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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

Triple A Services & Petroleum Ltd Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Atong Amos Agook to Champion Women-Led Energy Businesses at South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) 2026

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Etu Energias

Triple A Services & Petroleum Ltd ‘s CEO, Dr. Atong Amos Agook, is expected to champion indigenous participation, upstream oilfield logistics and women-led energy enterprises at South Sudan Oil & Power 2026

JUBA, South Sudan, November 12, 2026/APO Group/ –Dr. Atong, Founder and CEO of Triple A Services & Petroleum Ltd, has been confirmed as a speaker at South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) 2026, bringing her experience in fuel distribution, oilfield logistics and downstream services to discussions on expanding opportunities for women-led energy businesses.

 




  

As part of the programme, she will participate in the panel Women in Energy: Scaling Women-Led Enterprises in Downstream & Services, which will examine how access to finance, procurement contracts and commercial partnerships can support the growth of women-owned companies across South Sudan’s energy. The discussion will also explore opportunities for indigenous service providers to participate in the country’s expanding petroleum industry.

Dr. Atong has grown Triple A Services & Petroleum Ltd into a provider of petroleum products, logistics and technical services. The company operates across fuel distribution, bulk haulage, equipment supply and oilfield support, serving customers across South Sudan’s petroleum sector.

Triple A Services & Petroleum Ltd supplies fuel and logistics services to operators across the country’s producing oilfields. Its activities highlight the role of indigenous contractors in supporting petroleum operations while creating opportunities for local employment, skills development and supplier participation.

The company is in the last stage of also expanding its downstream portfolio, supplying petroleum products to include diesel, petrol, kerosene, aviation fuel and lubricants. These activities support domestic fuel distribution and regional supply chains as South Sudan seeks to strengthen its downstream infrastructure and reduce supply constraints.

Beyond conventional fuel distribution, Triple A Services & Petroleum Ltd is pursuing opportunities in LPG storage, cylinder bottling and retail distribution, supporting wider access to cleaner household cooking fuels. Expanding LPG infrastructure presents opportunities for investment in storage facilities, distribution networks and equipment supply, while supporting efforts to reduce reliance on wood fuel and charcoal.

As South Sudan advances investment in petroleum storage, fuel distribution and supporting infrastructure, indigenous companies have an opportunity to expand their role in project delivery and service provision. Improving access to working capital, trade finance and procurement contracts will be important to enabling local businesses, particularly women-led enterprises, to compete for larger commercial opportunities.

Returning for its seventh edition as South Sudan’s official energy investment platform, SSOP 2026 will provide an opportunity for Dr. Atong to engage government representatives, financiers, oil and gas operators and service providers on strengthening local content participation and developing partnerships across the downstream sector.

Held under the theme Resource Renaissance – Energy-Fueled Growth for a New Generation, the conference will convene industry leaders and investors to advance commercial opportunities across South Sudan’s energy value chain.

To register for South Sudan Oil & Power 2026 in Juba on November 24–25, visit: https://SouthSudanOilPower.com/

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

 




 

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Energy

NOCs and IOCs Redefine Upstream Partnership Terms Ahead Paris Energy Event

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Participation stakes and work commitments have become the central points of negotiation between African state oil companies and their international partners

PARIS, France, November 11, 2026/APO Group/ –The Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2027 Forum will host an NOC-IOC Roundtable on May 11 in Paris, convening African national oil companies and international oil companies to discuss the commercial terms behind upstream partnerships. Most major African upstream developments are structured as joint ventures or production sharing agreements between the two groups, making the relationship a defining factor in how projects advance to development.

 




  

The roundtable comes as African NOCs take on larger roles as investors and operators. In Nigeria, Shell completed the approximately $2.4 billion sale of its onshore subsidiary to Renaissance, a consortium of African energy companies, in March 2025. Shell has since concentrated its Nigerian investment on deepwater and integrated gas, while state-owned NNPC retained its 55% stake in the onshore joint venture now operated by Renaissance.

Fiscal and contract terms between these two kinds of players are also being revisited. Libya’s National Oil Corporation awarded five blocks to companies including Chevron, Eni, QatarEnergy and Repsol in February 2026 in its first licensing round since 2007, signing production sharing agreements with several of the awardees in June. The corporation has said outcomes on drilling commitments and participation stakes will be used to improve terms for future rounds.

On the IAE agenda, the roundtable follows the Transaction Suite, in which African ministries, regulators and NOCs will present acquisition and farm-in opportunities, and precedes an Investor Circle on structuring bankable capex pipelines with sovereign energy masterplans and private capital. Related discussions continue on May 12 and 13 in main-forum sessions on domestic champions in onshore assets and on licensing rounds and frontier acreage.

