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Enriching lives: A Guiding Principle (By Fhulu Badugela)

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Fhulu Badugela

ESG values are more than a compliance requirement, writes MultiChoice Africa CEO Fhulu Badugela; They’re a template for a truly sustainable organisation.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 29, 2024/APO Group/ — 

By Fhulu Badugela, CEO of Multichoice Africa (www.MultiChoice.com)

As MultiChoice published its annual ESG report earlier this month, I was struck by the aptness of the term sometimes used in relation to such documents: integrated reporting. Integration is fundamental to any kind of environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact. 

MultiChoice Group has had three decades to find that particular sweet spot, refining its formula of enriching lives, while transforming African entertainment and broader society. 

The beauty of the approach can be seen in the way key business touchpoints dovetail with ESG principles. 

By way of illustration, the MultiChoice commitment to hyperlocal storytelling has meant a need to create homegrown, locally relevant content. This in turn has led MultiChoice to create regional MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) academies in Nairobi, Lagos and Lusaka, training aspiring filmmakers.  

Not only has this created a rich pipeline of authentic talent, it has built a vast library of local content. This fuels the ongoing success of MultiChoice as an entertainment platform, where Africa’s people can see African creators telling African stories. 

Social upliftment 
In ESG parlance, this supports the social-development pillar. To date, 467 filmmakers have been trained by the MTF. These young people have gone on to work on hit African shows on regional channels across the continent.  

In East Africa, graduates secured story development grants, gained acclaim at international film festivals and showcased their commitment to environmental consciousness by presenting at the Youth and Climate Action meeting. 

In West Africa, Azeezah Sama, produced by a student from the class of 2023, was selected for prestigious film festivals such as the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival. Africa Magic commissioned productions from three MTF alumni companies, generating employment opportunities and amplifying the programme’s impact in the region. 

Meanwhile, in Southern Africa, MTF alumni feature films have premiered on Zambezi Magic, and interns have contributed to more than 30 professional productions, including hit shows like Idols, Adulting, My Brother’s Keeper, Champions, and Gen Zee. 

Economic impact 
Besides skills development, MultiChoice makes direct investments in job creation and economic empowerment for emerging economic sectors. The MultiChoice Enterprise Development Trust oversees two key initiatives aimed at fostering the growth of startups and small enterprises: the Innovation Fund and the Africa Accelerator programme. 
 
To date, the MultiChoice Innovation Fund has supported 77 black-owned small businesses with at least 50% female-black ownership and disbursed R407 million in loans, grants and business development expenses. This has created 1 400 employment opportunities.  

MultiChoice Group has had three decades to find that particular sweet spot, refining its formula of enriching lives, while transforming African entertainment and broader society

Last year, the MultiChoice Accelerator programme helped 11 entrepreneurs from South Africa to secure more than $17 million in investments from investors in the United Arab Emirates. 

Also last year, the Enterprise Development Fund funded four new tech-related companies, including two owned by black women, to the tune of R26.74 million, creating 395 jobs. 

Developmental governance 
Integrated ESG principles mean that the crucial MultiChoice governance function must also have a developmental role, while still enabling the business generate value for all stakeholders.  

That means ethical, developmental governance. The Group inculcates these principles in our people through mandatory training – anti-bribery, ethical conduct; and “better place to work” training on the MultiChoice Academy platform. 

Another of the company’s biggest governance focus areas is the fight against content piracy, which poses a significant threat to the business and the wider industry. With Partners Against Piracy (PAP), MultiChoice has signed Memorandums of Understanding with governments across Africa to combat broadcasting piracy.  

The MOUs establish partnerships for capacity building, benchmarking, and experience sharing, as well as intellectual-property rights protection, training, and skills development. In addition, a multi-governmental workshop in mid-2024 will review piracy policies and actions, with an eye to amending cybercrime legislation. 

Environmental awareness 
Deeply conscious of how our operations impact the environment, MultiChoice takes direct steps to limit our emissions and energy efficiency – but always in ways that can be integrated into our ways of doing business.  

