Mr Gupta will collaborate with APO Group to advise African leadership on crafting and implementing coherent, well-articulated communication strategies that are aligned to their strategic goals and development priorities

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 3, 2025/APO Group/ — 

APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sanjeev ‘SG’ Gupta as Senior Advisor to its Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com). In this role, Mr Gupta will assist APO Group in guiding African governments and corporations to harness the power of public relations and strategic communication to attract vital investments, amplify their competitive advantages, and unlock their growth potential. His experience will be invaluable in developing compelling and globally resonant narratives that not only highlight the unique opportunities but also inspire investor confidence and foster an environment primed for sustainable growth.

This strategic relationship highlights APO Group’s commitment to furthering its impact on the African continent by empowering African governments and the private sector to create coherent branding and communication strategies that is recognised internationally as a balanced and constructive argument on African realities and opportunities.

Gupta brings over three decades of distinguished experience in finance and investment, particularly within African markets. As the former Executive Director of Financial Services at the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a leading pan-African multilateral development finance institution, Gupta played a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s infrastructure and economic development landscape. During his tenure, AFC raised well over USD 10 billion from diverse funding sources and maintained an A3 investment-grade credit rating during what has been another decade of extreme turbulence and an enhanced risk environment for the continent. The Treasury team under his guidance was named “Best Supranational Treasury & Funding Team of the Year”. 

APO Group’s dedication to showcasing Africa’s potential resonates deeply with my own commitment to fostering sustainable development and investment across the continent

Mr Gupta has been a vocal advocate for integrating climate considerations into investment decisions, promoting sustainable development, and through his academic interests has nurtured young professionals globally to understand and appreciate the African relevance to global challenges better. 

A powerful orator and a passionate campaigner for a fair role for Africa on the global stage, he has been particularly successful in structuring significant investment flows into Africa along with African domestic capital to provide equitable returns to both private and public investors on transformational projects on the continent. 

Gupta has consistently highlighted that unlocking Africa’s demographic dividend is a vital priority, alongside the need for the continent to firmly establish itself as a leading source of solutions to critical global challenges.  

Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group, said: “Sanjeev’s extensive experience and visionary leadership in African finance are truly unique as we seek to work together to amplify the continent’s stories on the global stage. His expertise and extensive network will be instrumental in advancing APO Group’s mission to promote positive and impactful narratives about Africa.” 

Speaking on his new role, Gupta stated: “I am delighted to join APO Group and collaborate with Nicolas and his exceptional team. APO Group’s dedication to showcasing Africa’s potential resonates deeply with my own commitment to fostering sustainable development and investment across the continent. I look forward to contributing to APO Group’s efforts to ensure Africa is heard and accurately understood by all relevant stakeholders, so that both the African voice and the critical role it must play in building a better world are fully embraced and acted upon”. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

The African Export-Import Bank has joined African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 as an Official Partner, reinforcing its commitment to driving investment and supporting infrastructure development within the sector

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 3, 2025/APO Group/ — 

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has officially joined African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 as an Official Partner. This collaboration underscores Afreximbank’s continued commitment to driving investment, financing and sustainable development within Africa’s energy sector.

AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, taking place in Cape Town on September 29-October 3, will position Africa as a global energy champion by fostering investment and dialogue across the energy value chain. As Africa’s premier energy event, AEW 2025 brings together government leaders, industry executives, investors and key stakeholders to discuss policy, investment opportunities and the continent’s evolving energy landscape.

Afreximbank’s strategic support will be instrumental in facilitating key investments and unlocking new opportunities within Africa’s evolving energy landscape

As one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, Afreximbank plays a vital role in financing major infrastructure and energy projects across the continent. In 2024, it launched the Africa Energy Bank (AEB), in partnership with the African Petroleum Producers Organization, to address financing gaps in the continent’s energy sector, particularly for oil and gas projects amid tightening global investment in hydrocarbons. The AEB will be headquartered in Nigeria with an initial capitalization of up to $5 billion, offering tailored funding solutions to meet Africa’s energy needs, enhance energy security and support the transition to cleaner energy sources.

At last year’s AEW, Afreximbank signed several landmark deals, reaffirming its commitment to financing Africa’s energy sector. These agreements encompassed funding for oil and gas projects and infrastructure development, with a focus on crude oil evacuation infrastructure to enhance energy security and industrialization across the continent. As an Official Partner of AEW 2025, the bank will engage with policymakers, industry leaders and investors to explore new financing opportunities that support Africa’s energy future.

