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Africa’s Crude Export Landscape is Shifting – What It Means for the Continent and the Industry

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1 year ago

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African Energy Chamber

As Africa evolves from a traditional crude exporter into a rising energy consumer and industrial powerhouse, the OPEC World Oil Outlook 2025 underscores a continent on the rise – setting the stage for high-level dialogue and investment at African Energy Week 2025

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 17, 2025/APO Group/ –Africa is repositioning itself in the global oil market – not merely as a supplier to international markets, but as a rising energy consumer and industrial growth hub. The newly released OPEC World Oil Outlook 2025 underscores a continent in transition, leveraging its natural resources to meet domestic demand, expand refining capacity and strengthen regional energy security. These shifts signal a maturing energy profile, one that will be at the forefront of discussions during African Energy Week 2025 (AEW): Invest in African Energies, where policymakers, investors and industry leaders will shape the future of African energy on African terms.

 

Crude Exports Plateau Before Gradual Decline

OPEC projects that Africa’s total crude and condensate exports will remain stable at around 5.2 million barrels per day (bpd) through 2035, thanks to modest increases in production. However, this steady supply will increasingly be used at home. By 2050, exports are expected to decline to 4.2 million bpd – not due to market loss, but as a result of rising domestic demand and strategic value addition on the continent.

One of the most significant insights from the report is the continent’s growing internal energy appetite. Domestic crude use is expected to rise from 1.8 million bpd in 2024 to 4.5 million bpd by 2050, nearly tripling over the outlook period. This growth is tied to Africa’s demographic boom, industrial expansion and a concerted push to enhance local refining and downstream infrastructure. As African governments invest in capacity to process more of their own crude and produce their own fuels, the continent is taking steps toward energy independence and job creation across the value chain.

AEW 2025 will be a critical moment to chart that course, ensuring that Africa’s oil and gas resources are harnessed not only for global supply but for African prosperity

Europe and Asia: Changing Trade Patterns

Meanwhile, global trade patterns are shifting in ways that present new opportunities for African producers. Exports to Europe are expected to increase to a peak of 3 million bpd in 2030, before gradually tapering to 2.3 million bpd by 2050, in line with Europe’s broader energy transition and shrinking reliance on imported oil. The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a more prominent long-term partner, with African crude exports remaining stable at 1.9 million bpd through 2030, then rising modestly to 2.2 million bpd by 2040 before easing to 1.8 million bpd by 2050.

Trade with the U.S. and Canada, which stood at 400,000 bpd in 2024, is expected to fall to 100,000 bpd by 2045, as competition from Latin America intensifies. Yet rather than signaling decline, this trend underscores the importance of market diversification and deeper regional cooperation – a direction many African producers are already pursuing through integrated trade corridors, cross-border pipelines and African Continental Free Trade Area initiatives.

What This Means for Africa’s Energy Strategy — and AEW

These evolving dynamics will be a core focus at AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies, the continent’s premier platform for energy dialogue, investment and policy alignment. AEW will provide a stage for African countries to present their long-term energy strategies and forge partnerships aimed at building capacity, securing financing and scaling infrastructure. Rather than reacting to global shifts, Africa is asserting its own agenda centered on energy access, industrialization and sustainable growth.

A dedicated OPEC roundtable at AEW will also explore the implications of the World Oil Outlook 2025 in greater depth. This forum will offer African producers and OPEC member states a chance to align on market expectations, explore new trade frameworks and identify areas for collaboration across production, refining and investment.

“As demand at home accelerates and global market dynamics evolve, the continent is stepping into a more self-directed and strategic role in the energy world. AEW 2025 will be a critical moment to chart that course, ensuring that Africa’s oil and gas resources are harnessed not only for global supply but for African prosperity,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Week.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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InnoHK R&D Centres Establish Base at Science Park to Drive Emerging Industries and Pioneer Future Innovation

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September 2, 2026

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InnoHK

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 September 2026 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in collaboration with the Innovation and Technology Commission, successfully hosted the launch ceremony for the third InnoHK research cluster (SEAM@InnoHK) at Hong Kong Science Park today. Focusing on emerging domains such as sustainable development, energy, advanced manufacturing, and materials, SEAM@InnoHK is jointly led by top local and international academic and research institutions. The platform demonstrates Hong Kong’s robust R&D capabilities and global collaboration networks while promising tangible societal benefits, further solidifying Hong Kong’s role as an international I&T hub.

