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African leaders defy lacklustre global economy to forge ahead with digital transformation collaborations

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GITEX

Generative AI, finance, infrastructure development and investment among core theme explorations at Africa’s most impactful leadership conference programme

MARRAKECH, Morocco, May 19, 2023/APO Group/ — 

African ministers, government and private sector leaders are set to converge in a powerful cross-continental forum in Marrakech this month to press on with digital transformation alliances as the tech world reorganises itself in the wake of the global digital upheaval.

Against the biggest market correction in recent years, Africa continues to march onwards to empower and unify a continent on the cusp of transformative ICT growth, with the GITEX Africa Digital Summit the new focal point steering a pursuit of a unified digital vision.

The influential summit will spearhead an inspiring conference programme at the inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 – the largest tech and start-up show in the African continent, taking place from 31 May-2 June – unifying 500-plus policy makers, government heads, investors and academics to explore how technology and connectivity are redrawing the boundaries of sustainable social-economic development for African government, business and society.

H.E. Lacina Koné, the Director General and CEO of Smart Africa – the pan-African organisation driving the continent’s digital transformation agenda – is a headline speaker. Koné said digital technologies offer new avenues for economic growth in Africa by accelerating job creation and talent development, supporting access to public services and increasing productivity and innovation.  However, challenges remain.

“The lack of connectivity in remote and rural regions along with insufficient data protection and high cost of African connectivity have brought new challenges to businesses, governments, and people,” said Koné, who oversees the process of defining Africa’s digital agenda in addition to advancing key continental initiatives. “Intra-governmental cooperation is the key enabler of digital services adoption and acceleration, while mitigating these associated challenges across the African continent.”

Koné will be part of a panel at the GITEX Africa Digital Summit titled: ‘Uniting Towards One African Market’.  He will share how Africa’s leaders are building a secure, resilient and sustainable digital future.  “Agile enabling regulations are needed to quickly respond to market developments, facilitating entry of new competitors for the benefit of consumers in a united African continent,” he said.

The GITEX Africa Digital Summit will arrive amid a remarkable period of African ICT and broadband growth, with statistics showing the continent has the world’s fastest-growing internet population, up by 20 percent in just one year. Africa’s digital economy has become one of the main drivers of cross-continental progress, coupled with strong talent development and a spike in public private sector investments.

Jérôme Hénique, CEO for the Middle East & Africa at Orange, France; Tonny Bao, Vice President of Huawei, China; and Saad Toma, General Manager of IBM MENA, are among the foremost private sector leaders speaking about the critical pathways advancing the continent’s digital transformation missions, from building a more digital and inclusive Africa to exploring the social and economic impacts of 5G, or how AI can drive business transformation and sustainability.

Other headliners at Africa’s most impactful leadership conference programme include H.E. Syed Amin Ul Haque, Minister of Information Technology and Communications in Pakistan; and Babajide Sanwo-Olu the Governor of Lagos Nigeria, who will deliver a keynote address on what is accelerating Africa to become the next Silicon Valley.

The state of play in Africa’s digital economy will be another key discussion point, addressed by H.E. Belete Molla, the Minister of Innovation and Technology in Ethiopia; and H.E. Cina Lawson Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation in Togo.

“I am honoured to be part of the GITEX Africa hosted by Morocco,” said H.E. Molla. “It creates opportunities to governments, innovators and leading experts from around the world to discover new ideas, build new partnerships, and connect with inspiring mentors and investors. It would help Ethiopia to get connected to the global tech space and leading players.”

Accelerating the epic race for African AI dominance

The next wave of digital transformation accelerated by the power of generative AI along with AI’s impact on African societies will meanwhile stimulate curious discussions at a dedicated AI track on day three of GITEX Africa, where the brightest minds and most innovative thinkers share their insights on AI’s ability to revolutionise industries, from agriculture to finance.

Dr. Adel Alsharji, Chief Operating Officer at UAE-headquartered Presight, the Middle East’s leading international big data analytics company powered by AI, will deliver the keynote address on the Societal Impact of Artificial Intelligence.

