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African Energy Week (AEW) 2024 to Host Country Spotlights on Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (ROC), Mozambique and More

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African Energy Week

African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy will drive new investment and partnership formations in Africa’s leading energy markets through a series of country-specific sessions

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 9, 2024/APO Group/ — 

The upcoming African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – Africa’s premier event for the energy sector, taking place this November in Cape Town – will host a series of country-specific spotlights, showcasing investment opportunities across Africa’s leading energy markets.

Spotlight sessions will highlight projects seeking investment, licensing rounds, planned drilling campaigns and other opportunities for private sector participation. Invest in Nigeria Energies will present lucrative opportunities in Nigeria’s oil and gas market, which has seen several key developments in recent months. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission recently launched its 2024 licensing round, featuring 12 blocks on offer. Majors like Shell have announced plans to invest $1 billion in Nigerian gas projects over the next decade, while Chevron has launched a $1.4 billion infill drilling program. In the gas sector, Nigeria is aiming to produce 5.5 billion cubic feet per day by 2030 and enhance energy security by exploiting its 200 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, on the back of the country’s flagship Decade of Gas initiative.

In Namibia, a series of offshore oil discoveries – including Shell’s Enigma-1X, Graff-1X, La Rona, Jonker-1X and Lesedi-1X; Galp’s Mopane-1X and Mopane-2X; and TotalEnergies’ Venus-1X and Mangetti-1X – have positioned the country as a global exploration hotspot. New exploration licenses for on- and offshore blocks awarded as part of the country’s latest open-door licensing system present further opportunities for both major and independent explorers. Namibia also ranks as one of Africa’s top green hydrogen markets – home to Hyphen Hydrogen Energy’s $10 billion Tsau-Khaeb development – with the Invest in Namibia Energies session set to showcase the country’s diversified energy agenda. 

The Invest in MSGBC Energies spotlight will delve into the MSGBC region’s energy boom, highlighting first gas production from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project in Senegal and Mauritania, as well as first oil production at Senegal’s Sangomar Oil Development. Upcoming projects like the Yakaar-Teranga Hub in Senegal and the Orca and Banda gas fields in Mauritania continue regional industry expansion, while frontier exploration in The Gambia, Guinea-Conakry and Guinea-Bissau points to new oil and gas prospects. In the renewable energy space, Mauritania is also piloting green hydrogen with Chariot’s 10 GW Project Nour, CWP Global’s Aman and AMEA Power’s green hydrogen facilities.

Invest in the Republic of Congo Energies will explore the Congo’s ongoing efforts to maximize its oil production through historic levels of upstream investment. TotalEnergies has announced a $600-million plan to increase production at the Moho Nord field by 40,000 barrels per day in the next three years. Meanwhile, the Republic of Congo is spearheading gas exploration and monetization through a new Gas Master Plan and gas code, supported by Eni’s Congo LNG project – set to transform the country into a major LNG exporter – and Wing Wah’s Banga Kayo project, further enhancing the country’s gas market prospects.

The Invest in Algeria Energies session will showcase Algeria’s efforts to boost its gas reserves, production and exports to Europe, while establishing itself as a leading green hydrogen market. Last April, Algerian NOC Sonatrach signed an agreement with TotalEnergies to develop gas resources in the North-East Timimoun region, while the country is expanding its TFTII oil and gas pipeline to increase gas exports to Europe. Algeria is also evaluating prospects to develop and export green hydrogen to Europe through cooperation with private and public sector entities from Chile and Germany.

As one of Africa’s largest oil producers, Angola is undertaking a series of projects to maintain oil production above 1.1 million bpd through 2027. International energy firm Azule Energy is progressing in the expansion of its Ndungu oil field with the award of an $850-million energy services contract to Saipem last month. The launch of Angola’s 2025 limited public tender, featuring up to 10 offshore blocks in the Kwanza and Benguela basins, also remains highly anticipated. In the downstream sector, NOC Sonangol is expanding the country’s refinery capacity with various new refineries underway in Soyo, Lobito and Cabinda. The Invest in Angola Energies session functions as a platform to connect global investors with Angola’s untapped oil and gas opportunities.

Attracting new investors, partners and technologies is crucial for Africa to maximize the development and exploitation of its energy resources

In Equatorial Guinea, NOC GEPetrol recently initiated several E&P partnerships to unlock new opportunities within the country’s upstream sector, including a $350-million contract with energy services firm Petrofac and a deal with Panoro Energy concluding the terms for offshore Block EG-23. A drilling campaign has been launched by Trident Energy in the Ceiba and Okume fields in Block G since last November and has the potential to unlock additional hydrocarbon production, which will be unpacked at Invest in Equatorial Guinea Energies.

Libya’s National Oil Company plans to launch a licensing round by early-2025 as part of its strategy to boost oil production to 2 million bpd. The country has already increased production by 5.4% as of March 2024, surpassing Nigeria as Africa’s largest crude oil producer. A series of recent exploration agreements with international players including Sonatrach, Eni, bp, Equinor, Oil India and Repsol have restored confidence and catalyzed new activity within the gas and oil sector, with Invest in Libya Energies set to connect investors with emerging prospects.