 




  

Officiating guests at the Launch Ceremony included Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (front row, centre); Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP (front row, 4th from right); Mr Kelvin Choi, Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (front row, 4th from left); Mr Lyu Feng, Deputy Director-General of the Economic and Financial Department II of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR (front row, 3th from right); Mr Ivan Lee, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (front row, 3th from left); and Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP (front row, 1st from right).

The launch ceremony was officiated by key guests including Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP; Mr Kelvin Choi, Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Mr Lyu Feng, Deputy Director-General of the Economic and Financial Department II of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Mr Ivan Lee, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology; and Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP. They were joined by representatives and scholars from local and overseas universities, international research organizations, R&D centres, and industry partners to witness the launch of SEAM@InnoHK and explore its R&D roadmap and industrial application prospects.

Building a Flourishing Ecosystem to Empower R&D Commercialisation

As the largest I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong, HKSTP provides comprehensive professional support and resources to the R&D centres under SEAM@InnoHK. This encompasses world-class R&D infrastructure, seamless connections with academic institutions, talent pools, and investor networks, as well as matchmaking with funding and industry partners—empowering teams to transform breakthrough research into scalable, high-impact commercial solutions.

Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, said: “InnoHK has been with the Science Park for 5 years and this is the start of the second 5-year period. What we can see is that InnoHK has demonstrated the power of collaboration amongst world eminent scholars, researchers, and global partners. The first two clusters, Health@InnoHK and AIR@InnoHK have delivered world-class achievements. We commit to provide all the support we can to the InnoHK teams, as your success will add to the heartbeat of the ecosystem—not only for HKSTP, but for Hong Kong’s entire innovation landscape.”

Gathering Global Scientific Excellence to Drive Breakthroughs

The eight R&D centres under SEAM@InnoHK have brought together over 30 top global universities and research institutions, including the University of Cambridge, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Nagoya University, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, and Peking University.

Notably, three R&D centres feature collaborations with Nobel Laureates: Professor Ben L. Feringa from the University of Groningen (2016 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry), who participates in the research at the InnoHK Centre of Functional Materials for Energy and Sustainability (CFMES); Sir Konstantin Novoselov, renowned as the “Father of Graphene” from the National University of Singapore (2010 Nobel Laureate in Physics), who serves as principle investigator for the Inno Centre for Heterogeneous Integration and Production (CHIP); and Professor Hiroshi Amano from Nagoya University (2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics), who participates in research at InnoHK Power Semiconductors and Applications Center (PowerSAC). This stellar international scientific lineup highlights Hong Kong’s unique advantages in assembling world-class research talent, fostering cross-border collaboration, and driving technological innovation, further consolidating its status as a global hub for research cooperation.

InnoHK is a flagship I&T initiative of the HKSAR Government aimed at developing Hong Kong into a global hub for scientific research cooperation. It encourages world-leading universities and research institutes to conduct collaborative research with local institutions by establishing R&D centres in Hong Kong. Together with “Health@InnoHK”, focusing on healthcare technologies and “AIR@InnoHK”, focusing on AI and robotics technologies, the three InnoHK research clusters will further enrich Hong Kong’s world-class scientific landscape, accelerating technology transfer, startup incubation, and the growth of the I&T industry.

Introduction to the Eight SEAM@InnoHK R&D Centres (For details, please refer to the Appendix):
InnoHK Centre for Advanced and Smart Manufacturing (CASM): Lead global manufacturing toward Industry 5.0 by fusing AI, advanced materials, additive manufacturing and digital twins to create smart, sustainable, and human-centered solutions.
InnoHK Centre of Functional Materials for Energy and Sustainability (CFMES): Advance breakthrough discoveries in functional materials to address bottleneck challenges related to energy and sustainability.
InnoHK Centre for Heterogeneous Integration and Production (CHIP): Advance next-generation electronics through innovations in semiconductor equipment and material processing, with a focus on advancing heterogeneous integration technologies.
InnoHK Centre for Space Manufacturing Technology (CSMT): Establish a world-class hub for international research collaboration in space manufacturing, integrating cutting-edge R&D in advanced materials and additive processes with demonstration and applied innovation in Hong Kong.
InnoHK Hong Kong Center for Renewable Energy and Storage (HKCRES): Develop and integrate high-performance perovskite photovoltaics, green hydrogen systems, and next-generation batteries via an end-to-end innovation framework in Hong Kong.
InnoHK Power Semiconductors and Applications Center (PowerSAC): Develop advanced power semiconductors, intelligent chips and system technologies for more efficient, compact and reliable power conversion.
InnoHK Research Centre for Intelligent GRID and Energy Technologies (I-GET): Develop intelligent, green and transformative grid and energy technologies for resilient, efficient and carbon-neutral cities.
InnoHK Sustainable Materials & Advanced Renewable Technologies (SMART Centre): Leverage artificial intelligence and smart automation technologies to accelerate materials discovery for circular waste upcycling, repurposing, and next-generation clean energy technologies.

