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Embracing an Intelligent Future: UnionPay Showcases AI Innovation at WAIC 2026

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WAIC

Release of Phased Achievements of the National Pilot Base for AI Application (Financial Sector) Held Alongside the Conference

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 July 2026 – On 17 July, the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) officially opened in Shanghai. UnionPay unveiled three proprietary AI technologies developed for the financial sector at the Shanghai exhibition area: financial transaction time-series foundation model, the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) framework, and a privacy-preserving large language model inference solution. As the AI era unfolds, the showcase highlights UnionPay’s continued commitment to accelerating the adoption of digital and intelligent technologies.

On 18 July, UnionPay hosted the Release of Phased Achievements of the National Pilot Base for AI Application (Financial Sector) at the UnionPay Center alongside WAIC 2026. The event brought together more than 100 representatives from commercial banks, Chinese and international partners, leading technology companies, academia, and research institutions. During the event, UnionPay released its “1+6+N” AI achievements framework, announced a series of industry partnerships, and launched a joint initiative calling for greater collaboration on the development and governance of the financial industry. These achievements demonstrate the progress of the National AI Application Pilot Base in building an open innovation platform that accelerates AI adoption across the industry.

Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International, attended the event and delivered a keynote speech. He noted that AI is rapidly reshaping the financial industry. Since the National AI Application Pilot Base was launched in 2025, it has delivered a number of meaningful outcomes through close collaboration across the industry. Mr. Dong elaborated on the vision for the development of the base from through three dimensions: sharing, collaborative governance, and mutual benefits. First, by pooling computing resources, data and models on a centralized public platform, the base helps address industry challenges such as the high cost of computing resources and data silos. This lowers barriers to AI adoption across the financial sector. Second, the base has strengthened AI security by building robust safeguards for large language models and applying AI to enhance transaction risk management and cybersecurity. Such efforts are made to support a safer and more resilient financial ecosystem. Third, the base is accelerating the AI adoption across real-world use cases. It has incubated a range of commercial AI solutions spanning agentic payments, credit risk management, consumption promotion and merchant digital transformation, turning technological innovation into tangible business value. Looking ahead, the future of AI + Finance holds enormous potential. UnionPay looks forward to working with partners across industries to build an open, shared, and well-governed financial AI ecosystem that supports the development of new productive forces through technological innovation.

A highlight of the event was the official launch of UnionPay’s “1+6+N” AI achievements framework.

The “1” represents a unified portal—the National AI Application Pilot Base. Built on a “One Portal, Six Centers” structure, it integrates six specialized centers covering models, datasets, applications, talent development, supply-demand matching, and financial services. Together, the platform currently hosts 11 models, 14 datasets, 59 demonstration applications, and 61 service offerings, bringing together 145 core resources in total.

The “6” refers to six independent and controllable capabilities, including computing resources scheduling through a trusted intelligent computing sharing platform, high-quality financial datasets, finance-specific foundation models, AI-powered financial security services, financial AI standards, and a pilot testing sandbox that supports model training and evaluation. Together, these six capabilities form the base’s shared technology foundation, providing ecosystem partners with the core technical infrastructure.

The “N” represents a portfolio of benchmark use cases, standardized AI solutions, and demonstration applications built on this technology foundation. These applications span five key areas—intelligent payments, inclusive finance, consumption growth, risk management and compliance, and operational excellence—building a multi-tier product portfolio serving consumers, merchants, local governments and financial institutions. This accelerates the application of AI capabilities across diverse use cases.

Together, the “1+6+N” framework of the base connects computing power, data, models, and use cases and forms an end-to-end value chain. By addressing common industry challenges—including limited computing resources, data silos and the high cost of AI deployment—it delivers standardized and widely accessible AI capabilities, providing the financial industry with reusable, highly secure and one-stop AI solutions for intelligent transformation. This also reflects UnionPay’s commitment not only to driving its own business growth, but also to enabling the industry through foundational capabilities and reinforcing financial infrastructure for the AI era.