“The societal impact of AI is multifaceted and far-reaching globally, and it is already reshaping sectors, such as healthcare, finance, agriculture, education, and manufacturing and therefore the way we live,” said Dr. Alsharji.

Ensuring equitable access to technology and bridging the digital divide are crucial steps to prepare for AI’s impact in Africa

“The African continent is showing a speedy AI adoption rate and a readiness to explore and harness the potential of AI for driving economic growth and addressing local challenges, ultimately benefiting the greater good of people.

“As AI advances, we can anticipate further innovation and positive applications. It is crucial, however, to embrace AI responsibly, ensuring ethical considerations are in place as we navigate this transformative landscape.”

Mustapha Zaouini, the Chairman of AI in Africa, will speak on a panel on Responsible Generative AI. He said while Africa has unique challenges such as disparity in internet access, the continent is steadily embracing AI.

“Africa is exploring AI to solve pressing issues like poverty, unemployment, and inequality,” said Zaouini.  “However, readiness varies across countries, and there’s a need to invest in infrastructure, education, and policy-making to fully harness this fast-evolving technology.

“Access to AI technologies can level the playing field so it is essential not to be left aside. Ensuring equitable access to technology and bridging the digital divide are crucial steps to prepare for AI’s impact in Africa.”

Digital cities evolution and plotting the path to a net zero future

With the global push towards a net zero economy, technology’s role in advancing sustainability is more important than ever.

A panel at GITEX Africa’s Digital Cities conference track will explore how technology can advance an African-centric Net Zero agenda, addressed by Dr. Shaoshan Liu, Founder and CEO of PerceptIn in the USA; Mohammed Essaidi, MEA Chairman of the Global Cities Alliance, IEEE in Morocco; Laurent Roussel, President of Francophone Africa & Islands at Schneider Electric; and Gilles Babinet, French Government Representative of Digital Champions Group (EU) in France.

Other preeminent speakers at GITEX Africa include Emmanuel Gadret, CEO of Francophone Africa at Deloitte, who will share his insights into charting Africa’s path to prosperity by unlocking economic and data sovereignty; and Dr. Ray Johnson, CEO of the Technology Innovation Institute in the UAE, who will dive into generative AI’s ubiquitous role in fuelling economic growth.

A historic launch in the world’s next biggest digital economy

The inaugural GITEX Africa will make its historic debut from 31 May-2 June 2023, welcoming more than 900 exhibitors, start-ups, and visiting delegations from 80 countries for three days of intensive outcome-focused public-private sector collaborations in the world’s next biggest digital economy.

More than 250 hosted investors from 34 countries with US$200 billion worth of assets under management will also seek breakthrough technologies and potential African tech scale-up co-investment opportunities.  As the ultimate start-up incubator and magnet for flourishing VC funds, GITEX Africa will deliver an unmatched scouting platform for these investors, of which 70 percent are coming from outside of Africa.

GITEX Africa is held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD), the public entity leading the Moroccan government’s digital transformation agenda under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform. 

KAOUN International will lead the partnership for this much awaited business endeavour, urging the global tech community to go to Africa, leveraging the power of the trusted GITEX Global brand in Dubai, the world’s largest tech event.

With tech-friendly policies in a continent that is now far more accessible, African investment is rocketing.  Analysts predict the tech market is on track to scale from $115 billion to $712 billion by 2050, while according to Briter Bridges, African start-ups raised a total of US$5.4 billion across 900+ deals in 2022.  Meanwhile, a youthful populace coupled with Africa’s rapid urbanisation is accelerating digital economic growth, with 70 percent of the Sub-Saharan African population under 30 years of age and 45 percent of Africans set to live in cities by 2025.

More information is available at www.GITEXAfrica.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GITEX Africa.

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Nigeria’s Upstream Reform Program Captures 40% of Africa’s Final Investment Decision (FID) Activity After a Decade on the Margins

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May 8, 2026

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A government three-year review documents how executive action under President Tinubu reversed a decade of upstream decline

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 8, 2026/APO Group/ –Nigeria has gone from capturing 4% of Africa’s upstream final investment decisions (FIDs) to commanding 40% in two years, according to Nigeria’s Energy Sector Reforms 2023-2026: A Three-Year Review, published by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and spearheaded by Special Adviser Olu Verheijen. The $50 billion project pipeline now in development beyond 2026 points to sustained capital commitment at a scale not seen in the Nigerian upstream for at least a decade.

