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African Iron Ore: Driving Industrialization, Investment and Regional Growth

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Energy Capital

African Mining Week 2026 will showcase investment and lucrative prospects within Africa’s iron ore and steel manufacturing value chain

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 9, 2026/APO Group/ –Home to 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, Africa has emerged as a strategic player in global supply chains. The continent’s iron ore sector, in particular, offers substantial growth opportunities, with global demand and new exploration campaigns making a strong case for investment. As capital expenditure across the sector increases, Africa has a unique opportunity to turn its iron ore resources into catalysts for sustainable economic growth – and countries are already responding to this call.

Iron Ore Emerges as Strategic Priority

The global iron ore market is expected to grow from $313 billion in 2026 to $425 billion by 2034, driven by infrastructure expansion, industrialization and the continued need for steel in automotive and construction applications. In response, African countries and institutions are moving to position iron ore as a strategic priority. The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has designated iron ore as a strategic resource critical for advancing Africa’s mineral production, manufacturing capabilities and industrialization agenda. In its Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals study released in mid-February, the AFC states that, of the continent’s estimated $8.6 trillion in untapped mineral wealth, iron ore presents a unique opportunity to drive domestic steel and construction sectors while insulating Africa from global demand volatility.

South Africa has also made iron ore a pillar of its critical minerals expansion strategy which targets R2 trillion in investment over the next five years. Speaking in his mid-February State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “Our iron ore reserves are valued at more than R40 trillion, making mining a sunrise industry. After many years of declining investment in exploration, we are dedicating funds to geological mapping and exploration to harness our critical mineral reserves.”

Similarly, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is prioritizing iron ore exploitation as part of its strategy to unlock its $24 trillion in untapped mineral wealth. Speaking in Cape Town in mid-February, Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba highlighted the country’s $28 billion special economic zone program spanning the North East to South West, aimed at mining and processing iron ore into steel.

After many years of declining investment in exploration, we are dedicating funds to geological mapping and exploration to harness our critical mineral reserves

Earlier on, during African Mining Week (AMW) 2025, Kabamba highlighted the DRC’s iron ore potential in an exclusive interview with Energy Capital & Power. “We have 20 billion tons of iron ore – enough to supply steel for Africa. The continent must identify what is critical and prioritize it to drive regional growth,” he said.

African Projects Eye Domestic Markets

As iron ore production rises in Africa, many countries are integrating mining with broader industrial agenda. Guinea, for example, is leveraging its $20 billion Simandou iron ore project – the world’s largest untapped iron ore deposit – as the cornerstone of its Simandou 2040 strategy, a mining-sector-led economic diversification plan. The country aims to attract global investment not only into mining but across strategic sectors, channeling capital into 122 priority projects spanning infrastructure, health, education and agriculture.

Meanwhile, Liberia is on track to triple its iron ore output this year, fueling the expansion of its industrial sector. This growth is being driven by ongoing projects and capacity expansions from ArcelorMittal Liberia, Cavalla Resources, Westcrest, Zodiac, and Bao Chico. The country’s Minister of Mines Matenokay Tingban previously shared that the country expects to reach between 25 million and 30 million tons once all producers come online.

AMW 2026: Unlocking Investment and Industrial Potential

Ongoing developments highlight the strategic potential of Africa’s iron ore sector to drive mining growth, attract investment and fuel industrialization. With global demand for steel and iron rising, African nations are combining resource wealth with infrastructure development, local beneficiation and strategic financing to maximize value across the continent.

Stepping into this picture, the upcoming African Mining Week 2026 – scheduled for October 14–16 in Cape Town – will provide a premier platform to showcase these opportunities. The event will facilitate partnerships, deal signings and high-level discussions across the iron ore value chain, uniting governments, investors and private sector stakeholders to accelerate production, industrial growth and economic transformation across Africa.

