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Gender in Focus: African Development Bank’s Digital Ambassadors Program training boosts Senegalese entrepreneurs

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Digital Ambassadors

The program, which aims to achieve a 50/50 gender balance, is expanding digital skills to African youth – especially in rural communities – through a peer-to-peer training model

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, March 30, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Senegalese entrepreneur Fatou Diouf is one of 1,000 youth selected from 21,000 applicants for the African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) Digital Ambassadors program (https://apo-opa.info/3G3kuTu). The program, which aims to achieve a 50/50 gender balance, is expanding digital skills to African youth – especially in rural communities – through a peer-to-peer training model. For this first edition, 45% of the selected candidates were female.

We asked the 32-year-old entrepreneur, who works as a commercial tailor, real estate agent and farmer, about her program training experience and how she plans to use her acquired knowledge and skills.

How did you hear about the program and how did it feel like to be selected?

I was surfing the internet with my phone when I came across the call for applications for the Digital Ambassadors program. Since it was a training for youth, I told myself to try my luck, hoping that I could get valuable skills that I can use in my business. I was pleasantly surprised when I received the e-mail that I was selected as an ambassador among the 21,000 candidates who had applied. I am very happy that I took a chance and got the opportunity!

What motivated you to apply for the program?

I always run towards any opportunity to develop additional skills because I strongly believe that we never stop learning. When I read the call for application, the digital skills part of the program sounded familiar but the freelancing and soft skills were entirely foreign. I saw the training as an opportunity to improve my (information and communications technology) (ICT) knowledge and also learn new skills.

I also wanted to grow as an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a passion and I consider it a personal challenge. I have never liked to work for someone else because I want to be financially independent and be in charge of my own time. 

How do you plan to use the knowledge and skills you gained during the training?

We asked the 32-year-old entrepreneur, who works as a commercial tailor, real estate agent and farmer, about her program training experience

I consider it a privilege to have taken part in the Digital Ambassadors program. I know there are many barriers for young people in Senegal to access digital skills including not having access to devices or the means to purchase internet access.

I plan to use my acquired skills to impact the communities and associations I’m already a part of, like the Federation of Tailors in Senegal that has 9,000 members. Despite having only been to Koranic school, these tailors have an entrepreneurial spirit and I believe digital literacy will improve the way they run their businesses.

Which part of the digital ambassador’s program was your favourite?

I loved the freelancing module; I realized that I was already a freelancer without knowing and now I have gained more business organizational skills – especially things like budgeting. I also appreciated the soft skills part of the training, I think these skills will be valuable during the training of other tailors. I now know how to communicate better, understand others, and manage conflicts.

Has the training changed your career perspective?

Thanks to the program, I now manage the Federation of Tailors in Senegal’s YouTube, Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Through the program I met like-minded ambassadors from Côte d’Ivoire, and I have now gotten business orders from clients in Côte d’Ivoire. So, I got to experience the meaning and value of networking first-hand.

 The training taught me to effectively use (Microsoft Office suite software applications like) Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. In my real estate business, I am now using PowerPoint to make presentation of the houses on sale.

In my tailoring business, I recently won a tender to supply 2,000 school uniforms in Sedhiou (region in southwest Senegal). Digital skills were invaluable in this process because I used my Microsoft Excel and Word skills to prepare my bid – and I did it all on my own, while other tailors had to hire consultants to help them prepare bids.

The Digital Ambassadors program has also made me realise that digital literacy is not only for the highly educated. I would like to say to all the young people who wish to join the digital ambassadors program – you don’t need a diploma or a CV to join the training, the program will meet your at your level of education. Whatever your level of education – you can do it!

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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

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Sinclair

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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PAPSS

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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Sonangol

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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