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Gas, Private Sector and Free Market Investments Crucial for South Africa to Address Electricity Crisis

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African Energy Chamber

The African Energy Chamber believes increased focus on gas development and exploitation as well as private sector participation in the energy sector is crucial for South Africa to address its electricity crisis

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 10, 2023/APO Group/ — 

South African President H.E Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a National State of Disaster over the Southern African country’s electricity crisis during the State of the Nation Address held in Cape Town on February 9.

Measures set to be introduced to reform the electricity crisis during the National State of Disaster will include the introduction of a new Ministry of Electricity in the Presidency to oversee the revitalization of Eskom’s operations and the country’s generation capacity.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.EnergyChamber.org), as the voice of the African energy sector, supports the President’s commitment to address the country’s electricity crisis but massive reforms from an investment and policy perspective need to be implemented to restore confidence among local, regional and global businesses for them to invest in the country’s energy sector.

With consumers in Africa’s third-largest, most industrialized and technologically advanced economy witnessing more than eight hours of blackouts per day, the AEC strongly recommends President Ramaphosa and the South African Government to accelerate the country’s gas agenda, as both a short- and long-term strategy to alleviate the looming electricity crisis.

South Africa’s gas reserves are immense and remain untapped, with massive discoveries including TotalEnergies’ Brulpadda and Luiperd prospects containing combined reserves of 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas and 192 million barrels of gas condensate. With TotalEnergies having applied for a production license to develop gas fields offshore South Africa, the Chamber is calling for the government to fast-track the permit approval and kickstart the country’s journey towards energy resilience and security.

Massive projects such as Gigajoule’s $550-million Matola Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Mozambique, which will supply South Africa with gas; the 865-km Rompco Gas Pipeline from Mozambique to South Africa; and Renergen’s Virginia LNG project in South Africa are crucial and need to be fast-tracked.

More oil and gas exploration, development and exploitation remains key if South Africa is to achieve energy security and economic growth

Meanwhile, capital spending in global upstream oil and gas projects will record a 10% increase in 2023 compared to 2022 levels, according to Wood Mackenzie. The sizable potential of new and large-scale gas discoveries across South Africa’s hydrocarbon-rich Orange Basin presents an ideal opportunity for the country to capitalize on this investment momentum and attract interest from international explorers.

While the so-called environmental lobbyists try to block efforts by Shell to unlock South Africa’s upstream potential, the AEC believes more oil and gas exploration is key to ending the electricity crisis, and as such, is strongly advocating for South Africa to create an enabling environment for more oil and gas exploration to take place.

Furthermore, while South Africa has been proficient at leveraging private-public sector partnerships to date, now more than ever is the time for the government to drive more private sector participation in the financing, development and rollout of domestic gas infrastructure – both to facilitate LNG imports from neighboring producers like Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of the Congo, as well as harness its own reserves. The Chamber believes free markets and private sector investments are vital to address the South African energy crisis.

While the impacts of the electricity crisis are significant, with the South African economy losing up to R900 million per day due to load shedding, coal has a crucial role to play in stabilizing the country’s energy sector and business environment. We believe more coal power generation and the rejuvenation of existing coal facilities, while accelerating renewable energy deployment, is essential to end the electricity crisis.

“South Africa should be careful about demonizing its domestic oil and gas resources. The war against fossil fuels needs to come to an end if we are to address South Africa’s electricity crisis. More oil and gas exploration, development and exploitation remains key if South Africa is to achieve energy security and economic growth. Government should fast track permit approvals for more drilling, seismic surveys, pipeline developments, as well as for new LNG terminals to be constructed,” stated NJ Ayuk, the Executive Chairman of the AEC.

In this regard, with African energy stakeholders meeting with European investors at the upcoming Invest in African Energy Frankfurt Reception (https://apo-opa.info/3xceQcJ) – organized by the AEC and taking place at Frankfurter Botschaft in Germany on February 23 – South Africa’s energy policymakers, investors and project developers will have a strategic opportunity to showcase the country’s gas market potential.

Moreover, South Africa will host the African Energy Week 2023 Conference & Exhibition (www.AECWeek.com) – Africa’s premier event for the energy sector, taking place on October 16 – 20 in Cape Town – which will unite regional and global energy leaders, decision-makers and financiers to explore investment opportunities across the country’s entire natural gas value chain.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Business

Aurionpro expands its multi-country transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB)

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Aurionpro

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers

MUMBAI, India, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –Aurionpro Solutions Limited (www.AurionPro.com) (BSE: 532668 | NSE: AURIONPRO)a global leader in banking technology, announced the expansion and upgrade of its transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), to modernize and enhance the bank’s corporate transaction banking capabilities across multiple countries.

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/4edHUaC

This multi-country transaction banking upgrade covering Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania aligns with DTB’s intent to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and support growing transaction volumes as it expands its regional corporate banking footprint. DTB continues to focus on building a more agile, ‘digital-first’ banking experience, particularly around payments for its corporate customers across Africa, and is now well positioned to scale these capabilities. As part of its broader transformation agenda, the bank has been steadily investing in platforms that enhance scale, reliability, and service consistency across markets.

Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers. By enabling DTB to standardize and scale its transaction banking operations across countries, the platform ensures consistent service levels, stronger control, and improved efficiency. It also supports enhanced user experience, advanced security, and the flexibility to introduce new features as DTB expands its regional transaction banking footprint.

