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Canon celebrates significant milestones with production of 110 million Electro Optical System (EOS) series cameras

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Canon

Canon’s EOS system debuted alongside the EF series of interchangeable lenses in March 1987 as the world’s first fully-electronic mount system for silver halide film AF SLR cameras

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 17, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Canon Inc. (www.Canon-CNA.com) announced that the company has reached two major production milestones – a cumulative total of 110 million[1] EOS Series interchangeable-lens cameras in March and 160 million[2] RF/EF series interchangeable lenses in May. An EOS R6 Mark II (released in December 2022) was the 110 millionth EOS series camera produced, while an RF 100mm F2.8 L MACRO IS USM (released in July 2021) became the Company’s 160 millionth interchangeable lens.

Production of EOS Series cameras reaches 110 million mark through Canon’s pursuit of “Speed, Comfort and High Image Quality”

EOS, or Electro Optical System, is also the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn. Canon’s EOS system debuted alongside the EF series of interchangeable lenses in March 1987 as the world’s first fully-electronic mount system for silver halide film AF SLR cameras. During the dawn of digital SLR cameras, Canon introduced its breakthrough EOS 300D (EOS Digital Rebel or EOS Kiss Digital in other regions) in September 2003. Since that time, Canon has continued to launch a range of groundbreaking products, including the professional-model EOS-1D series and the EOS 5D series, which paved the way for digital SLR video recording. Canon’s desire to further expand the boundaries of visual expression led to its next-generation EOS R System, launched in October 2018. By striving to expand its lineup of attractive products to meet a diverse range of needs, Canon’s EOS series has gained and maintained the support of many users over the years. As a result, the company has maintained the world’s No. 1 share[3] of digital SLR cameras over 20 years, from 2003 to 2022. In March 2023, Canon produced its 110 millionth EOS series camera.

Production of Canon RF/EF lenses reaches 160 million unit production milestone on the strength of advanced imaging technology

Canon’s proprietary EF lenses, launched in March 1987 along with the EOS SLR camera system, have continued to evolve since their introduction, leading the industry through the incorporation of a wide range of innovative technologies, including such world firsts[4] as the Ultrasonic Motor (USM), Image Stabilizer (IS) technology, and a multilayered diffractive optical (DO) element.

With the addition of the RF Lens – which achieves unprecedented high image quality by leveraging a large aperture and short-back focus, along with a high-speed signal transmission system, that are the hallmarks of the EOS R System launched in 2018 – the entire range of lenses has been expanded to include a total of 115 models[5], expanding the possibilities of image capture. In May 2023, the Company celebrated the production of 160 million EOS series interchangeable lenses.

Refining its proprietary imaging technologies, Canon will continue to strengthen and expand the EOS series along with its RF and EF lens lineup, striving to push the frontier of imaging forward and to contribute to the further development of photographic and video imaging culture.

The EOS Series

The EOS series, a new generation of AF SLR cameras that adopt the world’s first electronic mount system achieving full electronic control of the entire system, was launched with the EOS 650, released in March 1987.

As silver halide cameras boomed, Canon launched several models covering a wide range of user needs, including the EOS-1 in Japan in 1989, aimed at professionals, and the EOS 500 (EOS Rebel XS or EOS Kiss in other regions) in Japan in 1993, which achieved a compact, lightweight design and greatly expanded Canon’s user base. Then in 2003, during the early years of the digital camera age, the Company released in Japan the groundbreaking EOS 300D Digital (EOS Digital Rebel or EOS Kiss Digital in other regions), an entry-level digital SLR camera that realized a compact, lightweight body at an affordable price. This move would trigger a massive expansion of the camera market, with Canon claiming the overwhelming lead in market share that same year. With the later release of the EOS-1D Series for professionals and the EOS 5D series, which helped popularize video capture using SLR cameras, Canon has continued to release epoch-making products.

In October 2018 Canon launched the EOS R System, which includes the inaugural EOS R and the EOS R5 – the first camera to feature 8K video recording – released in July 2020 along with the EOS R3 in November 2021, which features tracking of fast-moving subjects and continuous shooting performance, and the compact, light-weight EOS R100, thus expanding the company’s product lineup. In addition, Canon launched the EOS VR System, designed to record video for virtual reality content, in December 2021. With the launch of these products and technologies, Canon is tirelessly pursuing new possibilities for visual expression.

Canon’s RF and EF Lenses

Since the release of the first EF lens, launched alongside the EOS series in March 1987, Canon has produced such EF lenses featuring world-first technologies as the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM with image stabilization in Japan in 1995, the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM with a DO lens in Japan in 2001 and the EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM, treated with highly antireflective Subwavelength Structure Coating (SWC[6]) in Japan in 2008. In 2018, Canon released the RF 28-70mm F2 L USM – a standard zoom lens to achieve the world’s first fast f/2 aperture across the entire zoom range[7] – and in May 2023, the company released the RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM large-diameter telephoto zoom lens that realizes both high image quality and portability.

Today, Canon boasts 115 lenses in its rich RF and EF lens lineup that comprises such lenses as an ultra-wide-angle 5.2 mm focal length lens, a 1200 mm focal length super-telephoto lens and EF Cinema Series lenses for video production. With a wide selection of lenses for every purpose including zoom lenses, IS-equipped lenses, fast-aperture lenses, macro lenses, VR lenses and even the TS-E tilt-shift lenses, Canon is well-positioned to meet the needs of various users.


[1]Total unit sales of both silver halide (film) and digital cameras. Includes cinema cameras for video production.

[2] Includes EF, EF-S, RF, RF-S, EF-M and EF Cinema lenses and lens extenders.

[3] In terms of market share by number of units sold. Based on Canon research.

[4] Among interchangeable SLR camera lenses. Based on Canon research.

[5] The number of types of lenses available for sale may differ depending on regional markets. Includes four lens extenders. As of June 28, 2023.

[6] Subwavelength Structure Coating: a specialized lens coating that offers strong anti-reflection properties.

[7] Among interchangeable lenses supporting autofocus across the entire standard zoom range and compatible with 35mm equivalent full-frame sensor cameras. Based on Canon research.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

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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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African Energy Chamber

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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Angola

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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Islamic Development Bank

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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