Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Local Content Development in Africa’s Energy Sector: African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 to Outline Challenges, Opportunities and Best Practices

Published

on

African Energy Week

A surge in local content policy development marks a turning point for local companies operating in the African energy sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 18, 2025/APO Group/ –As Africa’s energy sector expands, the need for productive local content policies has become critical for local job creation and value retention. Such policies catalyze growth of nationally owned companies while creating revenue-generating opportunities for local service firms by strengthening their contribution to the industry.

African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies – taking place September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town – will show how well-crafted local content policies have the potential to stimulate local participation, job creation and value retention while standing to improve international partnerships that facilitate the transfer of knowledge, skills and technology. The event unites foreign operators and financiers with local companies, fostering a culture of collaboration across the oil, gas and broader energy industries.

Local Content Set to Maximize Resource Value

As Senegal and Mauritania prepare to solidify their position as a major hydrocarbons hub in West Africa – on the back of first LNG at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project this month – the MSGBC region is well-positioned to leverage its extractive industries and enhance local content development. Senegal’s Local Content Development Fund and National Local Content Monitoring Committee are set to bolster local capacity for training and support for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with the objective of achieving a 50% local content ratio by 2030.

To enhance local content amid the start of production at the GTA project, Mauritanian authorities are currently crafting a new local content law. As a partner on the GTA project, upstream oil company Kosmos Energy launched the Mauritania Innovation Challenge, which is designed to support entrepreneurs under the age of 40. Notable beneficiaries from the program include iMauritanie, which works to enhance public administration communication; Sekam, experts in non-GMO vegetable production; Ayadi Amila, which crafts accessories from recycled materials; and FASEI, which leads local salt processing.

On the back of robust local content policies, mature petroleum producers like Nigeria have seen an increase in local participation within the oil and gas industry. The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act mandates the prioritization of Nigerian products, services and employment. Central to this effort is the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, which oversees the Act and fosters partnerships with industry and educational institutions, aiming to achieve a 70% local content target by 2027.

Towards Reducing Foreign Dependence

In a significant step for the industry, Namibia recently approved the National Upstream Local Content Policy. The policy is set to play a significant role in reducing the country’s dependence on foreign expertise by focusing on the development of local capacity. Aimed at strengthening economic sovereignty and empowering Namibians within the country’s hydrocarbons sector, the policy marks a turning point for the country as it sets its sights on achieving first oil production by 2029.

The National Upstream Local Content Policy showcases Namibia’s dedication to empowering local communities while maintaining a welcoming environment for foreign investment. The policy is designed to balance the interests of local stakeholders with the needs of international oil companies, a model that other African nations can look to replicate as they expand their own oil and gas exploration and production strategies.

Meanwhile, last October, Angolan service company Associação de Empresas Autóctones para a Indústria de Angola (ASSEA) launched an initiative to increase local capacity in the country’s oil and gas sector to 20%. The “Action for 20%” initiative serves as a strategy to direct foreign investment to focus on local content by integrating Angolan companies and developing human capital in the country. With an estimated 98% deficit in terms of local companies operating in the country’s oil and gas sector, improved capacity building is expected to result in oil and gas production stability while diminishing an over-reliance on the international community to retain production standards.

Ghana’s energy sector is also benefitting from robust local content initiatives driven by the country’s Petroleum Commission. Local Content and Local Participation Regulations mandate a minimum 10% equity for Ghanian companies in all projects and establish employment targets for nationals. Meanwhile, the Local Content Fund provides crucial financial support to enhance the competitiveness of local firms, while the Enterprise Development Center offers essential training, advisory services and market linkages to Ghanian SMEs in the sector.

Challenges and Opportunities

Local content policies address unique challenges in the African energy sector, including a capital-intensive financing model, a lack of modern technologies and a reliance on high-risk investments over long periods. Traditionally, the hydrocarbons sector in Africa tends to have a low level of local employment and a heavy reliance on imported goods and services. To counteract this, resolute local content policies ensure that African businesses and workers are fully integrated across all levels of the value chain, from exploration and production to service delivery and technology provision.

These policies also provide the opportunity to showcase a stable and transparent regulatory environment in the countries where they are implemented. By ensuring local content requirements are clear and enforceable, such policies are set to attract responsible investment while fostering an atmosphere of trust and cooperation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Week (AEW)

Business

Binance Reinforces Industry-Leading Compliance Commitment to Foster a Safer Crypto Ecosystem

Published

on

Binance

Global crypto leader Binance continues to set the standard for regulatory compliance and security, driving innovation with transparency and trust

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 3, 2026/APO Group/ –Binance (https://www.Binance.com), the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, highlights the progress it continues to make in strengthening compliance and regulatory excellence, reinforcing its role as a pioneer in building a safer and more transparent crypto industry. Over the past years, Binance has invested significantly in enhancing its global compliance framework by expanding its teams, systems and controls that align with evolving regulatory expectations across its key markets. These ongoing efforts are designed to support responsible innovation while ensuring that user protection, financial integrity and market transparency remain at the core of the platform’s operations.

