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It’s Time to Transform Banking: How to Build Smarter, Greener Finance Together

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Smarter and greener finance enables connections with intelligence for all scenario services to capture opportunities and meet these challenges

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 3, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Global digital transformation investments are expected to reach US$1.8 trillion in 2022 (https://bit.ly/3WuEVPC), and financial institutions are under immense pressure to digitally transform so they can anticipate and prepare for the next new normal.

At the same time, they are also expected to address new business needs: improving efficiency and sustainability, complying with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and financial requirements, and enabling security and data convergence with real-time intelligence for improved customer experience to name a few. In this radically evolving environment, embracing innovation to scale is key.

During the Huawei Intelligent Finance Summit 2022, Jason Cao, Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Global Digital Finance, shared his thoughts on how stakeholders of the industry can shape smarter and greener finance together.

“Technology continues to drive the development of the financial industry, especially in connectivity and intelligence. We’ve seen how the ATM broke the time limit and mobile banking broke the space limit. Now, super apps are reshaping customer engagement,” said Cao.

Financial institutions are entering a new era, with new services and products emerging one after another. According to Cao in his address to key industrial players in Singapore, these ultimately present as many challenges as there are opportunities.

What is smarter and greener finance?

Smarter and greener finance enables connections with intelligence for all scenario services to capture opportunities and meet these challenges.

With fully connected and fully intelligent connections optimising agile and flexible customer engagement solutions for improved digital experience, smarter and greener finance delivers three key capabilities:

Data, intelligence, and scenario integration

An intelligent converged platform builds real-time data capabilities based on a hybrid multi-cloud architecture, making cross-cloud management easier with agile services to meet the requirements for different scenarios.

Although hybrid multi-cloud architecture is trending, there are technical challenges such as multi-cloud one-network collaboration and multi-party data encryption and computation. But according to Cao, new technologies can make modernisation a reality with a distributed cloud microservice platform to support a seamless re-architecture and migration experience.

Huawei has collaborated with partners to build an all-scenario intelligent financial solution to integrate data, intelligence, and scenarios for an improved customer experience

All-scenario digital end-user experiences

Having low-code capabilities go a long way to aid in the development of native super apps and a customer engagement centre (CEC) that connects customers with digital services for better end-user services. Huawei has collaborated with partners to build an all-scenario intelligent financial solution to integrate data, intelligence, and scenarios for an improved customer experience in scene interaction, perception, and decision-making.

“From the intelligence perspective, we are experiencing the era of intelligent decision-making. 2022 is a milestone for intelligence. We have officially entered ZFLOPS times with the development of intelligence an era of super-personalisation, and we have to think about what that means for us. We see smart contracts that will make decision-making possible everywhere,” Cao added.

Platform + service architecture with integrated agility, intelligence, and scenarios

Cloud-native strategies and technologies enable the acceleration of intelligent convergence for an agile digital platform, along with aggregating Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products for an open ecosystem across all scenarios within financial services.

These have the potential to become more environmentally sustainable with a green and autonomous cloud infrastructure and facilities in place. Financial institutions can improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint and at the same time, facilitate the collaboration of multi-technology, heterogeneous technology, and hybrid multi-cloud.

Global partnerships for diversified solutions

Huawei has been building innovative solutions with leading partners to support customers’ digital needs, one of which is the Digital Banking 2.0 Solution which leverages Temenos’ open platform. This is designed to support the rapid launch of digital banks, empowering banks to accelerate modernisation in the cloud and improving the rollout efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Last year, Huawei launched the Financial Partner Go Global Program (FPGGP) (https://bit.ly/3SX1RUF) to build a global ecological platform that effectively connects customers’ needs and partners’ innovative solutions.

“It was a successful program with 25 partners joining FPGGP. Furthermore, our joint solution with Netis Alops was launched in Singapore and since then, created greater opportunities in over 10 countries,” said Cao.

When asked about Huawei’s technology roadmap, Cao shared about the upcoming launch of FPGGP 2.0.

“We hope to have consulting partners and global service partners on board. We’re also looking to develop local partners in key countries as a local integrator for FPGGP joint solutions, to better sell these solutions in the local market,” explained Cao.

Huawei is a key player in digital transformation for the global financial services industry, serving more than 2,000 financial customers in over 60 countries and regions, including 49 of the world’s top 100 banks.