In Mozambique, the launch of the country’s seventh licensing round in 2025 – alongside major projects such as TotalEnergies’ $10-billion Mozambique LNG facility, ExxonMobil’s Rovuma LNG facility and the expansion of Eni’s Coral South projects – present new opportunities for partnership and investment, to be explored at the Invest in Mozambique Energies spotlight. The award of six exploration blocks in the Angoche and Mozambique basins to China’s CNOOC and a consortium of Eni and Mozambican national oil company ENH – as part of the sixth licensing round in 2023 – highlights growing interest by international firms in the country’s oil and gas prospects.

Lastly, Ghana is undertaking over 17 new oil and gas projects through 2027, aiming for universal energy access by 2030 on the back of expanded hydrocarbon production. Invest in Ghana Energies represents the premier platform for investors to access opportunities within one of Africa’s most mature markets. Key projects include Aker Energy’s Pecan Phase 1A, Ghana National Gas Company’s Atuabo II Gas Processing Plant, Helios Investment’s Tema Floating LNG Plant and the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company’s Tema-Akosombo II Pipeline.

“Attracting new investors, partners and technologies is crucial for Africa to maximize the development and exploitation of its energy resources. The country spotlights at AEW 2024 will connect Africa’s most dynamic markets with global investors, developers and decision-makers and foster strategic collaborations to drive the continent’s energy growth,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

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.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Afreximbank Posts Robust Q1 2026 Results with 25% Growth in Net Income and Improved Profitability

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Afreximbank

The results demonstrate continued resilience, disciplined balance sheet management and strong deal execution despite a challenging global operating environment

The growth in net interest income and profitability demonstrates the strength of our operating model and the continued relevance of our mandate

CAIRO, Egypt, May 22, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank” or the “Bank”) (www.Afreximbank.com) and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) announced its results for the three months ended 31 March 2026. The results demonstrate continued resilience, disciplined balance sheet management and strong deal execution despite a challenging global operating environment.

 

The Group continued to expand its lending activities in Q1 2026, resulting in total credit exposure growing by 2% to reach a portfolio of US$42 billion, up from US$41 billion as of 31 December 2025. This performance reflects Afreximbank’s leading role as a Development Finance Institution (DFI) in financing trade and trade-enabling infrastructure, and its strategic contribution to economic resilience across Africa and the Caribbean.

Average loans and advances for Q1 2026 stood at US$32 billion, up 8% compared to the same period in the prior year, driving the recorded growth in interest income. The Group’s liquidity position remained strong, with cash and cash equivalents of US$5.6 billion, representing 14% of total assets, consistent with FY2025 and above the Bank’s strategic minimum.

Asset quality also remained strong, with the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio at 2.40%, broadly in line with 2.43% at FY2025 and below industry average.

Shareholders’ funds increased to US$8.6 billion at 31 March 2026, up from US$8.4 billion at FY2025, supported by internally generated capital of US$268.9 million and new equity investments received during the quarter, underscoring the Bank’s continued ability to mobilise capital from its shareholders in support of its growth and development mandate.

The Group delivered strong profitability during the quarter.  Notwithstanding declining benchmark rates, total interest income rose by 14% year-on-year to reach US$813.6 million, while net interest income increased by 24% to US$510.0 million, compared with US$411.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. The Group’s cost-to-income ratio remained contained at 19%, well within the Group’s strategic ceiling of 30%. As a result, Profit for the period increased to US$268.9 million, up from US$215.4 million in Q1 2025.

The Group continued to maintain a strong capital position, with a capital adequacy ratio of 23% as at 31 March 2026, in line with the Bank’s long-term capital management targets.

During the quarter, Afreximbank continued to demonstrate its counter-cyclical role in response to external shocks. In March 2026, the Bank launched a US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme to help member countries mitigate adverse spillover effects from the Gulf crisis. The facility is designed to support liquidity, stabilise trade and payments, and address supply-side disruptions, particularly in energy, tourism and aviation, fertilisers, food and other critical imports.

The Bank also continued to deploy targeted financing and advisory support to strengthen trade flows, industrial capacity and economic resilience across Africa and CARICOM. Regional integration received further momentum following South Africa’s ratification of the Bank’s Establishment Agreement in February 2026, bringing one of Africa’s largest and most diversified economies into the Bank’s membership and giving the Bank full continental coverage.