These achievements have already been made available to industry partners and are beginning to create value. For banks, acquirers and other financial institutions, UnionPay’s shared infrastructure enables rapid access to mature financial AI capabilities without the need to build systems from scratch, significantly reducing both technical barriers and implementation costs. For merchants, UnionPay offers AI-powered marketing, digital analytics and intelligent risk management tools to support smarter operations, improve customer engagement and enhance operational efficiency, enabling even small and medium-sized businesses to benefit from AI innovation. For technology companies and other ecosystem partners, the base enables partners to rapidly adapt AI products for financial applications and complete compliance validation, accelerating the commercialization of technological innovations.

The event also featured six rounds of partnership signing ceremonies, covering areas including AI-themed card, cross-border agentic payment ecosystem development, AI-powered operational empowerment for merchants, joint commercialization of pilot base innovations, and broader ecosystem collaboration across the financial industry chain.

Following the signing ceremonies, UnionPay released the Initiative on the Collaborative Development and Governance of AI Applications in Financial Services, with representatives from participating organizations joining the stage to witness its launch. Building on the “1+6+N” framework, the initiative calls on industry stakeholders to collaborate in four areas: First, advancing trusted AI systems that serve the real economy by establishing governance mechanisms for traceable and explainable algorithms while safeguarding data privacy and security; Second, strengthening collaboration among industry, academia, research institutions and users, leveraging the base to jointly advance core technologies and develop independent and secure financial AI infrastructure; Third, promoting openness and inclusiveness by sharing mature AI models, testing services and implementation solutions to reduce the cost of intelligent transformation, particularly for SMEs; Fourth, improving lifecycle governance through tiered risk management, enhanced compliance standards and coordinated risk prevention. The initiative calls on all industry stakeholders to work together by jointly strengthening the foundation, unlocking greater value through shared capabilities, and reinforcing collaborative governance, with the goal of advancing the sound development of AI in the financial sector and driving digital finance through technological innovation.

 

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Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) Announces Finalists for 2026 Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) Awards

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September 7, 2026

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The 2026 Awards categories have been refined to reflect the evolving entrepreneurial and innovation landscape in Africa, with categories recognising emerging leaders, technology pioneers, agricultural innovators, creative visionaries, and women driving measurable impact

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) (www.AWIEForum.org) is pleased to announce the finalists for its 2026 AWIEF Awards.

 




  

Launched in 2017, the prestigious annual AWIEF Awards is an initiative to recognise, honour, and celebrate women entrepreneurs and business owners in Africa across various industry sectors for their achievements and contribution to the continent’s inclusive economic growth and social development.

Following a highly competitive nominations process, this year’s finalists represent a diverse range of sectors and African markets, reflecting the breadth of talent, innovation and impact emerging across the continent.

The 2026 Awards categories have been refined to reflect the evolving entrepreneurial and innovation landscape in Africa, with categories recognising emerging leaders, technology pioneers, agricultural innovators, creative visionaries, and women driving measurable impact.

This year also sees the introduction of the Male Ally Award, to recognise a male leader, founder, executive, policymaker or senior decision-maker whose leadership and actions have contributed meaningfully to advancing women’s economic empowerment and creating sustained, systemic change for women in Africa.

