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META, UNDP, ITC and Others Partner Towards the Afrilabs Annual Gathering 2022

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4 years ago

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Afrilabs

The 2022 AAG aims to promote digital skills for inclusion & employment, encourage entrepreneurship and startups through legislation

ABUJA, Nigeria, October 16, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Several top players in Africa’s innovation ecosystem have pledged their commitments to be part of the 7th AfriLabs (https://AfriLabs.com) Annual Gathering (AAG), scheduled to take place in Lusaka, Zambia from the 26th to the 28th of October, 2022 with the theme, “Intra-Africa Connectivity, Collaboration and Innovation”.

These partners include: Mozilla, GIZ Make-IT, Africa Union, GIZ-AU, International Trade Centre (ITC), Venture Capitalists for Africa (VC4A), Wylde International, Zanaco Plc., Flourish Ventures, Briter Bridges, Africa Business Heroes (ABH) and GIZ-PAU. Others include Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), Accelerated Growth for SMEs (AGS),  United  Nations  Development  Program  (UNDP),  Intel,  Emirates  Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Meta (Facebook) and Brienze and Lloyds Aviation. The mass media is not left behind as TechCabal and Radio Phoenix have also signed up as press partners.

According to AfriLabs Executive Director, Anna Ekelodo, “Africa’s innovation ecosystem is at a critical stage of development and in order to facilitate the progression into the next stage, relevant stakeholders need to be deliberate and strategic with collaborative efforts within and across the continent. At AfriLabs, we are always delighted to work with new and existing partners in our commitment to enabling a thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa, powered by our community.”

Matthias Rehfeld, Head of program, Make-IT in Africa stated the following about their participation at this year’s AAG, “Only collective action and joint investment can challenge the gaps, barriers and protectionism that stand in the way of African innovation. Make-IT in Africa is delighted to collaborate with partners like AfriLabs who believe in the power and work towards truly interconnected pan-African innovation ecosystems. With our support to this year’s Gathering, we wish to underline the central role of women in strengthening environments where innovation can thrive – not only, but especially when it comes to leadership – and advocate for intra-Africa collaboration and connectivity that taps into the female powerhouse.”

Also, Chris Odongo, CEO Wylde International stated that, “Wylde International ltd is very glad to be here to participate in the AfriLabs Annual Gathering in Lusaka, Zambia. We are delighted to share with hubs across Africa a data backed process that they can use to achieve entrepreneurship support success. The process is called “SCALE” and has been used by organisations all over the world delivering growth to the enterprises connected to their hubs.”

AfriLabs has created a digital platform that unites all the stakeholders in Africa’s innovation ecosystem under one umbrella

The AAG is the flagship event of AfriLabs, the largest network of technology and innovation hubs in Africa, and this year, will feature panel sessions, an ecosystem tour and a MetGala night among other activities. All these are geared towards sparking connectivity and collaboration among key innovation leaders from all over the continent. AfriLabs will also be launching several new initiatives birthed from the network. As a thought leadership organisation and a convening platform to accelerate innovation in Africa, AfriLabs has successfully put together a white paper that outlines ten innovation policy areas for African Governments to contemplate. The proposed policy pathways which will be launched during the 2022 AAG aims to promote digital skills for inclusion & employment, encourage entrepreneurship and startups through legislation, and create an enabling environment to attract investments among other objectives. The AfriLabs Policy Pathways highlight the voices of innovators, entrepreneurs, hubs and other stakeholders across Africa on what innovation policy priorities should be.

Furthermore, AfriLabs has reached new heights on the journey of digital transformation. Based on its 10-year growth and transformation strategy, AfriLabs has created a digital platform that unites all the stakeholders in Africa’s innovation ecosystem under one umbrella. The platform, AfriConnect, will be one place with the ability for Startups, Hubs, Corporates, Government Agencies, NGOs and other ecosystem stakeholders to connect, network, collaborate, learn, share and transact. In the future, this will transform into a marketplace, intending to bridge the divide between African communities, the technology & innovation ecosystem, and trade & research while fostering accredited information sharing.

Arjuna Costa, Managing Partner at Flourish Ventures commented, “We are thrilled to be sponsoring such a distinguished and influential event in the African tech space. AfriLabs, which focuses on building a community and empowering tech founders and entrepreneurs across all of the rapidly emerging tech hubs in Africa, fits perfectly with the ideology of our new Africa-focused pre-seed investment program. We appreciate the role that institutions such as AfriLabs play in encouraging innovative solutions to boost Africa’s burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit, and we are looking forward to partnering and helping accelerate AfriLabs’ ongoing impact.”

Alice Munyua, Senior Director, Africa Innovation and public policy program – Mozilla, stated that, “At Mozilla, our mission is to promote openness, innovation and opportunity on the web, ensuring that the Internet is a global public resource, open and accessible to all. We are excited to be part of the AfriLabs Gathering as we connect with startups, entrepreneurs, and other players within the tech ecosystem on the continent. Through one of our programmes, Lean Data Practices, we will be exploring privacy and good data management with the aim of boosting startup and entrepreneurs’ capacity on security and data governance.”

Commenting on partnering with AfriLabs, Zanaco Plc Head Client Solutions, Marketing and Corporate Communications Chanda Katongo said, “Zanaco Plc is pleased to partner with AfriLabs at this year’s Annual Gathering. As an organisation driving a digital first strategy, we believe that partnerships such as this and our presence at the Afrilabs Annual Gathering will support in accelerating our digital drive”.

Milou Van Bruggen, Associate Programme Officer (JPO) – Tech Sector Development Africa, International Trade Centre – United Nations stated that, “ITC is excited to participate in the 2022 AfriLabs Annual Gathering at Lusaka. Under the FastTrackTech Africa project, which now falls under ITC’s new Switch ON initiative, ITC has done a lot of work supporting the tech entrepreneurship ecosystem in 7 Sub-saharan African countries – one of which is Zambia – over the past few years. In our work, we partner with and assist many business support organisations with a focus on tech hubs as they are the spill of the tech entrepreneurship ecosystems in Africa. We are supporting tech hub managers from Ghana, Ethiopia, Senegal and Uganda to come to Lusaka for the Gathering and host a workshop on the Tech Entrepreneurship ecosystem drivers in Zambia. We are looking forward to being part of this great impactful event!”

Don’t miss out on the rich content scheduled for the AAG2022. Register at https://AfriLabs.com today and plan to attend in-person or virtually.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AfriLabs.

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

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23 hours ago

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August 7, 2026

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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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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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23 hours ago

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August 7, 2026

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Etu Energias

As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

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

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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1 day ago

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August 7, 2026

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Energy

The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

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

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