Find out more about smarter and greener finance with Huawei here (https://bit.ly/3sSQwuv).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Huawei Enterprise.

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Telecoming Strengthens Its Presence in Africa with the Launch of DCB Software South Africa

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The company advances its regional strategy with a model built on AI, monetisation and direct connectivity with local operators

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 11, 2026/APO Group/ –Telecoming (www.Telecoming.com), a global technology company specialising in the monetisation of digital services, announces the launch of DCB Software South Africa (www.DCBSoftwareZA.com), its new local subsidiary. The move reinforces the company’s growth strategy in Africa, one of the most promising markets in the mobile economy.

The new entity will be led by Javier de Corral, who will lead business development, establish partnerships with telecom operators and build a local team based in Johannesburg.

The South African launch builds on Telecoming’s existing footprint in the continent, where it already operates through its Algerian subsidiary, DCB Software Dzayer, further strengthening its regional position.

We are very excited about the opportunities in South Africa and committed to investing in its digital future

DCB Software South Africa will operate as a local hub focused on AI-driven digital services, supported by a team entirely based in the country. Its scope includes the development of digital products, mobile and web services, as well as solutions in digital entertainment and marketplaces, all built on scalable, multi-device platforms designed to ensure a seamless user experience.

The subsidiary combines in-depth knowledge of the South African and Sub-Saharan markets with direct access to telecom operators, digital platforms and local payment solutions. It will deploy multiple monetisation models, including Direct Carrier Billing (DCB), to optimise conversion rates and overall performance.

The launch of DCB Software South Africa marks a key milestone in our global expansion strategy”, said Cyrille Thivat, CEO of Telecoming. “We are very excited about the opportunities in South Africa and committed to investing in its digital future. With Javier de Corral at the helm, we are confident that this new subsidiary will not only drive our local growth but also contribute to the broader digital and AI ecosystem.”

Telecoming develops technology designed to enhance user acquisition, streamline payment processes and improve the performance of digital services. Its platforms integrate monetisation, advertising and user experience, leveraging artificial intelligence to deliver secure, scalable and efficient solutions.

This expansion reinforces Telecoming’s commitment to delivering innovative digital and AI services and strengthens its position as a key player in the African market. With this launch, the company takes another step in its international expansion, enhancing its ability to support the development of Africa’s digital ecosystem through advanced technology, local expertise and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telecoming.

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Enlit Africa 2026 makes 20 May the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) delivery day across power, water and clean energy hubs

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Taking place 19–21 May 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Enlit Africa, created by VUKA Group, convenes utilities, municipalities, large energy users, financiers, developers and technology providers to focus on what shifts outcomes in African infrastructure

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 11, 2026/APO Group/ –Enlit Africa 2026 will put commercial and industrial delivery front and center on Wednesday 20 May with a dedicated line-up across the Power HubWater Hub and Renewable Energy & Storage Hub. The day is built for decision-makers who must keep operations running, secure reliable supply, manage risk and move projects from concept to implementation.

 

Taking place 19–21 May 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Enlit Africa, created by VUKA Group, convenes utilities, municipalities, large energy users, financiers, developers and technology providers to focus on what shifts outcomes in African infrastructure.

On 20 May, the programme is anchored by the keynote, “How a coordinated energy/water plan could change African resilience” (09:30–11:45), positioning water and energy as interlinked operational risks that can no longer be managed in silos. From there, the day breaks into practical tracks tailored for large users and the solution partners that support them.

In the Renewable Energy & Storage Hub, sessions focus on the realities of C&I adoption and delivery at scale, including “Project implementation for multi-megawatt C&I projects” (11:45–13:00) and “Clean energy adoption in the C&I market” (14:30–15:45), before turning to fleet electrification and operations with “Mobility: Management of electric vehicle fleets for C&I” (16:00–17:30).

In the Water Hub, the agenda targets the technologies and operating models that matter most to industrial continuity and compliance. Sessions include “Next-generation water treatment technologies” (11:45–13:00), “Advanced water treatment & smart water systems” (14:30–15:45) and “Accelerating water technology deployment for C&I operations” (16:30–17:30).

