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Africa’s Business Heroes Unveils Community Leads and Launches New Scaleup Program

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Business-Heros

Entrepreneurs and SMEs across Africa have until 6th June to submit their applications for 2022 ABH Grant

KIGALI, Rwanda, April 22, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) prize competition (www.AfricaBusinessHeroes.org) has announced a new Community Lead and ScaleUp Program to provide more enhanced mentoring and networking opportunities for ABH applicants and finalists.

Now in its fourth year, applications for the ABH grant are currently open in both French and English and the competition has already drawn talented entrepreneurs from almost all of the 54 African countries. Entrants have come from a diverse spectrum of sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, Education, Fashion, Healthcare, Business Services, Media and Entertainment. To date, 32% of the entrants are female and 68% are male. As a Pan-African and all-inclusive initiative, ABH is encouraging entrepreneurs and small-business owners to join the competition and stand the chance to gain many of its benefits including access to training, mentorship and a pool of USD $1.5 million.

ABH has also announced the newly launched ABH Community Lead initiative to foster greater connection and engagement among ABH finalists and applicants. This program will be introduced in and led by:

  • Egypt, Cairo – Khadija El Bedweihy, PraxiLabs (https://PraxiLabs.com) (2021 1st Place Winner)
    ABH Local Community Lead for North Africa

“I immediately accepted this opportunity. Spreading the word to everyone I know and everyone I can reach about what ABH can do for their startups, how it can impact them just seems right. I am looking forward to lots of events, networking and knowledge-sharing and give-back.”

  • Nigeria, Lagos – Chibuzo Opara, DrugStoc (www.DrugStoc.com) (2019 Top 10 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Anglophone West Africa (Lagos, Nigeria)

“It’s great to be part of this amazing program. I feel humbled to be a community lead working with entrepreneurs out of Nigeria to enable them to leverage the ABH platform to solve their challenges and create African business giants. Excited about the next couple of years – watch this space guys!”

  • Cote D’Ivoire, Abidjan – Moulaye Taboure, ANKA (https://bit.ly/3uZRg2I) (2019 Top 10 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Francophone West Africa

“As the first francophone to ever be in the TOP10 (and the only at the time), I know for a fact that our region has just as much talented as Anglophone Africa. So, I am extremely proud and confident to help more heroes hail from Francophone Africa, watch out for us!”

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa – Patricia Nzolantima, Bizzoly Holdings (www.WorkingLadiesCabs.com) (2020 Top 50 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Francophone Africa

“As a community lead, I hope to bring value, guidance, support and the necessary resources to DRC’s entrepreneurs. I hope to help entrepreneurs to believe in their dream and trust their process because entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination. Entrepreneurs are the future of Africa!”

  • Kenya, Nairobi – Charlot Magayi, Mukuru Clean Stoves (www.MukuruStoves.org) (2021 Top 10 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for East Africa

“I am excited to be working with ABH as the local connect lead for Kenya. I hope my participation enables ABH to discover more heroes especially in East Africa and encourages more young people to pursue entrepreneurship.”

  • South Africa, Cape Town – Mampho Sotshongaye, Golden Rewards 1981cc (www.GoldenRewards1981cc.co.za) (2021 Top 20 Finalist)
    ABH Local Community Lead for Southern Africa

“This program enables entrepreneurs to engage with local counterparts, encourage one another as well as showcase their best entrepreneurial abilities. Creating platforms of empowerment is something that is dear to my heart. I am grateful to be given a role to contribute and encourage entrepreneurs to dream big.”

In each of these countries, Community Leads will have a platform to engage, collaborate and build a strong entrepreneurial community in their local markets. They will be organizing a range of offline events for ABH finalists including coffee, outdoor activities, discussions and vision boarding as well as events for ABH applicants such as information and networking sessions, ABH Show viewing parties and livestreams of the ABH Grand Finale.

Alongside the Community Leads initiative, ABH has also launched a new ABH ScaleUp program. The ScaleUp program will provide ABH entrants with holistic training sessions that cover a critical range of business operational areas for entrepreneurs and small businesses including People & HR Management, Strategy Planning, Financial Management, Growth, Fundraising, and Operations & Execution.

