit

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2 days ago

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July 24, 2026

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African Energy Chamber

Ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2026, U.S. exploration companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers and investors are invited to explore commercial opportunities across Venezuela’s upstream sector at the Houston Industry Showcase next month

HOUSTON, United States of America, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Venezuela Energy Week will host an Industry Showcase in Houston on August 18, 2026: a targeted industry roadshow designed to engage U.S. energy stakeholders ahead of the October summit. Held at The Post Oak Hotel, the showcase will convene senior representatives from across the U.S. upstream ecosystem – including exploration and production companies, Texas-based independents, oilfield service companies, engineering and technology firms, commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices – to assess commercial pathways for participation in Venezuela’s energy sector.

 

As Venezuela looks to expand production, U.S. companies remain well positioned to contribute technical expertise, capital and operational capabilities across the upstream value chain. Chevron’s longstanding presence in the country highlights the continued importance of U.S. industry participation, while the scale of Venezuela’s resource base continues to attract interest from major international energy companies, including ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. Opportunities extend across exploration, field development, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and digital modernization as Venezuela seeks to strengthen its energy sector.

 

Demand is also expected to grow for oilfield service companies, engineering firms, technology providers and financial institutions that can support upstream investment and project execution. Companies including SLB, Halliburton and Baker Hughes have been identified as potential partners in advancing production optimization and infrastructure rehabilitation, while commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices will play an important role in financing future investment opportunities.

 

Against this backdrop, the Houston Industry Showcase will provide a structured engagement platform at a time when select international operators continue to operate under U.S. Treasury-authorized frameworks, and where policy considerations in the U.S. continue to shape engagement parameters in Venezuela’s energy sector.

 

The event will enable U.S. exploration companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers and investors to assess technical and commercial pathways across exploration, field services, project delivery and broader supply chain opportunities, while supporting early-stage dialogue between international investors and Venezuela-focused stakeholders in a structured commercial environment ahead of the October summit.

 

To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 18, visit www.venezuelaenergyweek.com/rsvp-houston. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2026 in Caracas this October, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.

 

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/4fM0rLr).

 

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

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Business

Africa Trade Gateway Delivers US$5.3-Million Cross-Border Transaction in First Energy Sector Trade in Southern Africa

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2 days ago

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July 24, 2026

By

Afreximbank

The transaction represents an important milestone for both the participating institu-tions and the ATG ecosystem as it marked Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction through the platform and the ATG’s first recorded energy-sector transac-tion in Southern Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ –A US$5.3-million cross-border fuel (gasoil) trade transaction has been successfully completed with support of the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank’s) (www.Afreximbank.com) flagship digital trade ecosystem, demonstrating the value and efficacy of the Gateway in powering African trade.

The transaction, which saw Zimbabwean fuel importer Witeva Trading source a gasoil shipment from a leading commodity trader and supplier in Switzerland, with Innbucks Microbank Ltd. participating as the local issuing financial institution and Afreximbank providing confirmation support under agreed trade finance structure, demonstrates how African businesses can leverage one connected ecosystem to identify opportunities, access finance and complete international trade more efficiently.

The ATG made it possible for the commercial opportunity to be connected to the right ecosystem participants, bringing together the buyer, supplier and participating financial institutions to support a successful execution of the transaction.

The transaction represents an important milestone for both the participating institutions and the ATG ecosystem as it marked Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction through the platform and the ATG’s first recorded energy-sector transaction in Southern Africa.

This transaction demonstrates the value of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through one connected trade ecosystem

It also demonstrates how African Businesses can use a single digital ecosystem to identify commercial opportunities, connect with verified counterparties, access trade-finance support and execute cross-border transactions more efficiently.

Peter Olowononi, Director, Regional Operations, Southern Africa, at Afreximbank, said:

“This transaction demonstrates the value of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through one connected trade ecosystem. By creating a digital ecosystem to expand access to trade finance, Afreximbank is enabling more businesses to participate easily in regional and international trade.”

Emeka Onyia, Director, Digital Business, at Afreximbank, added:

“The Africa Trade Gateway is more than a mere digital platform; it is the ecosystem that helps trade happen. We help businesses discover opportunities, connect with trusted buyers, suppliers and financial institutions, and facilitate the journey from commercial opportunity to completed transactions. Every successful deal strengthens the network, attracts new participants and creates more opportunities for African trade.”

“As more businesses, banks and trade partners join the ecosystem, every successful transaction expands the marketplace, strengthens trust across the network and increases opportunities for future trade,” Mr. Onyia added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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