Murali Natarajan (https://apo-opa.co/48trPdk), Managing Director & CEO, DTB Kenya   commented: “We are delighted to strengthen and broaden our partnership with Aurionpro Solutions as part of DTB’s ongoing digital transformation journey across multiple markets. Our focus on innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centricity continues to guide our technology investments. This upgrade strengthens our transaction banking capabilities, enabling us to deliver greater value to our customers through robust digital channels and seamlessly integrated experiences.”

Ashish Rai, Group CEO, Aurionpro Solutions, commented: “We are pleased to deepen our multi-country engagement with Diamond Trust Bank and support the next phase of its transaction banking modernization. As DTB continues to scale across markets, platform resilience and consistency become paramount. Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility, deliver superior experiences to corporate customers, and create long-term value across geographies.”

He added, “Aurionpro’s iCashpro lays a strong digital foundation for transaction & wholesale banks across the globe to grow their corporate and SME client portfolio today, while creating a clear roadmap for next- generation capabilities in AI-driven insights, advanced automation and API-led connectivity for businesses in Kenya and across Africa.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Aurionpro Solutions Ltd.

 

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Minerals Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joins African Mining Week (AMW) as South Africa Improves Sectorial Investment Climate

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Energy Capital

Minerals Council CEO to share insights on policy, infrastructure and investment trends shaping South Africa’s mining industry

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) conference will feature Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council of South Africa, as a speaker. Scheduled for October 14 – 16, 2026 in Cape Town, the event will bring together global investors, policymakers and industry leaders, with Mthenjane’s participation highlighting the council’s commitment to engaging international stakeholders and promoting investment across South Africa’s mining sector.

His participation comes at a critical moment as the Minerals Council works closely with government on finalizing the Mineral Resources Development Bill 2025, a policy framework aimed at strengthening the country’s mining investment climate and the sector’s contribution to GDP. According to the council, the revised legislation will support new investment across the value chain as South Africa seeks to mobilize R2 trillion over the next five years to unlock its critical minerals potential.

The policy reforms come amid shifting production trends in the sector. In 2025, South Africa recorded declines in gold and platinum group metals output of 1.9% and 4.1%, respectively. The new regulatory framework is expected to strengthen public-private partnerships and stimulate investment, enabling South Africa to increase production and capitalize on strong global commodity prices. Increased private sector investments is crucial with South Africa seeking targeting to unlock an estimated R40 trillion in untapped iron ore potential as well as maintain its position as the world’s leading producer of chrome and manganese.

At AMW 2026, Mthenjane is expected to outline these trends, providing insights into how the council is contributing to addressing challenges disrupting the sector. Infrastructure and energy costs remain key concerns for industry players. To support the energy-intensive sector, South Africa approved a 35% reduction in electricity tariffs for major ferrochrome producers, helping stabilize an industry that has faced significant cost pressures after electricity prices surged by roughly 900% since 2008.

Logistics constraints are also a priority area for reform. South Africa’s economy is losing an estimated R1 billion per day due to inefficiencies across rail and port infrastructure. As a result, the government is considering measures supported by the Minerals Council to increase private sector participation in logistics. Planned reforms include rail modernization initiatives targeting 250 million tons of freight capacity by 2029, alongside port upgrades and private operator participation aimed at strengthening mineral exports and improving supply chain efficiency.

Beyond infrastructure and policy reforms, the Minerals Council is advocating for stronger exploration investment to support long-term industry growth.

At AMW, Mthenjane is expected to highlight these developments and outline the steps required to reinforce South Africa’s position in the global minerals supply chain. His insights will offer investors and stakeholders a timely perspective on opportunities within the country’s mining sector.

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

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Seychelles Targets Energy Investment Push as Minister Jérémie Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Speaker

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African Energy Chamber

Seychelles energy minister will speak at AEW 2026, positioning her to highlight reforms, renewable projects and investment opportunities as the island nation advances its transition toward a diversified energy system

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –Marie-May Jérémie, Minister of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources for Seychelles will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place from October 12–16 in Cape Town. Her participation underscores the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s small-island energy transition agenda.

Minister Jérémie’s presence at AEW 2026 comes at a critical time as Seychelles accelerates efforts to reduce its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels. The event provides a platform to attract investment, strengthen policy alignment and showcase bankable projects, positioning the country as a viable destination for private-sector participation in island energy systems.

Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments

In May last year, international finance institution the World Bank approved the Renewable Energy Acceleration Program, a seven-year initiative aimed at modernizing the grid and increasing renewable energy penetration to 15% by 2030. The program focuses on unlocking private capital while strengthening transmission infrastructure to accommodate variable renewable energy sources.

Project development is gaining traction in the country, particularly in innovative technologies suited to Seychelles’ land constraints. The 5.8 MW Seysun Lagoon floating solar PV project, developed by independent renewable power producer Qair, is under construction and expected online in 2026.

Alongside renewables, Seychelles continues to pursue upstream opportunities to diversify its economy. The government approved new exploration entrants in 2025 and extended exiting petroleum agreements, while securing an infrastructure partnership with China. Multilateral estimates suggest over $800 million in investment will be required over the next 25 years.

Regulatory reform is central to this transition, with Seychelles introducing an independent power producer framework to open the market to private developers. Standardized power purchase agreements, grid access reforms and strengthened public-private partnership structures are being implemented to improve transparency, reduce risk and accelerate project bankability across solar, storage and emerging wind opportunities.

“Minister Jérémie’s participation highlights the strategic importance of island nations in Africa’s broader energy transition,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. “Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments. Her insights will be critical to advancing dialogue on resilient, low-carbon energy systems across the continent.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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