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African Energy Week (AEW) 2024 to Fuel Project Development with Dedicated Upstream E&P Forum

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African Energy Week

The Upstream E&P Forum will serve as the premier platform to update Africa’s energy leaders on oil and gas projects shaping the energy landscape across the continent

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Representing the biggest gathering of energy stakeholders on the continent, Africa’s premier energy event – the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – will host a dedicated Upstream E&P forum to showcase licenses and active assets to global investors and industry leaders. The forum serves as the principal platform to connect investors and project developers with available acreage.

The forum will feature private sector executives, ministers and senior and government officials as they drill down on key issues and offer progressive solutions for maximizing the value of Africa’s energy resources. Representing the ideal platform for leading players throughout the continent and abroad to build on a shared commitment towards bringing Africa out of energy poverty, the forum aims to bolster energy access through resource exploitation and monetization. Don’t miss the chance to connect with Africa’s E&P market. Contact register@aecweek.com or sales@aecweek.com for more information about the forum.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

In 2024, Africa’s E&P landscape is witnessing unprecedented growth owing to regional demand, with recent large-scale discoveries and calls by African stakeholders to advance hydrocarbon monetization. While major oil producing countries such as Algeria, Angola and Libya look towards expanding production on the back of new exploration campaigns, nascent markets such as Namibia and the Republic of Congo have put forward ambitious upstream agendas which aim to position the countries as both producers and exporters.

Africa is making strides to expand its oil and gas reserves, with multiple countries introducing new licensing rounds and accelerating ongoing ones. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to spearhead this growth, with more than 11 licensing rounds planned for 2024 and 2025. Namibia is awarding new E&P licenses in two 2-month periods in 2024 as part of a new open-door system entitled the New System, which was launched in January to address a backlog of permit applications. The country received applications for its onshore blocks from April to May and is poised to receive applications for offshore E&P licenses from September to October.

The Upstream E&P Forum will be crucial for moving projects forward and prioritizing the funding of large-scale oil and gas projects to fuel economic growth

Meanwhile, Angola’s national concessionaire – the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) – is set to launch its 2025 Limited Public Tender, offering up to 10 offshore blocks in the Kwanza and Benguela basins in 2025. In March 2024, the ANPG announced winners for a 12-block oil and gas tender covering the Lower Congo and Kwanza onshore basins. The government’s updated Hydrocarbon Exploration Strategy 2020-2025 showcases the immense potential within the country’s geologically-appraised concessions and sedimentary basins, with underexplored prospects such as the Kwanza Basin and Namibe Basin serving as some of the world’s leading frontiers for hydrocarbon exploration.

Additionally, Nigeria launched its 2024 licensing round in April, offering 19 blocks – including seven deep offshore assets and 12 new assets. The licensing round will conclude in January 2025, highlighting a strategic opportunity for E&P players. Uganda is also expected to launch its third licensing round in mid-2024, offering blocks in the Open Albertine Graben basin, while Somalia is set to offer some 26 offshore blocks in its 2024 bid round – expected to close in 2026. Kenya and Tanzania are preparing to launch their own respective licensing rounds this year, underscoring frontier opportunities in East Africa.

Across the continent, E&P players are already making strides towards developing untapped resources. In April, energy giant TotalEnergies signed an MoU with Algerian state-owned energy company Sonatrach for the appraisal and development of gas resources in the North-East Timimoun region. Meanwhile, the same month saw the discovery of a well in Libya by the country’s state-owned National Oil Corporation with the potential to produce 16.8 million cubic feet of gas per day. In addition to gas, the discovery also shows the potential for the well to produce 646 barrels of oil per day with a specific density of 49 API.

On top of these recent advancements, large scale discoveries in the Orange Basin and the MSGBC Basin have positioned Africa as one of the world’s top oil and gas markets. In Namibia – compounded by favorable fiscal incentives and a large-scale investment landscape – discoveries include the Graff-1, Venus-1, Jonker-1X, La Rona-1, Lesedi-1X, Mopane-1X and most recently, the Mangetti-1X concessions, which have attracted oil and gas supermajors including TotalEnergies, Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil, as well as independents players such as Azule Energy, Galp and ReconAfrica.

Meanwhile, the Sangomar Field Development – Senegal’s inaugural offshore oil project – anticipates first oil in mid-2024 and is set to process 100,000 barrels per day once operational. Straddling the maritime border between Mauritania and Senegal, the development of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project is nearing completion.

“What Africa needs to make energy poverty history by 2030 is for more wells to be drilled. The Upstream E&P Forum will be crucial for moving projects forward and prioritizing the funding of large-scale oil and gas projects to fuel economic growth and accelerate industrialization,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Register now at registration@aecweek.com to take part in this strategic forum.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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China’s digital hub Hangzhou hosts conference on AI, OPC

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June 30, 2026

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HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 June 2026 – The inaugural AI+OPC Innovation and Development Conference was held from June 29 to 30 in Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, capital city of east China’s Zhejiang Province. Centered on one-person company (OPC), a new form of smart economy in the AI era, the conference program comprised one opening ceremony and two parallel breakout sessions.