About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 and has built a proven foundation as Hong Kong’s leading innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. Established for 25 years, HKSTP is supporting 14 unicorns, has nurtured more than 17,000 research professionals and built a community of over 2,400 technology companies from 26 countries and regions across four strategic technology clusters: Life and Health Technology, AI and Data Science, Micro-electronics, and New Energy and Green Technology.

As an ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP provides end-to-end support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate commercialisation and help technology ventures scale. Its innovation infrastructure spans over 240 hectares covering Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong, and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long, advancing Hong Kong’s vision for new industrialisation and smart manufacturing.

Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, strengthens cross-border collaboration by connecting Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and global innovation networks and propels Chinese innovators onto the world stage, while also delivering comprehensive GBA landing support to accelerate cross-border success for local and international ventures.

As HKSTP enters its next chapter with strong foundations, it continues to deepen impact, elevate quality and create value for innovators. As an ecosystem built to lead change, HKSTP is empowering Hong Kong to define what comes next in innovation, growth and opportunity.
 




 

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WIOCC Group Secures Strategic Investment from Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision Invest to Accelerate its Digital Infrastructure Expansion Across Africa

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5 hours ago

on

September 2, 2026

By

WIOCC

The investment comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital development as demand for data, cloud services and artificial intelligence continues to grow

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, September 1, 2026/APO Group/ –WIOCC Group, Africa’s leading carrier-neutral digital infrastructure platform, today announced the signing of a Shareholder Subscription Agreement (SSA) with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest), through which the two investors will make a combined US $300 million investment in the company. Signed at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh, the agreement represents a significant milestone in WIOCC Group’s growth journey, supporting its mission to build and operate open-access, critical infrastructure across Africa and to strengthen the digital ecosystems that underpin Africa’s economic transformation.

 




 

 

The investment comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital development as demand for data, cloud services and artificial intelligence continues to grow. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), only 35.7% of Africa’s population was using the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%, highlighting the scale of the continent’s digital infrastructure needs and growth potential. Meanwhile, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projects the global AI market will reach US $4.8 trillion by 2033, while warning that access to AI capabilities and digital infrastructure remains concentrated in a limited number of countries and companies. These trends underscore the importance of investing in resilient, high-capacity infrastructure that can expand digital access, support cross-border data flows and help narrow the digital divide.

Operating in more than 30 African countries, WIOCC Group today is a key enabler for further expansion, having established one of the continent’s most extensive, open-access digital infrastructure platforms that supports its clients in accessing new markets and delivering reliable digital services at scale. Since its establishment, WIOCC Group has been supported by a group of African telecommunications operators and strategic investors, alongside leading international development and investment institutions including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and African Capital Alliance (ACA). Its shareholders include Uganda Telecom, Dalkom Somalia, Djibouti Telecom, Mozambique Telecom (TMCEL), Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel), Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), ONATEL, TelOne and Telkom Kenya. The backing of these leading investors and operators has been instrumental in WIOCC’s growth into one of Africa’s most extensive and trusted digital infrastructure platforms, delivering connectivity services across the continent and contributing to the continued growth of Africa’s digital economy.

Africa is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the next phase of global digital growth

Commenting on this investment, Samaila Zubairu, President & Chief Executive Officer of AFC, said, ‘The Africa we build must be connected, competitive and equipped to create value from the digital economy, not only consume it. Just as transport corridors enable trade and energy networks power industry, fibre, data centres and subsea cables are now essential infrastructure for growth, innovation and AI. Our investment in WIOCC will expand the open-access digital backbone African businesses and communities need to integrate, innovate and compete globally.’

