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Egypt’s Customs Automation Shows Growth Lies in the Speed of Exports and Imports (By Mazen Abualghanam)

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Customs Automation

Some experts put the economic growth driven by digital transformation in Africa at US$180 billion, and if trends continue it could rise to US$712 billion by 2025

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 5, 2022/APO Group/ — 

By Mazen Abualghanam, Projects Manager at Webb Fontaine (www.WebbFontaine.com)

In any business, speed is a factor. Whether a business is a large corporation or a small to medium enterprise (SME), its profits, consumer satisfaction and its ability to grow are tied to how quickly its operations can be carried out. Enterprise growth rates, in turn, feed into the GDP of the nations they operate in and, on a wider scale, the continent. If speed is negatively affected, growth is stymied, and economic growth is stunted. Nowhere is this clearer than in the import/export industry, with its global supply chains being impacted over the past few years by multiple factors. 

Technology and free trade key to Africa’s  growth  

The ease of goods movement is integral to economic growth, and Africa is well placed to reap the benefits of this, thanks to two important factors. Technological advancements, connectivity growth and automation have already uplifted many industries around Africa (https://bit.ly/3rxHAtA), and through private-public partnerships, they are  also helping speed up the flow of goods into and out of the continent.  If the ease of regional and international trade improves, the intra-Africa trade figure could be significantly higher than the current 15.4%.  

The ease of goods movement is integral to economic growth, and Africa is well placed to reap the benefits of this, thanks to two important factors

Some experts put the economic growth driven by digital transformation in Africa at US$180 billion, and if trends continue it could rise to US$712 billion by 2025.   

The Egypt example 

An example of this can be seen in the partnership involving Misr Technology Services, Webb Fontaine and the government in Egypt (https://prn.to/3SFCCH6). In a deal signed in 2021, Webb Fontaine was chosen to spearhead a project to deliver a newly upgraded nationwide Integrated Risk Management (IRM) service at Egypt’s ports and borders. The project is set to support the rapidly growing Egyptian Trade and Customs sector, which has ambitions to expand and develop into one of the region’s most advanced cargo handling and forwarding destinations. 

The IRM, which uses advanced technology including machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) provides cover not only the Customs Authority in Egypt, but also the other government agencies involved in regulating trade across the border. The IRM works on a ‘trigger system’, to advise and implement inspection, reviewing and processing of export and import goods by a specific agency or customs. It draws on a steadily growing database of importers and exporters, as well as their goods and services, to speed up customs processes, tagging certain goods for ‘green lanes’ (which move swiftly) and ‘red lanes’ (which require inspection), based on each stakeholder’s compliance history and other indicators.  

Customs officials have all the necessary data and documentation pertaining to cargo and suppliers on one platform that is constantly evolving and upgrading thanks to user feedback. The platform’s developers are cognisant that as new requirements or challenges in the supply chains are encountered, stakeholder feedback is listened to, considered, and applied.  

The speed with which goods can now move across the border into Egypt has been vastly improved thanks to this automation of customs processes. In fact, the project has proven so successful that it has been rolled out in August 2022 to cover all ports and borders in Egypt. There will be a tangibleimpact as legitimate and compliant goods are no longer being held up for hours – even days – which can have knock-on detrimental effects all the way down the supply chain. For example, trucks containing goods which incur extra fuel, time, warehousing and possibly parking costs due to delays, will cause the products it is carrying to be more expensive by the time they arrive at their destinations. Due to this project’s success, many of these logistical problems will be mitigated.  

Egypt’s partnership with Webb Fontaine and Misr Technology Services has paid dividends for the import/export industry and it is an example that clearly shows collaborations of this kind are good, not only for businesses and customs, but are vital in growing the economies of African nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Webb Fontaine.

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

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

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