Highlights of the results for Afreximbank Group are shown below:

Financial Performance Metrics

Q1’2026

Q1’2025

Gross Income (US$ million)

874.1

784.9

Net Income (US$ million)

268.9

215.4

Return on average equity (ROAE)

13%

12%

Return on average assets (ROAA)

2.62%

2.38%

Cost-to-income ratio

19%

16%

 

Financial Position Metrics

Q1’2026

FY’2025

Total Assets (US$ billion)

41.7

42.3

Total Liabilities (US$ billion)

33.0

33.9

Shareholders’ Funds (US$ billion)

8.6

8.4

Non-performing loans ratio (NPL)

2.40%

2.43%

Cash/Total assets

14%

14%

Capital Adequacy ratio (Basel II)

23%

          23%

 

Mr. Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Senior Executive Vice President, commented:

“Against a backdrop of continued global uncertainty, heightened geopolitical risks and tight financial conditions, the Group delivered a resilient first-quarter performance, underpinned by disciplined balance sheet management, sound asset quality and strong capital and liquidity buffers. The growth in net interest income and profitability demonstrates the strength of our operating model and the continued relevance of our mandate. Our swift launch of the US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme further underscores Afreximbank’s counter-cyclical role in supporting member countries during periods of disruption. We remain focused on stabilising trade flows, easing liquidity pressures and advancing the industrial and economic transformation of Africa and the Caribbean.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Via Licensing Alliance Expands Voice Codec Program with New Licensee, New Licensors, Publishes Comprehensive Pool Rate Structure

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Via Licensing Alliance

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Via Licensing Alliance (Via) today announced continued momentum for its Voice Codec patent pool, including the addition of a new unnamed licensee and new licensors, NovaVoice Limited and Cordial IP, further growing the program’s patent stack and market penetration from its initial five, large global licensors.

The addition of the new licensee, unnamed at this time, reflects growing industry adoption of the collaborative licensing pathway Via’s Voice Codec program creates for accessing IP rights to critical voice technologies. This addition reflects a growing market uptake of advanced voice technologies, including EVS and IVAS, driven by rising demand as 5G and 5G-Advanced technologies are adopted worldwide.

Additionally, Via continues to prioritize transparency and has published its full rate structure for the Voice Codec pool, providing further clarity and predictability for implementers and to the broader market. For implementers, the full rate structure allows for complete visibility as they consider the appropriate royalty structure to choose from to meet their product level costs, evaluate future growth paths for their product lines, or plan their geographical expansion plan needs. This level of disclosure not only reduces uncertainty in licensing decisions but also enables more consistent benchmarking, reinforcing confidence in fair, market-aligned SEP licensing practices. The program’s royalty rates are listed on Via’s website at https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#license-fees.

The addition of the new licensors indicates increased interest from patent holders in licensing their voice technology SEPs through highly efficient, aggregated licensing vehicles such as patent pools. Future growth in both the licensor list and the number of patents consolidated through the pool license will continue to enhance the value of the Voice Codec License for implementers. Via’s Voice Codec program licensors are listed here: https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#licensors.

Via’s Voice Codec pool covers Enhanced Voice Services (EVS), which supports voice communications across more than one billion and growing active devices globally, as well as Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS), which will play a central role in next-generation voice and spatial audio applications.

“We are pleased to welcome these new entrants to our pool, which signal continued growth and momentum our Voice Codec program,” said Kevin Mack, President of Via Licensing Alliance. “This pool license offers strong value relative to other market options and represents the only collaborative licensing solution for EVS and IVAS technologies, making it a smart and efficient pathway for companies seeking to license critical voice capabilities.”

EVS remains a foundational technology for high-quality voice communications in 5G and 5G-Advanced networks, with adoption continuing to expand as 5G, 5G-Advanced and future network iterations reach global scale. As spatial audio and advanced voice technologies expand into 6G and a broader range of non-cellular devices, the importance of IVAS technologies is expected to increase, with Via’s pool offering an early and effective licensing pathway.

For more information about the Voice Codec patent pool, including information for prospective licensees, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

About Via Licensing Alliance:
Via Licensing Alliance is the collaborative licensing leader, dedicated to accelerating global technology adoption, fostering participation, and generating return on innovation with balanced licensing solutions for innovators and manufacturers of all sizes around the globe. Via has operated dozens of licensing programs for a variety of technologies. Via is an independently managed company owned by industry-leading participants with over 25 years of intellectual property licensing leadership. For more information about Via, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

 

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Joint statement welcoming the Republic of Togo’s announcement on Visa facilitation for African nationals

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Togo

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda

LOMÉ, Togo, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The AfCFTA Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) welcome the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Togo, under the leadership of H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of the Republic of Togo, regarding measures to facilitate visa-free entry for all nationals of African States holding valid passports, as announced by the Minister of Security on 18 May 2026.

The announcement was made in Lomé on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026, the continent’s premier trade and business platform, which has brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, investors, and stakeholders from across Africa to advance dialogue on intra-African trade, investment, and regional integration.

Throughout the engagements, participants underscored the importance of facilitating the movement of African citizens, entrepreneurs, and investors as an important enabler of intra-African trade and economic cooperation. Against this backdrop, the announcement reflects the growing continental momentum towards strengthening connectivity and deepening African integration.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank, to which Togo is a State Party and a Member State, envision a continent where goods, services, capital, and people move more freely across borders in support of an integrated African market. Measures that facilitate mobility and connectivity continue to contribute towards advancing the broader mandate of both institutions; the attainment of the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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