Chris Wood, Group Chief Executive Officer of WIOCC Group, further explained, ‘Africa is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the next phase of global digital growth. As demand for cloud, AI and digital services accelerates, robust and scalable infrastructure will be essential to unlocking the continent’s potential. This investment enables WIOCC to execute its long-term growth strategy by accelerating data centre deployment and consolidation, expanding the continent’s open-access terrestrial fibre footprint and investing strategically in new subsea assets, strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure platform and enhancing connectivity between the continent and key international markets.’

President & Chief Executive Officer of Vision Invest, Omar N. Al-Midani, added, ‘WIOCC Group has built one of Africa’s leading digital infrastructure platforms, and we are proud to partner together with AFC and WIOCC’s existing shareholders as the company enters its next phase of growth. Home to the world’s youngest population and expected to account for more than one-quarter of the global population by 2050, demand for digital services in Africa will continue to rise, necessitating impactful investments in connectivity and digital ecosystems to unlock new opportunities for innovation, economic diversification and sustainable growth as well as opportunities for businesses, innovators and communities across Africa.’

Joshua Smythwood, Group Chief Strategy and M&A Officer of WIOCC Group, concluded, ‘The successful completion of this investment marks an important step in WIOCC Group’s evolution, enhancing the Group’s financial strength and enabling the management team to strengthen our market position, accelerate growth, enhance our ability to meet the evolving needs of customers across Africa, and generate long-term value for investors and stakeholders.’

The investment brings together AFC’s long-standing commitment to advancing Africa’s economic development, Vision Invest’s experience in developing strategic and impactful infrastructure investments, and WIOCC Group’s established digital footprint and extensive client relationships. Together, AFC, Vision Invest and WIOCC aim to contribute to accelerating the development of Africa’s digital ecosystem and supporting the continent’s growing role in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

 




 

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Africa Finance Corporation Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as Gold Partner Amid Record Capital Deployment Across Africa

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5 hours ago

on

September 2, 2026

By

African Energy Chamber

AFC brings $19 billion in infrastructure financing firepower to AEW 2026 as a Gold Partner

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 1, 2026/APO Group/ –The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has joined African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Gold Partner, reinforcing the event’s role as a meeting point for the institutions financing Africa’s energy and infrastructure buildout. The partnership comes as the Pan-African multilateral finance institution completes a record capital deployment cycle spanning refining, transport, power generation and upstream oil and gas.

AFC has shown consistently that African infrastructure and energy projects can attract serious capital when the structuring is right

 




 

AFC’s 2026 deal flow demonstrates the depth and breadth of that capital. In August, the institution led investors into a $2.5 billion private placement for the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals complex in Lagos, the largest publicly disclosed primary equity private placement in African history. The deal was oversubscribed 3.7 times. In July, AFC reached financial close on the $753 million Lobito Corridor Railway Project in Angola alongside the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), a 1,300 km cross-border rail rehabilitation linking the Port of Lobito with the DRC border. AFC financing also supported what will become Burkina Faso’s largest power plant.

AFC raised a record $2 billion syndicated loan in June, upsized from an initial $1.6 billion target, drawing lenders from Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In July it raised $500 million through a Eurobond at the tightest pricing in its history, and in August it became the first African institution to issue a digital bond, raising CHF 350 million on a regulated Swiss digital exchange. AFC’s assets now exceed $19 billion, while its membership spans 48 African countries. The institution holds A-level investment-grade ratings from both S&P and Moody’s.

AFC’s Gold Partnership gives AEW 2026 delegates direct access to an institution that operates across the full infrastructure and energy value chain, from project development and advisory through to equity, debt and risk mitigation. The corporation’s State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2026, launched in Nairobi in April, found that Africa’s non-bank domestic capital pools now exceed $2 trillion and argued that the priority has shifted from raising capital to deploying it productively. AEW 2026 is built around that challenge, and AFC’s presence strengthens the event’s ability to connect bankable projects with the institutions prepared to finance them.

“AFC has shown consistently that African infrastructure and energy projects can attract serious capital when the structuring is right and the institutions behind them are credible. Having them at AEW strengthens the conversation between project sponsors and the financiers who can move deals forward,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

 




 

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