Together, the three stages create a single day of high-signal, implementation-led content for C&I leaders, utilities, municipalities and suppliers focused on operational performance, investment readiness and delivery discipline.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

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Nigeria’s Upstream Reform Program Captures 40% of Africa’s Final Investment Decision (FID) Activity After a Decade on the Margins

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A government three-year review documents how executive action under President Tinubu reversed a decade of upstream decline

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 8, 2026/APO Group/ –Nigeria has gone from capturing 4% of Africa’s upstream final investment decisions (FIDs) to commanding 40% in two years, according to Nigeria’s Energy Sector Reforms 2023-2026: A Three-Year Review, published by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy and spearheaded by Special Adviser Olu Verheijen. The $50 billion project pipeline now in development beyond 2026 points to sustained capital commitment at a scale not seen in the Nigerian upstream for at least a decade.

 

Between 2014 and 2023, Nigeria was among the continent’s weakest performers for upstream FIDs despite holding 37.5 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the second-largest endowment in Africa. Algeria captured 44% of African upstream FIDs during that period, Angola held 26%, while Nigeria trailed Mozambique, Ghana, Senegal and Namibia. In the third quarter of 2022, crude production briefly dropped below one million barrels per day, as years of underinvestment, pipeline vandalism and regulatory ambiguity compounded each other. However, reforms instituted by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu have dramatically turned this trend around. Through deliberate and coordinated steps, the government has reset the trajectory.

Addressing Fiscal Terms, Regulatory Scope and Contracting Speed

President Bola Tinubu’s administration moved simultaneously on fiscal terms and regulatory architecture. Policy directives in 2023 clarified the boundary of jurisdiction between the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), resolving an ambiguity that had complicated project sanctioning. Presidential Directive 40 introduced targeted tax incentives, and a separate Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Production in 2024 was designed to draw international oil companies (IOCs) back into capital-intensive, long-cycle deepwater projects. The VAT Modification Order 2024 and Upstream Cost Efficiency Order 2025 addressed the cost structures that had rendered marginal projects uneconomic. NNPCL contracting timelines were compressed from 36 months to a maximum of six months.

Four Divestments Transferred Onshore Control to Indigenous Operators

In parallel, the administration deployed targeted security directives and accelerated ministerial consents for four IOC asset transfers. Renaissance acquired Shell’s onshore portfolio. Seplat Energy completed its acquisition of ExxonMobil’s Nigerian upstream interests. Oando took over from Agip, and Chappal acquired Equinor’s local assets. The four transactions totaled approximately $4 billion. The transfer of onshore and shallow-water blocks to indigenous operators contributed directly to production recovery. Output rose by approximately 400,000 barrels per day between 2023 and 2025 to reach 1.6 million barrels per day, the highest onshore production level in 20 years.

When a government rebuilds fiscal competitiveness and regulatory predictability at the same time, capital responds

Signed Projects Total $10 Billion, With a $50 Billion Pipeline Beyond

The reforms produced a concrete FID response from Shell and TotalEnergies. Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) sanctioned the $5 billion Bonga North deepwater development in December 2024 and committed a further $2 billion to the HI Non-Associated Gas (NAG) project. TotalEnergies and NNPCL took a joint FID on the $550 million Ubeta gas field development in June 2024.

Together those three commitments account for more than $10 billion in signed investment after a decade of near-zero sanctioning activity. The pipeline beyond 2026 spans a further $50 billion across 11 projects including Bonga South West, Owowo, Usan and Erha. Nigeria approved 28 field development plans valued at $18.2 billion in 2025 alone, targeting an estimated 1.4 billion barrels of reserves.

“When a government rebuilds fiscal competitiveness and regulatory predictability at the same time, capital responds,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Nigeria has done both, and the FID numbers are concrete proof.”

The Counterfactual Illustrates How Much Was at Stake

The presentation includes a no-reform projection that puts the gains in context. Without intervention, total crude and condensate production was on track to fall from 1.371 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2022 to 579,000 by 2030. Under the reform trajectory, output reached 1.77 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026, with a stated government target of 3 million barrels per day. Export gas utilization rose 39% over the same period, while domestic utilization grew by 7%.

The durability of these gains will be tested by two factors: whether the institutional architecture put in place under the Tinubu administration holds over the long term, and whether the deepwater commitments signed in 2024 and 2025 advance to execution on schedule. The project pipeline is large enough that partial delivery would still represent a generational shift in Nigeria’s upstream output profile.

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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