The finalists for the 2026 AWIEF Awards are (listed in alphabetical order):

WOMAN TO WATCH AWARD

Omotoke Ajidagba – Co-founder & COO, 10mg Health, Nigeria

Faith Nafula – Founder & CEO, Solar Spark Energy, Kenya

Rowena Turinawe – Founding CEO, Ruka Pay, Uganda

AGRI AWARD

Violet Awo Amoabeng – Founder & CEO, Skin Gourmet, Ghana

Stella Doreen Namulondo – Co-founder & COO, Essymart Africa Business Link, Uganda

Joyce Rugano – CEO, Ecorich Solutions, Kenya

IMPACT FOR GOOD AWARD

Ola Brown – General Partner, HealthCap Africa, Nigeria

Nada Ghammem – Co-Founder & CEO, Bionic Soul, Tunisia

Echo Nomsa VanderWal – Executive Director, The Luke Commission, Eswatini

CREATIVE VISIONARY AWARD

Rasha Aita – Managing Director, SMACRS LLC, Egypt

Renuka Methil – Managing Editor, Forbes Africa, South Africa

Hadeer Shalaby – Co-Founder & CEO, Freeziana, Egypt

TECH PIONEER AWARD

Varuna Devi Bangaleea – Group CEO, nVisionIT, Mauritius

Ndeye Fatou Mboup – CEO, The Smart Granary, Senegal

Quinter Ochieng – Founder & CEO, Chargebyte Africa, Kenya

MALE ALLY AWARD

The 2026 recipient for this award category will be announced at the AWIEF Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Lifetime Achievement Award honours a visionary female leader whose decades of leadership, entrepreneurship or public service have contributed significantly to Africa’s economic, social or institutional development and helped pave the way for future generations of women leaders.

The 2026 recipient for this award category will be announced at the AWIEF Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner.

Winners to Be Announced at AWIEF 2026 Conference

The 2026 AWIEF Awards winners will be revealed at the prestigious awards ceremony and gala dinner on 11 November 2026, taking place as the grand finale of the AWIEF 2026 Conference.

The conference will take place from 10 to 11 November 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa, bringing together women entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, policymakers, development partners, and other entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

The Awards Gala will be an opportunity to celebrate this year’s finalists and winners while recognising the women and allies helping to shape a more inclusive and prosperous economic future for Africa.

Tickets for the AWIEF 2026 Conference and Awards are available online at: https://apo-opa.co/3TeYyhW

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF).

 

 




 

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Energy

Invictus Energy Takes Zimbabwe’s Cabora Bassa Opportunity to African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as Bronze Partner

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September 4, 2026

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Invictus Energy joins AEW 2026 as Bronze Partner as Zimbabwe’s Cabora Bassa project advances toward commercialization, drilling and gas-to-power development

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 3, 2026/APO Group/ –Invictus Energy will participate in African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Bronze Partner, bringing Zimbabwe’s Cabora Bassa Basin development into the continent’s premier energy investment forum. The partnership comes as Invictus shifts from frontier exploration toward commercial development following major discoveries, regulatory progress and a landmark production sharing agreement.

 




  

Invictus holds an 80% interest across 360,000 hectares in the Cabora Bassa Basin, where its Mukuyu discovery has established a significant gas-condensate resource. The company estimates the project contains 4.2 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas and 264 million barrels of condensate, positioning Cabora Bassa as a potential new source of domestic gas and power for Zimbabwe.

The company signed a petroleum production sharing agreement with the government of Zimbabwe in May this year, establishing the fiscal and commercial framework for future development. The agreement gives the state a 20% interest and incorporates the Mutapa Investment Fund, while providing a framework under which Zimbabwe can take its share through profits or physical gas volumes.

Its participation brings Zimbabwe’s emerging gas opportunity into direct conversation with investors, developers and energy companies from across the continent and beyond

Invictus is now preparing for its next major exploration catalyst, with the Musuma-1 well scheduled to spud in November. The well will target an independent prospect on the eastern basin margin containing an unrisked gross mean prospective resource of 1.2 tcf of gas and 73 million barrels of condensate, potentially expanding the basin’s commercial footprint.

The company has also secured Exalo Drilling Rig 202 through a deed of variation with Exalo Drilling, while wellpad construction, civil works and rig preparations advance ahead of mobilization. Invictus also completed an approximately $7-million capital raising in July, strengthening its funding position for the upcoming drilling program and wider appraisal activity.