 

Leading with Robust Compliance Measures

Binance has implemented a multi-layered compliance program that includes advanced transaction monitoring, stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and continuous enhancements to its anti-money laundering (AML) systems. These efforts are designed to protect users, prevent illicit activities, and ensure adherence to evolving regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.

 

Building the Future of Crypto with Advanced, Measurable Compliance

Over the past several years, Binance has built one of the most robust compliance programs in the digital-asset industry, combining world-class talent, advanced monitoring technology, and strong partnerships with regulators, law-enforcement agencies, and independent analytics providers. These programs include rigorous onboarding and KYC controls, sophisticated transaction monitoring systems, sanctions screening, behavioral analytics, and a dedicated global compliance team of more than 580 professionals, supported by more than 970 employees in compliance-related roles across customer-service, technology, and product teams.

 

The results of these efforts are measurable: Binance’s direct exposure to illicit activity has dropped by 96% between January 2023 and June 2025, while its capacity to detect, report, and help disrupt financial crime continues to grow. Specifically, sanctions-related exposure reduced dramatically and is now marginal (from 0.284% in January 2024 to just 0.009% in July 2025, a 96.8% decrease). This progress reflects daily collaboration with authorities, independent research, and the lived experience of serving over 300 million users safely, demonstrating how modern crypto compliance works in practice and underscoring Binance’s ongoing commitment to transparency, regulatory excellence, and a safer financial ecosystem.

 

Noah Perlman, Binance Chief Compliance Officer, “At Binance we’ve built a system that doesn’t just react to threats, it anticipates them. A 96% reduction in illicit exposure is a testament to our infrastructure and the 1,500+ professionals working behind the scenes to protect our 300M users.”

 

Our mission has always been to increase the freedom of money, but that freedom is only sustainable if it is built on a foundation of trust

Driving Industry-Wide Standards

Binance’s leadership team emphasizes that compliance is a shared responsibility and that the company actively engages with regulators, policymakers, and industry partners to foster a collaborative environment. This engagement helps shape balanced regulations that support innovation while safeguarding users and the broader financial system.

 

Transparency and User Protection

Transparency remains a cornerstone of Binance’s compliance philosophy. The company regularly publishes updates on its compliance initiatives and welcomes dialogue with the community and regulators. By maintaining high standards, Binance ensures that users can trade with confidence on a platform that prioritizes security and integrity.

 

National Cybercrime Units Collaborations

Binance responds to tens of thousands of law-enforcement requests each year. In 2025 alone, Binance responded to more than 71,000 law enforcement requests and assisted in confiscating over $130 million in illicit funds.

 

Binance supports agencies such as Europol (https://apo-opa.co/4coJAx9), INTERPOL (https://apo-opa.co/4b0FCIt), the DEA, the NCA, Homeland Security Investigations, and multiple national cybercrime units. These collaborations have resulted in the takedown of ransomware groups, darknet markets, human-trafficking networks, and financial-fraud rings. The value of our work has been repeatedly recognized by our global law-enforcement partners.

 

Richard Teng, Binance co-CEO, “Our mission has always been to increase the freedom of money, but that freedom is only sustainable if it is built on a foundation of trust. By integrating compliance into our product DNA, we are proving that the world’s largest exchange can also be the most secure.”

 

Binance remains committed to building a secure, transparent, and trusted platform through ongoing investment in compliance, strong global partnerships, and independently validated results. Since its launch in 2017, Binance has focused on protecting users and supporting the responsible growth of digital finance, with measurable progress recognised by law-enforcement agencies and regulatory stakeholders worldwide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Binance.

 

Continue Reading

Business

Network International powers card tokenization for Apple smartphones in Egypt in latest regulatory rollout

Published

on

Network International

The successful launch comes within the third wave of the Central Bank of Egypt’s granting of tokenisation licenses to select banks and is an important milestone for Egypt’s digital payment ecosystem

CAIRO, Egypt, March 3, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • Enablement signifies a critical milestone in Network’s proven execution capabilities for multi-bank payment initiatives
  • The launch of Apple tokenisation deploys the highest standards of security and operational resilience in Egypt’s digital transformation rollout

We are grateful to the Central Bank of Egypt and the participating banks for their trust and partnership as we continue to help accelerate secure and scalable digital payments

Network International (Network) (www.Network.ae), a leading fintech company across the Middle East and Africa, has announced the successful enablement of Apple Pay acceptance by powering card tokenisation for Apple smartphones for four renowned Egyptian banks, as part of the country’s digital transformation initiatives.