We have taken proactive steps to enhance energy efficiency in our electricity consumption, air-conditioning systems, data centres, heating and ventilation. We have invested in green infrastructure, including installing light motion sensors within buildings, LEDs equipped with daylight harvesting capabilities, solar panels and energy-efficient inverter technology.  

These initiatives have seen us reduce total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions to 67 675 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 75 060 tonnes in 2023, a tangible move towards sustainability and responsible resource management through more eco-friendly operations. 

We have managed to make these sustainability improvements in ways that continue to generate income for the group. The R10,7 billion we pay in taxes in 2024 underlines our integration into the continent’s economy.  

Ultimately, the proof of our ESG impact will be in our ability to continue operating sustainably, into the future, in a way that enriches lives for all the people we touch.  

We are proud to have met this challenge successfully for the past three decades, and we are confident we will continue doing so for decades to come, by integrating our purpose – enriching lives – into our way of doing business. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.

Energy

Venezuela Energy Week Confirms 19 August Date for Houston Industry Showcase

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Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August, convening U.S. energy leaders ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The organizers of Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) have confirmed that the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August 2026 at The Post Oak Hotel. Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the event will bring together U.S. energy companies, investors and policymakers to explore commercial opportunities ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas in February.

The showcase will feature Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao as a keynote speaker, providing an update on Venezuela’s energy priorities, investment agenda and opportunities for international partnership. Her participation underscores the country’s commitment to strengthening engagement with global industry as it seeks to expand production and unlock new upstream investment.

Bringing together exploration and production companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers, engineering firms, technology companies and financial institutions, the Houston Industry Showcase will examine opportunities across exploration, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and field development.

As Venezuela works to increase oil and gas production, demand is expected to grow for the technical expertise of U.S. service providers in drilling, well intervention, completion services, production optimization, artificial lift, digital oilfield technologies and infrastructure rehabilitation. Houston-based industry leaders – including SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Weatherford and a broad network of EPC contractors, equipment manufacturers and specialized service companies – are well positioned to support the modernization of mature fields, improve operational efficiency and deliver the technologies and services needed for future upstream projects.

The Houston event follows a successful Industry Showcase in London, which brought together international investors, operators and energy service companies to explore Venezuela’s evolving investment landscape. Building on that momentum, the Houston edition will deepen engagement with the U.S. energy industry and strengthen commercial dialogue ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027.

Venezuela Energy Week – the country’s largest energy investment platform to date – has been confirmed for 22–25 February 2027 in Caracas. Organized by Energy Capital & Power, the event will bring together government leaders, investors and industry stakeholders from across the global energy value chain.

To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 19, visit https://apo-opa.co/4g0TncR. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.

Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery
Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.

To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/4hkvteE).

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

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Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) Secures New Patent for Smart Stabilization System from Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

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The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) is pleased to announce that the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has granted a new patent for its innovative Smart Stabilization System.

 

The patent was granted on 10 July 2026 under Singapore Patent No. 10202250873B for the invention titled “A Computer Network Stabilization System and Method.” The patent application was filed on 1 September 2022 and was formally granted following a comprehensive review process.

This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development

The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility. Leveraging sophisticated algorithms and advanced simulation models, the system is designed to anticipate supply and demand imbalances and implement programmable stabilization measures before they escalate into market disruptions.

Unlike traditional stabilization mechanisms that rely on capital reserves, buffer funds, or external interventions, the Smart Stabilization System introduces a next-generation framework for achieving autonomous market stabilization through proactive and programmed stabilization mechanisms. By incorporating distributed ledger technology and cryptographic trust mechanisms, the platform enhances transparency, trust, and operational resilience for digital asset and commodity markets.

The successful patent grant reflects IsDBI’s growing contribution to technological innovation and its commitment to developing knowledge-based solutions that address contemporary economic and development challenges.

Since filing the patent application back in 2022, the Institute has continued to advance the Smart Stabilization System through ongoing development and testing, aimed to expand its practical applications and support future capitalization opportunities. These advancements have positioned the system as a potentially transformative solution for enhancing stability and resilience in increasingly digital and interconnected economies.

Commenting on this occasion, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, said, “The grant of this patent by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore further strengthens the Institute’s position as a leader in developing innovative knowledge-based solutions that leverage modern technologies to address complex development challenges. This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

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

 

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