Alongside exploration, Invictus is developing an early gas-to-power commercialization pathway centered on Mukuyu. A pilot project with Dallaglio and Himoinsa is designed to generate an initial 12 MW for the Eureka Gold Mine, with potential expansion to 50 MW as gas production develops and additional industrial demand emerges.

The company is also pursuing broader gas monetization through an MoU with Mbuyu Energy, potentially supplying gas-to-power generation facilities connected to the Southern African Power Pool. Longer-term plans include regional pipeline infrastructure and modular LNG production, creating multiple routes for Cabora Bassa gas to reach Zimbabwean and regional energy markets.

“Invictus Energy represents the type of African-led resource development that AEW is designed to showcase, where exploration success is being matched by commercial planning, government alignment and investment,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. “Its participation brings Zimbabwe’s emerging gas opportunity into direct conversation with investors, developers and energy companies from across the continent and beyond.”

Invictus’ Bronze Partnership gives AEW 2026 delegates direct engagement with an emerging African upstream developer advancing one of the continent’s most significant recent onshore gas discoveries. Its participation comes as Zimbabwe seeks to convert new hydrocarbon resources into domestic power generation, industrial growth and energy security, while attracting investment into an underexplored frontier basin.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

 




 

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bp Supply, Trading & Shipping Strengthens Global Market Focus at Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Gold Sponsor

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September 4, 2026

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Moving around 240 million tons of oil, gas and products annually, bp Supply, Trading & Shipping will bring its global energy marketing and logistics expertise to Angola’s premier industry event

LUANDA, Angola, September 3, 2026/APO Group/ –bp Supply, Trading & Shipping – the distribution business of energy major bp – has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, bringing the expertise of one of the world’s leading energy marketing, operations and trading businesses to discussions around Angola’s position in global oil and gas markets.

 




  

Connecting producers and suppliers with customers and markets worldwide, bp Supply, Trading & Shipping sits at the intersection of energy production, transportation and consumption. The company’s participation at AOG 2026 comes as Angola seeks to strengthen its position as a competitive oil and gas producer while maximizing the value generated from its resources.

As one of Africa’s largest oil and gas producers, Angola has set clear objectives to sustain production above one million barrels per day (bpd) while increasing natural gas development and exports. Monthly crude production measured approximately 31 million barrels in June 2026 – equivalent to 1.039 million bpd – while gas production averaged 2,663 million cubic feet per day. During the same period, Angola’s total crude liftings were 34.16 million barrels, of which 33 million barrels were exported and 1.07 million barrels made available for the Luanda refinery.

Looking ahead, Angola strives to bolster output through enhanced recovery and infill drilling at mature assets alongside forays into frontier exploration basins. Recent developments include TotalEnergies extending the life of the prolific Block 32, enabling the continuous development of the assets; Etu Energias advancing appraisal drilling at Block 2/05; Sonangol progressing a redevelopment program at Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A; and Afentra targeting 2026/2027 FID on its Block 3/24 discoveries.

As crude production stabilizes and gas output rises, Angola is gradually positioning itself to play an increasingly central role in global supply chains. As a strategic player in the global market, bp Supply, Trading & Shipping is well-positioned to support this next phase of growth. The business integrates bp’s oil, gas and lower-carbon value chains while providing capabilities spanning commodity trading, supply, logistics, pricing and risk management.

AOG 2026 will examine this entire value chain. The conference brings together policymakers, operators, financiers, service companies and other industry stakeholders to discuss investment opportunities spanning exploration and production, gas, infrastructure, logistics and downstream development.

For bp Supply, Trading & Shipping, the event provides a platform to engage stakeholders around the commercial systems underpinning international energy trade. As Gold Sponsor, the company is expected to contribute a global market perspective to conference discussions, reinforcing the importance of trading, shipping and integrated supply chains to Angola’s continued development as a major African energy producer.

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

 




 

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