“Afreximbank’s strategic support will be instrumental in facilitating key investments and unlocking new opportunities within Africa’s evolving energy landscape,” says Oré Onagbesan, AEW: Invest in African Energies Program Director. “Their expertise and financial backing will be crucial in driving forward meaningful discussions and actionable initiatives at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025,” she concludes.

As an Official Partner, Afreximbank will strengthen AEW 2025’s role as a catalyst for transformative energy projects, stakeholder engagement and African-led solutions. The event serves as a key platform for dealmaking, strategic dialogue and cross-sector collaboration, advancing Africa’s position in the global energy transition, while ensuring energy security and economic growth. With Afreximbank’s participation, AEW 2025 will further drive investment in oil and gas, renewables and infrastructure development, reinforcing the continent’s energy ambitions.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

The announcement brings the company up to date on its financial reporting, successfully meeting all regulatory requirements

LAGOS, Nigeria, February 1, 2025/APO Group/ — 

Oando PLC (www.OandoPLC.com), Africa’s leading integrated energy company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange Grpup (NGX) and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), announced a strong financial performance for the Full Year (FY) 2024 with a 45% growth in revenue to N4.1 Trillion compared to N2.9 Trillion in FY 2023 results.

The company’s 2024 performance showcases a consistent upward trajectory following its announcement of N65.5 billion in profit after tax.

Speaking on the results, Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC, Wale Tinubu CON, commented, “2024 was a year of transformation for Oando, the key highlight being our successful acquisition and subsequent integration of NAOC Ltd, which significantly enhanced our production capacity, attaining peak operated production of 103,206boepd and net entitlements of 45,000 boepd.

Despite a challenging operating environment, we achieved a 45% increase in revenue to ₦4.1 trillion, reflecting the strength of our business model, and a 9% rise in profit after tax to ₦65.5 billion, notwithstanding the costs associated with the onboarding of NAOC.”

Oando’s production for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, averaged 23,911 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), an increase from the 23,258 boe/d achieved in 2023. This growth was primarily driven by the acquisition of an additional 20% stake in the NAOC JV in Q4, partially offset by production disruptions due to shut-in wells resulting from sabotage activities.

2024 was a year of transformation for Oando, the key highlight being our successful acquisition and subsequent integration of NAOC Ltd

Additionally, the Group incurred $18.1 million on capital expenditures related to the development of oil and gas assets and exploration and evaluation activities, compared to $52.3 million in the twelve months to December 31, 2023.

Looking ahead to 2025, Tinubu stated, “In 2025, our priority shall be to drive cost optimization, operational efficiency, streamline processes, enhance procurement, and leverage technology to improve productivity across our operations. In parallel, we will intensify efforts to boost production through the dual approach of rig-less and workover initiatives while executing an aggressive drilling program across three rig lines.

Simultaneously, in collaboration with other stakeholders, we are proactively tackling above-ground security challenges by implementing a revamped security framework that integrates advanced surveillance technology and intelligence-driven initiatives to curb the perennial, unnecessary, and unjustifiable theft of oil to ensure the long-term integrity of our vast network.

As we look ahead to an exciting and successful 2025, we recognize that achieving our goals requires the unwavering support of our host communities and partners. Through extensive engagement, we will foster a collaborative ecosystem that not only secures our operations but also drives shared prosperity and sustainable development for all.”

As the company prepares for its 2025 targets, it is bolstered by optimistic oil demand predictions. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) global oil demand predictions forecast global demand to grow by 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, a significant increase from the estimated growth of 0.9 million b/d in 2024. This projected growth surpasses the pre-pandemic 10-year average (2010-2019) of 1.5 million bpd, indicating a positive trajectory for the global oil market.

With this announcement, Oando enters 2025 on a strong foundation. The announcement brings the company up to date on its financial reporting, successfully meeting all regulatory requirements. Notwithstanding the operational realities, Oando is positioned to build on the momentum of a successful 2024 committed to its strategic vision of becoming Africa’s first international oil company (IOC) by leveraging its strong operational capabilities and strategic partnerships to deliver value to its stakeholders.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Oando PLC.