The placement reflects how closely partnership terms are tied to project finance. Lenders and development finance institutions assess state carry arrangements and cost recovery provisions when evaluating project cash flows and repayment capacity, and alignment between NOCs and their international partners on these points supports a project’s case for financing. The Day 0 roundtable gives both groups a forum to address them ahead of the deal-making sessions over the remaining two days of IAE 2027.

IAE 2027 takes place May 11-13 in Paris. Organized by Energy Capital & Power (ECP), the forum brings together governments, national oil companies, operators and institutional capital to originate, structure and finance energy projects across Africa. Register at www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com.

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

 

 




 

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Meet the Domestic Companies and Young Engineers Shaping Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) 2027

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Etu Energias

Venezuelan contractors, banks and engineers are among VEW 2027’s leading participants as international operators seek local partners for new production contracts

CARACAS, Venezuela, November 11, 2026/APO Group/ –Venezuelan engineering contractors, oilfield service firms, banks and technology companies hold many of the leading sponsor, speaker and exhibition slots at Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) 2027, the country’s premier international platform for energy investment. The scale of Venezuelan participation reflects how the country’s production growth will be delivered, with local companies carrying out much of the engineering and field work under new contracts with international firms. Operators and investors arriving in Caracas will meet capable Venezuelan partners with decades of homegrown experience, and young Venezuelan engineers will present operational solutions directly to global industry leaders.

 




  

Venezuelan firms hold several of VEW’s highest sponsorship positions, including engineering company Lindsayca, which has delivered projects in Venezuela since 1986 and has joined as a Diamond Plus sponsor to present its EPC track record in Venezuelan energy infrastructure. Crixto, a payments technology company built on Venezuelan talent and capital, and Movilnet, the country’s state-owned mobile operator, have taken Diamond sponsorships, one level below Chevron, Lindsayca and Apertura Energy.

VEW’s National Sponsors bring field experience from the country’s main producing regions. CAMIMPEG provides well maintenance and production support at PDVSA’s Punta de Mata and El Furrial fields in Monagas state and export logistics at the Petrocedeño terminal, with separate divisions covering mining services and the transport of equipment and heavy cargo. Power specialist Energy Solutions has also joined as a National Sponsor, and its President, Eddy Prieto, will speak at the event.

On the exhibition floor, PDVSA holds the event’s central Diamond stand, joined by state lenders Banco de Venezuela and Banco del Tesoro as Platinum and Gold Exhibitors respectively. A Venezuela pavilion and a row of National Showcase stands give domestic manufacturers and suppliers, including battery producer Acumuladores Duncan, space to meet operators and contractors directly across the three exhibition days.

Venezuelan industry leaders will also speak at VEW, among them Juan Nutt, CEO of Vepica, an engineering firm founded in Venezuela in 1972 and chosen by Shell earlier this year as principal contractor in an alliance to develop oil and gas fields. He is joined by Álvaro Pérez Díaz, President of the Cámara Petrolera de Venezuela, and Cristina Mujica Perret-Gentil, President of the Asociación Venezolana de Derecho Marítimo. The Asociación Venezolana de los Hidrocarburos and the Asociación Venezolana de Procesadores de Gas have joined VEW as supporting partners.

The country’s next generation of engineers will also present their work at VEW. On February 24, three teams of young Venezuelan engineers and university students will pitch low-cost solutions to operational challenges at the Next-Gen Energy Spark session on the Technical Stage, with proposals covering areas such as flare-gas capture and digital supply chain tracking. A panel of industry experts will judge the presentations and offer the teams feedback and career opportunities. The session comes as Weatherford, Baker Hughes, Halliburton and SLB advertise dozens of skilled positions in Venezuela, with the first wave of activity concentrated on workover rigs at mature fields.

Venezuelan contractors and engineers are positioned to deliver a large share of the field and supply work under new production contracts through 2027. VEW 2027 gives international operators and investors direct access to Venezuelan partners and emerging talent ahead of the next round of contract awards.

Venezuela Energy Week 2027 takes place February 22–25 at the Simon Bolivar Convention Center in Caracas. Organized by Energy Capital & Power and taking place under the patronage of Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, PDVSA and the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, VEW is the country’s flagship oil and gas investment platform. To register or learn more about sponsorship and speaking opportunities, visit www.VenezuelaEnergyWeek.com.

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

 

 




 

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