The successful launch comes within the third wave of the Central Bank of Egypt’s granting of tokenisation licenses to select banks and is an important milestone for Egypt’s digital payment ecosystem. The initiative reinforces Network’s scale, innovation leadership and proven execution capabilities in the market.

Supporting all four bank go-lives within the same wave underscores the strength, reliability, and agility of Network’s processing platform, alongside the depth of its local delivery and implementation expertise. The achievement reflects Network’s ability to execute complex, multi-bank digital payment initiatives at pace while maintaining the highest standards of security, operational resilience, and service quality.

Dr. Reda Helal, Group Managing Director – Processing, Africa & Co-Head Group Processing at Network International, said: “We are proud to have supported four renowned banks to successfully transform themselves as Egypt strengthens its digital economy. We have been present in the market for over 20 years and delivering multiple simultaneous implementations demonstrates our local teams’ expertise and the robustness of our processing platform. We are grateful to the Central Bank of Egypt and the participating banks for their trust and partnership as we continue to help accelerate secure and scalable digital payments across Egypt.”

This launch also supports Network’s broader focus on expanding its presence and strengthening its brand across the region, underpinned by its long-standing commitment to Egypt’s payments ecosystem. In 2023, Network International announced the investment valued at EGP 1 billion to expand its operations in Egypt, while serving 160+ banks across Africa and 65+ in the Middle East from its Egypt hub.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Network International.

Continue Reading

Business

ES-KO Turns 70: Seven Decades of Integrated Catering, Logistics & Facility Management Services in Challenging Environments

Published

on

Founded as an onboard catering business, ES-KO was established in 1955 and has since grown into a multinational group with 6,000 employees operating across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe

LUANDA, Angola, March 3, 2026/APO Group/ –ES-KO (www.ES-KO.com), a global leader in catering, facility management, procurement and supply-chain solutions, along with camp construction for remote environments, proudly celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026. Founded as an onboard catering business, ES-KO was established in 1955 and has since grown into a multinational group with 6,000 employees operating across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, serving the Energy, Mining, Business & Industry, Defense, Governments, IGOs, and NGOs sectors.

 

A Legacy of Reliability and Growth

From its beginnings serving the maritime industry, ES-KO quickly diversified into large-scale logistics and peacekeeping operations, building a reputation as a dependable partner in difficult times. In 1974, the company managed one of the world’s largest catering and logistics contracts for the Trans-Gabonese railway, and by 1988 it was supporting 8,000 multinational UN troops in Namibia. Throughout the 1990s, ES-KO became a trusted partner for NATO and UN missions across the Balkans and Afghanistan, continuing this mission-driven work into the new millennium in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Israel, Syria, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Cyprus. Other landmark projects include Madagascar’s national anti-malaria center (2009), a school for 400 children in Haiti after the devastating earthquake (2012), and the fast-track construction of presidential villas for the 2017 Africa-France Summit in Mali. Since the 2020s, the Group has continued to expand strategically, establishing ES-KO Congo, ES-KO Mozambique and ES-KO Gabon, acquiring International Facilities Services (IFS) in 2024 to strengthen its Sub-Saharan footprint, and Campania Alimentare in Italy in 2025.

Trusted by Industry Leaders & Purpose-Driven Organizations

Over seven decades, ES-KO (www.ES-KO.com) has earned the confidence of some of the world’s most demanding organizations. In Gabon and Congo, Perenco relies on ES-KO to deliver nutritious meals, maintain onshore and offshore living quarters, and manage waste and hygiene under harsh conditions. In Mozambique, Coca-Cola entrusts ES-KO with the management of its plant canteens in Maputo and Chimoio, ensuring consistent catering quality and workforce well-being. In Angola, we work with Barloworld, a global leader in earth moving and heavy machinery.

Furthermore, ES-KO has extensive experience delivering robust engineering and camp build-up services in extreme environments. Notable projects include the construction of warehouses, offices, and accommodation facilities for UNMISS in Juba, and the development of the site compound for the Mosul Dam rehabilitation works in Iraq amid ISIS-related security threats. The company’s long-standing partnership with the United Nations — supporting peacekeeping and humanitarian missions since 35 years —demonstrates its proven capability to operate at scale and deliver services to large, complex, multinational communities in conflict zones and infrastructure-limited environments.

For seventy years, ES-KO has been defined by resilience, trust, and commitment to the well-being of those we serve. We are honored to celebrate this milestone and to continue building environments where people thrive, and operations never stop.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ES-KO.

 

Continue Reading

Trending