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

Energy

Etu Energias Strengthens Angolan Footprint, Returns to Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Champion Sponsor

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Etu Energias

The company is advancing redevelopment projects, deepwater acquisitions and long-term production targets, reinforcing its position as one of Angola’s fastest-growing indigenous upstream players

LUANDA, Angola, June 1, 2026/APO Group/ –Angolan oil company Etu Energias is making its return to the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition – taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference day scheduled for September 8 – as a Champion Sponsor, underscoring its expanding role in the country’s upstream landscape. The sponsorship comes as the company accelerates redevelopment campaigns across mature assets, deepens its offshore portfolio and pursues ambitious long-term growth targets aimed at strengthening Angola’s production outlook.

 

Already holding a prominent position within Angola’s oil sector, Etu Energias has implemented a series of 2030 goals centered around strengthening production at mature assets, restoring production and exports at onshore acreage, participating in ‘golden blocks’ and establishing partnerships with international players. These align closely with its own target of reaching 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2030 while supporting Angola’s goal of sustaining output above one million bpd in the long-term. Recent milestones reflect these ambitions.

In May 2026, the company – alongside partners Poliedro, Kotoil, Falcon Oil and Prodoi – completed drilling and testing operations at the Espadarte 7ST2 well at Block 2/05 in the Lower Congo Basin. Initial tests showed stabilized production at around 2,000 bpd and 2,500 bpd, reinforcing the commercial viability of the Greater Espadarte – the last development area of the block. The partners are planning to drill one more appraisal well before finalizing the development plan.

At the same time, Etu Energias has continued to strengthen its offshore portfolio through strategic acquisitions. In March 2026, the company acquired a 20% and 10% stake in Block 14 and 14K respectively through a $310 million transaction. The deal was financially backed by Chariot and Shell Western Supply and Trading and marks another step in the company’s transformation from a domestic producer into a more diversified upstream player with exposure across multiple basins and production environments.

Beyond upstream projects, Etu Energias continues to expand its downstream portfolio through the development of service stations across the country. In the local content space, the company invests extensively in workforce development, education and skills transfer. This month, Etu Energias announced the first results of its STEM Program – spearheaded by ADPP Angola with the support of Etu Energias, the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency and its Block 2/05 partners. The $412,000 program strengthens technical and scientific education in the country, with more than 8,000 students set to benefit by 2028.

As a Champion Sponsor of AOG 2026, Etu Energias will join government officials, operators, financiers and technology providers in Luanda to discuss the future of Angola’s oil and gas sector. Taking place at a pivotal moment for the country’s upstream industry, the conference serves as a platform for advancing investment, strengthening partnerships and supporting the exploration and redevelopment activities needed to sustain Angola’s long-term production goals.

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

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Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC) Chief Ominga to Speak at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as Congo Accelerates Gas Expansion

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African Energy Chamber

Maixent Raoul Ominga, Director General, SNPC will speak at AEW 2026 as Congo advances LNG expansion, upstream growth, gas monetization and the national oil company’s transformation into a premier African operator

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Energy chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) held high-level meetings in Brazzaville on May 18 with the Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and the Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), reinforcing a renewed push to accelerate investment, expand LNG infrastructure and strengthen local operational capacity. Discussions centered on positioning Congo as a premier regional gas hub while transforming SNPC into a more active upstream operator with broader international ambitions.

 

Against this backdrop, SNPC Director General Maixent Raoul Ominga has been confirmed as a speaker at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place in Cape Town from October 12–16. His participation comes at a pivotal moment for Congo’s hydrocarbons sector as SNPC advances major gas monetization projects, upstream expansion plans and corporate restructuring aimed at attracting international capital and strategic partnerships.

Under Ominga’s leadership, SNPC has accelerated its transformation from a passive state asset holder into a more operationally focused national oil company. A late-2025 presidential decree expanded and consolidated SNPC’s strategic role within Congo’s energy sector. The company has also launched a five-year digital modernization program designed to improve transparency, auditing and financial oversight.