It gathered around 400 delegates from government departments, industry associations, financial institutions, AI enterprises and OPC startup operators across the country. Participants exchanged insights on AI innovation pathways and cross-industry integration strategies, injecting strong impetus into Hangzhou’s ambition to develop a national benchmark hub for AI+OPC entrepreneurship.

A series of key launches and milestone ceremonies took place during the opening segment. Official releases included the 2026 national OPC development observation report, Hangzhou’s 2026–2028 action plan and supporting policies to build a national AI+OPC entrepreneurship hub, and a catalog of actionable AI+OPC application scenarios. Attendees also received an in-depth interpretation of the specifications for AI-enabled OPC community services and evaluation.

The ceremony featured multiple landmark initiatives: plaque awarding for Hangzhou’s priority AI+OPC incubation communities and dedicated observation sites, the official launch of the AI+OPC Community Alliance initiative, and a kickoff marking the official construction of the national AI+OPC entrepreneurship hub.

The open forum session featured keynote speeches from distinguished industry and academic leaders. Speakers included Pan Yunhe, former executive vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Zhejiang University; Liang Gui, former executive vice governor of Jiangxi Province and ex-director of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; and Zou Ling, head of Hong Hub, Shangcheng District’s single-member unicorn startup acceleration community, who shared cutting-edge insights from varied perspectives.

A panel dialogue followed, bringing together representatives from Moshu OPC Community (Beijing E-Town), the School of Future Science and Engineering at Soochow University, Qingju Hub · Future Digital Intelligence Port (Shangcheng District), and Puhua Capital for in-depth industry exchanges.

Complementary concurrent events held throughout the conference included an OPC capital-industry matchmaking salon, a symposium on industry-education integration for AI-powered OPC sectors, and a national exchange forum for AI+OPC community practitioners.

OPC has emerged as a vibrant new engine driving economic vitality and underpinning high-quality development. Against the backdrop of a new development era, the inaugural Hangzhou AI+OPC Innovation and Development Conference unites OPC innovators nationwide.

Drawing on the creative energy of millions of independent super-individual operators, the event delivers sustained digital momentum to fuel Hangzhou’s super-individual economy, while rolling out replicable local practices and actionable Hangzhou solutions to advance high-quality growth of smart economies nationwide.

 

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Hainan FTP marks 6-month milestone of special customs operations, signs deals during Hong Kong visit

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June 30, 2026

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 June 2026 – As the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) marked the six-month milestone since the launch of its full special customs operations, a Hainan provincial delegation wrapped up a three-day visit to Hong Kong. During the visit, the delegation signed deepened cooperation agreements with several major local chambers of commerce and promoted the latest policies introduced since the island-wide special customs operations took effect.

According to data released by Hainan Province during the visit, Hainan’s foreign trade has surged since the launch of special customs operations. As of June 17, the province’s total goods imports and exports reached RMB 173.98 billion (approximately US$24 billion), up 54.6% year on year. Imports of zero-tariff goods hit RMB 2.645 billion, a 120% jump that generated tariff savings of RMB 440 million. A total of 172,100 new market entities were registered—a 61% increase—including 1,240 foreign-invested enterprises. Zero-tariff items now account for 74% of all tariff lines, benefiting more than 12,000 market entities.

During the Hong Kong visit, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Provincial Committee (CCPIT Hainan) signed separate deepened cooperation MOUs with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Under the MOUs, the parties will establish a regular liaison mechanism for the periodic exchange of economic and trade information, and will promote collaboration in areas including professional services, green finance, the digital economy, supply chain management, and cultural tourism. Mutual enterprise service desks will be set up to provide consulting services regarding policies and projects. The parties will leverage their complementary strengths to help Chinese mainland enterprises access overseas markets via Hong Kong, while facilitating Hong Kong companies’ entry into the Chinese mainland through Hainan.

The delegation also held talks with the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, exploring ways for British and American businesses to leverage Hainan’s value-added processing tariff exemptions and multifunctional free trade accounts to position themselves in regional supply chains and cross-border investment and financing. HSBC, De Beers, and other British firms are already active in Hainan, and the UK served as the Guest of Honor country at the 2025 China International Consumer Products Expo.

According to industry analysts, amid the shifting international trade landscape, Hainan is leveraging Hong Kong’s “super-connector” role to accelerate its integration with global capital and business networks, while simultaneously offering the Hong Kong business community a policy testing ground for entering the Chinese mainland market.

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Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

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June 26, 2026

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Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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