 

Between 2014 and 2023, Nigeria was among the continent’s weakest performers for upstream FIDs despite holding 37.5 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the second-largest endowment in Africa. Algeria captured 44% of African upstream FIDs during that period, Angola held 26%, while Nigeria trailed Mozambique, Ghana, Senegal and Namibia. In the third quarter of 2022, crude production briefly dropped below one million barrels per day, as years of underinvestment, pipeline vandalism and regulatory ambiguity compounded each other. However, reforms instituted by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu have dramatically turned this trend around. Through deliberate and coordinated steps, the government has reset the trajectory.

Addressing Fiscal Terms, Regulatory Scope and Contracting Speed

President Bola Tinubu’s administration moved simultaneously on fiscal terms and regulatory architecture. Policy directives in 2023 clarified the boundary of jurisdiction between the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), resolving an ambiguity that had complicated project sanctioning. Presidential Directive 40 introduced targeted tax incentives, and a separate Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Production in 2024 was designed to draw international oil companies (IOCs) back into capital-intensive, long-cycle deepwater projects. The VAT Modification Order 2024 and Upstream Cost Efficiency Order 2025 addressed the cost structures that had rendered marginal projects uneconomic. NNPCL contracting timelines were compressed from 36 months to a maximum of six months.

Four Divestments Transferred Onshore Control to Indigenous Operators

In parallel, the administration deployed targeted security directives and accelerated ministerial consents for four IOC asset transfers. Renaissance acquired Shell’s onshore portfolio. Seplat Energy completed its acquisition of ExxonMobil’s Nigerian upstream interests. Oando took over from Agip, and Chappal acquired Equinor’s local assets. The four transactions totaled approximately $4 billion. The transfer of onshore and shallow-water blocks to indigenous operators contributed directly to production recovery. Output rose by approximately 400,000 barrels per day between 2023 and 2025 to reach 1.6 million barrels per day, the highest onshore production level in 20 years.

When a government rebuilds fiscal competitiveness and regulatory predictability at the same time, capital responds

Signed Projects Total $10 Billion, With a $50 Billion Pipeline Beyond

The reforms produced a concrete FID response from Shell and TotalEnergies. Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) sanctioned the $5 billion Bonga North deepwater development in December 2024 and committed a further $2 billion to the HI Non-Associated Gas (NAG) project. TotalEnergies and NNPCL took a joint FID on the $550 million Ubeta gas field development in June 2024.

Together those three commitments account for more than $10 billion in signed investment after a decade of near-zero sanctioning activity. The pipeline beyond 2026 spans a further $50 billion across 11 projects including Bonga South West, Owowo, Usan and Erha. Nigeria approved 28 field development plans valued at $18.2 billion in 2025 alone, targeting an estimated 1.4 billion barrels of reserves.

“When a government rebuilds fiscal competitiveness and regulatory predictability at the same time, capital responds,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Nigeria has done both, and the FID numbers are concrete proof.”

The Counterfactual Illustrates How Much Was at Stake

The presentation includes a no-reform projection that puts the gains in context. Without intervention, total crude and condensate production was on track to fall from 1.371 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2022 to 579,000 by 2030. Under the reform trajectory, output reached 1.77 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026, with a stated government target of 3 million barrels per day. Export gas utilization rose 39% over the same period, while domestic utilization grew by 7%.

The durability of these gains will be tested by two factors: whether the institutional architecture put in place under the Tinubu administration holds over the long term, and whether the deepwater commitments signed in 2024 and 2025 advance to execution on schedule. The project pipeline is large enough that partial delivery would still represent a generational shift in Nigeria’s upstream output profile.