The ScaleUp training program will be led by ABH’s partners. Initial programs will cover a Management Development course led by African Management Institute (www.AfricanManagers.org) will equip managers with skills to empower teams and drive performance; an Investment Readiness program designed by VC4A will teach fundraising, negotiating with equity investors, debt finance and more; FinTech training by 10×1000 (www.10×1000.org) to provide entrepreneurs with the mindset knowledge and skills on the latest fintech topics and technologies to  become drivers of digital economic growth; and Financial Management by the South African Innovation Summit (SAIS) (www.InnovationSummit.co.za) to explore key financial topics around financial management to grow a business.

Beyond the training programs on offer to ABH finalists, the ScaleUp program will also include community-based learning sessions that are open to the wider ABH community including past applicants. One such event will be held this Friday, the 22nd of April at 14:00 GMT | 15:00 WAT | 16:00 CAT | 17:00 EAT and will focus on two topics that are vital to master when becoming a successful entrepreneur “Relationship Building” and “Resilience”. Interested participants can register now by following this link: https://bit.ly/36xopcy

To apply to the 2022 Africa’s Business Heroes competition and gain access to a wide range of benefits, enter your application on ABH’s official site (https://bit.ly/3OqQ6oq). You can also follow Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/36yDUB9), Twitter (https://bit.ly/3Or4fCd), Facebook (https://bit.ly/3L39gil) and Instagram (https://bit.ly/3kgDMtn).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH).

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Genesis Energy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to Discuss Energy Expansion at Congo Energy & Investment Forum

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Genesis Energy

Akinwole Omoboriowo II will discuss Genesis Energy’s plan to deliver 10.5 GW of power across Africa, highlighting how Nigeria’s power sector experience can inform the development of the Republic of Congo’s domestic energy grid and gas export potential

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, January 20, 2025/APO Group/ — 

Akinwole Omoboriowo II, CEO of Genesis Energy, will speak at the Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) in Brazzaville this March, where he will discuss the company’s plans to deliver 10.5 GW of power across Africa, with a focus on energy initiatives that align with the Republic of Congo’s energy development goals.

Genesis Energy is driving transformational power projects, including providing 334MW to the Port Harcourt Refinery in Nigeria and plans to produce 1 GW within the WAEMU region. In October 2024, Genesis and BPA Komani announced their strategic partnership to mobilize capital and facilitate critical infrastructure projects focused on renewable energy, particularly Battery Energy Storage Systems across Africa. Additionally, Genesis’ recent MOU with the U.S. Agency for International Development will mobilize $10 billion for green energy and renewable projects, supporting Africa’s transition to a sustainable energy future.

The inaugural Congo Economic and Investment Forum, set for March 25-26, 2025 in Brazzaville, will bring together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. The event will explore the latest gas-to-power projects and provide updates on ongoing expansions across the country.

During CEIF 2025, Omoboriowo will explore how Genesis’ successful energy infrastructure development projects in Africa, combined with private sector innovation, can guide the Republic of Congo in strengthening its energy security and achieving its decarbonization goals. By leveraging its expertise in clean energy and strategic partnerships, Genesis Energy is poised to play a key role in helping the Republic of Congo harness its energy potential and expand its regional energy influence.

The Republic of Congo’s renewable energy sector is in a phase of growth, with increasing interest in solar, hydro and wind energy projects. Battery energy storage capacities are also gaining traction as a vital component of the country’s energy infrastructure, helping to balance supply and demand. The government is focusing on diversifying its energy mix to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and enhance grid reliability. Looking ahead, the Congo aims to expand its renewable energy capacity and integrate storage solutions to meet growing domestic and regional energy needs while supporting environmental sustainability.

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

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Eni, TotalEnergies Announce New Exploration Projects in Libya

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National Oil Corporation

Eni is launching three exploration plays, TotalEnergies is expecting promising results from its recent onshore exploration project, and other developments were shared during an upstream IOC-led panel at the Libya Energy & Economic Summit

TRIPOLI, Libya, January 19, 2025/APO Group/ — 

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) and international energy companies TotalEnergies, Eni, OMV, Repsol and Nabors outlined key exploration milestones and strategies to advance oil and gas production in Libya at the Libya Energy & Economic Summit 2025 on January 18.

Among the key developments highlighted were TotalEnergies’ recent onshore exploration project and promising exploration opportunities in the Sirte and Murzuq basins.

“With 40% of Africa’s reserves, Libya remains largely untapped,” said Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa at TotalEnergies. Pouget shared TotalEnergies’ plans for 2025, including the completion of an onshore exploration project and new exploration in the Waha and Sharara fields. “We expect results next week,” he added.