AEW will provide a critical platform for SNPC to engage directly with investors, operators and policymakers on the next phase of Congo’s growth strategy

Operationally, SNPC is expanding aggressively across both upstream oil and gas developments. The company launched a $158 million drilling bond to support onshore campaigns and has assumed operatorship of strategic assets including the Kouakouala field. Ongoing investments across the Nanga I, Zingali II and Le Mayombe II permits are expected to support production growth while helping offset declines at major fields.

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Gas monetization remains central to SNPC’s long-term strategy, with Congo LNG delivering its first export cargo to Italy through the Tango FLNG facility. Meanwhile a second FLNG unit is under development to raise national LNG capacity to around 3 million tons per annum. At Banga Kayo, SNPC and partner Wing Wah are advancing flare-reduction projects that convert associated gas into LPG, propane and butane for domestic markets.

The company is also strengthening offshore partnerships to unlock new reserves. Recent agreements with TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy on the Enzombo deepwater block aim to expand exploration activity offshore Pointe-Noire. Separately, TotalEnergies recently confirmed a hydrocarbon discovery at the Moho license, where recoverable resources across the Moho G and Moho F structures are estimated at close to 100 million barrels.

“Ominga’s participation at African Energy Week 2026 comes at a defining moment for Congo’s energy sector as SNPC accelerates its transformation into a stronger, more operationally driven national oil company. AEW will provide a critical platform for SNPC to engage directly with investors, operators and policymakers on the next phase of Congo’s growth strategy,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

SNPC is targeting longer-term production growth toward 500,000 barrels per day while pursuing new licensing rounds, refinery modernization through its SOCAR partnership and additional FLNG developments designed to position Congo among Africa’s premier gas economies.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Petroli Energy Names Silver Sponsor at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as PPL 269 Development Advances in Nigeria

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African Energy Chamber

Petroli Energy joins African Energy Week 2026 as a Silver Sponsor, where they are expected to highlight PPL 269 development progress, West African trading expansion and gas-led transition strategies

Nigerian oil and gas company Petroli Energy will participate as a Silver Sponsor at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, scheduled for October 12–16 in Cape Town. Their sponsorship underscores the firm’s expanding regional footprint across upstream exploration, trading and transitional energy services, alongside growing engagement with African investment platforms in line with its long-term growth strategy.

 

AEW 2026 is Africa’s premier upstream investment platform, convening policymakers, operators and financiers to accelerate oil, gas and power development across the continent. The 2026 edition is set to delve deep into gas-to-power expansion, data infrastructure energy demand and transaction-oriented dealmaking, positioning Cape Town as a key hub for energy capital flows.

Participation at African Energy Week 2026 is where capital meets opportunity across Africa’s energy future

Petroli Energy is currently advancing its upstream strategy amid accelerating divestments by international oil companies across West Africa, with independents capturing mature onshore assets and production gaps. The company is scaling joint operations and deploying geophysical technologies to reduce exploration risk while strengthening regional supply resilience in structurally underinvested markets.

In December 2024, Petroli Energy completed contracting for its PPL 269 license following its December 2024 bid win under the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s licensing round. The block, secured after competitive bidding against oil and gas explorer Afagaf Company, is now entering seismic interpretation and early-stage technical development phases.

Through its international trading arm, Petroli Energy (BVI), and a strategic partnership with the Emirates National Oil Company, the group maintains a ship-to-ship logistics network across the Gulf of Guinea. This infrastructure supports large-scale distribution of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and LPG, reinforcing its downstream trading and storage capabilities.

“Participation at African Energy Week 2026 is where capital meets opportunity across Africa’s energy future. Companies like Petroli Energy are essential in turning licensing rounds into real production and real infrastructure. Their presence signals confidence in African-led development and the continent’s ability to monetize its resources responsibly,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

Looking ahead, Petroli Energy is prioritizing natural gas and LPG as transitional fuels to support industrial demand across sub-Saharan Africa while preparing for longer-term integration into cleaner energy systems. The company is also evaluating regional expansion opportunities tied to infrastructure development, including pipelines, ports and cross-border energy corridors over the coming years.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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