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Angola Strengthens Global Investment Drive Across Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources

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May 8, 2026

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With sweeping reforms across the extractive sector, Angola is entering a new phase defined by transparency, regulatory modernisation, value addition, and international partnership

LONDON, United Kingdom, May 8, 2026/APO Group/ –At a defining moment in Angola’s economic transformation, the Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG) (https://CMAGAfrica.com), together with the Government of Angola and the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas of the Republic of Angola (MIREMPET), will convene global investors, policymakers, and industry leaders in London for the Angola Oil, Gas & Mining Investment Conference on 14 May 2026.

 

More than a conference, this gathering represents a strategic international engagement at a time when Angola is actively reshaping its economic future and positioning itself as one of Africa’s most compelling destinations for long-term investment in natural resources, infrastructure, and industrial development.

With sweeping reforms across the extractive sector, Angola is entering a new phase defined by transparency, regulatory modernisation, value addition, and international partnership. The country’s leadership is sending a clear message to global markets: Angola is open for investment and ready to build transformational partnerships that support sustainable growth and economic diversification.

This is not simply about resource development, it is about building long-term industrial growth, strengthening energy and mineral supply chains, and shaping Angola’s future

The event will be headlined by H.E. Diamantino Azevedo, Minister for Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas of Angola, whose leadership since 2017 has been central to advancing Angola’s mineral and hydrocarbons agenda. Under his stewardship, Angola has accelerated institutional reform, strengthened governance frameworks, promoted private sector participation, and prioritised sustainable resource development.

As global demand intensifies for critical minerals, energy security, and resilient supply chains, Angola is uniquely positioned to become a strategic partner to international investors and industrial economies. The country’s vast untapped mineral wealth, significant oil and gas reserves, expanding infrastructure ambitions, and commitment to economic diversification present a rare investment window for global stakeholders.

Speaking ahead of the event, Veronica Bolton Smith, CEO of the Critical Minerals Africa Group said:

“Angola stands at a pivotal point in its national development. The reforms taking place across the country’s extractive sectors are creating unprecedented opportunities for responsible international investment and strategic partnership. This is not simply about resource development, it is about building long-term industrial growth, strengthening energy and mineral supply chains, and shaping Angola’s future as a globally competitive investment destination. We believe this moment represents one of the most important opportunities for international partners to engage with Angola’s leadership and participate in the country’s next chapter of economic transformation.”

The event is expected to attract a distinguished international audience, including sovereign representatives, institutional investors, mining and energy executives, infrastructure developers, development finance institutions, and strategic partners seeking direct engagement with Angola’s leadership.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG).

 

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The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Successfully Concludes Private Sector Roadshow in Baku

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May 8, 2026

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Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, the Forum showcased IsDB Group services, activities, and initiatives across its 57 member countries, with particular emphasis on Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) affiliates (www.IsDB.org) – namely the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) – in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH), organized the “IsDB Group Private Sector Roadshow” in Baku, Azerbaijan, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO).

 

The high-profile event which took place on Thursday, 7th May 2026, at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy, came as part of ongoing preparations for the upcoming IsDB Group Annual Meetings and Private Sector Forum (PSF 2026), scheduled to take place from 16 to 19 June 2026, under the high patronage of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

 

Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, the Forum showcased IsDB Group services, activities, and initiatives across its 57 member countries, with particular emphasis on Azerbaijan. It highlighted the Group’s ongoing support for private sector development and its efforts to stimulate promising investment and trade opportunities in the Azerbaijani market.

 

The event also served as a unique opportunity inviting the audience to participate actively in IsDB Group Annual Meetings and the Private Sector Forum (PSF 2026). The program included panel discussions and specialized workshops on ways to enhance economic partnerships and the role of IsDB Group’s institutions in supporting the needs of member countries. The spectra of services, solutions and financial tools were also presented, including lines and modes of Islamic financing, trade finance and trade development solutions, corporate private sector financing, as well as risk mitigation solutions plus investment insurance and export credit insurance services.

 

Keynote speakers, in their speeches, underlined strong commitment to deepening engagement with the private sector and fostering meaningful partnerships that drive sustainable economic growth in light of the upcoming IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku, all to showcase integrated solutions especially in Islamic finance, trade, investment, and risk mitigation while working closely and collectively with private sector partners to unlock new opportunities, support innovation, and empower businesses contributing to inclusive and resilient development across IsDB Group member countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group).

 

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