Luca Vignati, Upstream Director at Eni, echoed optimism for Libya’s potential and outlined the company’s ongoing investment initiatives in the country. “We are launching three exploration plays – shallow, deepwater and ultra-deep offshore. No other country offers such opportunities,” Vignati stated. He also highlighted the company’s investments in gas projects, including over $10 billion for the Greenstream gas pipeline and a CO2 capture and storage plant in Mellitah.

Repsol affirmed its commitment to advancing exploration in Libya, focusing on overcoming industry challenges and achieving significant production milestones.

We have 48 billion barrels of discovered but unexploited oil, with total potential estimated at 90 billion barrels, especially offshore

“Over the past decade, Libya has made remarkable efforts to fight natural field decline and encourage exploration,” said Francisco Gea, Executive Managing Director, Exploration & Production at Repsol. “We have reached 340,000 barrels per day. The two million target is within reach, and as international companies, we have the responsibility to bring capacity and technology.”

“Innovation is key to maximizing production and accelerating exploration. By deploying cutting-edge solutions, Nabors can enhance efficiency, reduce costs and ensure safer operations,” added Travis Purvis, Senior Vice President of Global Drilling Operations at Nabors.

Bashir Garea, Technical Advisor to the Chairman of the NOC, highlighted the country’s immense oil and gas potential. “We have 48 billion barrels of discovered but unexploited oil, with total potential estimated at 90 billion barrels, especially offshore,” he said. He also pointed to Libya’s sizable gas reserves, noting, “Libya has 122 trillion cubic feet of gas yet to be developed. To unlock this potential, we need more investors and new technology, particularly for brownfield revitalization.”

“Our strategy spans the entire value chain. Strengthening infrastructure is essential to maximizing production and efficiency,” said Hisham Najah, General Manager of the NOC’s Investment & Owners Committees Department.

NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber and session moderator, underlined Libya as a prime destination for foreign investment: “Libya is at the cusp of a new energy era. The time for bold investments and strategic partnerships is now.”

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

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Libya’s Oil Minister: Brownfields, Local Investment Key to 2M Barrels Per Day (BPD) Production

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Libya’s Oil & Gas Minister outlined plans to boost production to 1.6 million bpd in 2025 and 2 million bpd long-term, with brownfield development and local investment at the core, during the Libya Energy & Economic Summit

TRIPOLI, Libya, January 19, 2025/APO Group/ — 

Libya is setting its sights on boosting oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) within the next two to three years, with brownfield development and local investment identified as critical drivers of this growth. Speaking at the Libya Energy & Economic Summit (LEES) in Tripoli on Saturday, Minister of Oil and Gas Dr. Khalifa Abdulsadek outlined the country’s strategy to reach 1.6 million bpd by year-end and laid the groundwork for longer-term growth.

“There are massive opportunities here, massive fields that have been discovered, but a lot of fields have fallen between the cracks,” stated Minister Abdulsadek during the Ministerial Panel, Global Energy Alliance – Uniting for a Secure and Sustainable Energy Future. “We want to make sure local oil companies take part. We also want to leverage the upcoming licensing round to support our planned growth in the oil sector.”

The minister’s remarks were complemented by a strong call for international participation in Libya’s upcoming licensing round, signaling the government’s commitment to fostering collaboration and maximizing the potential of its energy sector.

Highlighting Libya’s vast natural gas potential – with reserves of 1.5 trillion cubic meters – Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, stressed the need for enhanced investment in gas projects. He pointed to ongoing initiatives like the $600 million El Sharara refinery as opportunities to stimulate economic diversification.

There are massive opportunities here, massive fields that have been discovered, but a lot of fields have fallen between the cracks

“Natural gas is available,” Hamel stated, adding, “It is the greenest of hydrocarbons and we see natural gas continuing to grow until 2050.”

The panel also tackled the global energy transition, emphasizing Africa’s unique challenges and the need for the continent to harness its resources to achieve energy security. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), underscored the critical need for finance, technology and reliable markets to drive progress.

“At APPO, we have noted three specific challenges for the African continent. Finance, technology and reliable markets,” he stated, questioning whether Africa can continue to depend on external forces to develop its resources.

As one of Africa’s top oil producers, Libya holds an estimated 48 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. The country’s efforts to expand production, attract investment and drive innovation are central to the discussions at LEES 2025. Endorsed by the Ministry of Oil and Gas and National Oil Corporation, the summit has established itself as the leading platform for driving Libya’s energy transformation and exploring its impact on global markets.

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

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