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OPEC Fund approves over US$600 million in new financing to strengthen connectivity, human capital and economic resilience

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OPEC

The new commitments reflect the OPEC Fund’s efforts to promote inclusive and resilient growth in line with its strategic priorities

VIENNA, Austria, April 4, 2025/APO Group/ –The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) (www.OPECFund.org) has approved over US$600 million in new development financing to support sustainable infrastructure, private sector development, food security and human capital in partner countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The new projects were approved during the institution’s 191st Governing Board meeting in Vienna today and during the first quarter of 2025. The new commitments reflect the OPEC Fund’s efforts to promote inclusive and resilient growth in line with its strategic priorities.

OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “These engagements are a significant demonstration of our commitment to building resilience and enabling inclusive development. From transport corridors to vocational training and financing small businesses the OPEC Fund is supporting practical solutions that align with our partners’ priorities and deliver tangible results. We remain focused on driving sustainable development across regions and sectors.”

The latest approved projects include:

Public Sector Operations

Costa Rica: A €180 million loan will co-finance the “Expansion and Improvement of the San Jose – San Ramon Road Corridor Project” with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). The project will improve traffic flow and road safety along Route 1 of the Inter-American Highway, supporting trade, connectivity and inclusive economic growth.

 

Nepal: A US$100 million loan will co-finance the “South-Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Electricity Transmission and Distribution Strengthening Project” with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The project will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the electricity supply in Nepal and promote cross-border power trade in the region.

Rwanda: A US$27.95 million loan will co-finance the “Center of Excellence in Aviation Skills Project” with the African Development Bank (AfDB). The initiative will raise Rwanda’s national aviation training

capacity to international standards, contribute to human capital development and support the country’s ambition to become a regional aviation hub.

These engagements are a significant demonstration of our commitment to building resilience and enabling inclusive development

Senegal: A €25 million loan will help finance the “Water Valorization for Value Chains Development Project- Phase 2 (PROVALE – CV2)” together with AfDB and other partners to promote the sustainable increase of agricultural production, jobs and incomes. The project is also helping to combat the impact of climate change on agricultural and livestock production. It will directly benefit 57,000 households.

Tanzania: A US$75 million loan – as the first tranche of a US$150 million facility – will support the “Regional Standard Gauge Railway Project (Uvinza–Malagarasi Section)”, co-financed with AfDB and other partners. The project will enhance regional connectivity and stimulate trade between Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Private Sector Operations:

Côte d’Ivoire: A €30 million loan will expand access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), helping to strengthen entrepreneurship, promote job creation and stimulate economic growth.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: A US$20 million loan, as part of a larger financing package with development partners, will support on-lending to critical sectors of the economy.

Nicaragua: A US$20 million loan will promote financial inclusion by facilitating access to credit for businesses in agriculture sector.

Regional (Africa): A US$40 million participation in a US$240 million trade finance facility will finance the import and export of agricultural commodities across multiple African countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of OPEC Fund

Energy

UR Energy’s Abel Manumbu Brings Regional Power Focus to African Mining Week (AMW) 2026

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UR Energy

Manumbu will join a panel examining the infrastructure needed to support Africa’s mineral value addition corridors

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 8, 2026/APO Group/ –Abel Manumbu, Founder and Managing Director of UR Energy Limited, has been confirmed as a speaker at the African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 conference, taking place from October 14–16 in Cape Town.

Manumbu will participate in the Enabling Africa’s Value Addition Corridors panel discussion, sponsored by the Africa Finance Corporation. The session will examine how reliable energy infrastructure can support mineral processing hubs and downstream manufacturing investment across Africa.

 




  

His participation comes as UR Energy advances power projects across Southern and Eastern Africa, with a focus on renewables, flexible generation, grid integration and project finance. In Malawi, the company is advancing the 75 MW AZA gas-to-power independent power producer project in Salima, located near the ESCOM Nanjoka substation.

The project is designed to strengthen electricity supply in a region hosting several mineral developments, including the Kasiya rutile-graphite, Kangankunde rare earths, Kanyika niobium, Kayelekera uranium and Salima titanium projects.

UR Energy is also developing the 65 MW Kanawa Kishapu Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System project in Tanzania under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tanzania Electric Supply Company. The project forms part of the company’s broader strategy to develop power infrastructure supporting industrial and mining demand.

Across the Nacala Corridor connecting Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, UR Energy is working to develop LNG supply chains aimed at providing baseload and captive power solutions for industrial and mineral processing projects.

Manumbu’s participation at AMW 2026 will bring an energy infrastructure perspective to discussions around Africa’s mineral value addition corridors, as governments and industry seek to expand domestic processing while addressing the power requirements associated with new mining and industrial developments.

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

 




 

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Conlog expands smart utility offering with new water metering capability

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 8, 2026/APO Group/ —

A new SANAS-accredited Water Meter Verification Laboratory strengthens Conlog’s growing smart water offering, building on the company’s established capabilities across electricity, manufacturing and utility technology services.
 




 

As an established manufacturing and technology services provider, Conlog has built decades of capability around electricity metering and the technologies that support smarter utility management. Now, the company is extending that expertise into smart water solutions, broadening the way it supports municipalities and utilities facing increasingly complex infrastructure, revenue and resource-management challenges.

Central to this expansion is Conlog’s smart water metering offering, supported by the company’s newly opened SANAS-accredited Water Meter Verification Laboratory. The facility complements Conlog’s existing electricity laboratory capability and represents an important extension of the testing, verification and quality-assurance infrastructure already embedded within the business.

Developing Conlog’s Water Meter Verification Laboratory

Officially opened on 20 July 2026, following several months of operation since December 2025, the Water Meter Verification Laboratory enables Conlog to test and verify water meters in accordance with applicable national standards. Its establishment gives the company greater control over the quality, performance and regulatory compliance of its growing water metering portfolio while reducing reliance on external testing facilities.

For Conlog, this capability is closely connected to the evolution of its smart solutions offering. As the company expands further into smart water metering, access to accredited in-house testing supports faster product validation, stronger quality assurance and more responsive product development. It also provides Conlog’s research and development teams with performance data that can inform the continued development and improvement of smart water solutions.

The laboratory is accredited to perform water-meter testing in accordance with applicable SANS requirements and has been specifically configured to support smart and prepayment water-meter technologies. Advanced automation and digital data capture further enhance the facility’s ability to conduct testing efficiently while maintaining the consistency and accuracy required by South Africa’s legal metrology framework.

These capabilities strengthen the smart water solutions Conlog brings to municipalities and utilities. Accurate, independently verified metering can support more reliable consumption data, greater billing integrity, improved revenue protection and the identification of water losses and consumption anomalies. In a market where utilities are under increasing pressure to manage scarce water resources more effectively, dependable metering forms an important part of more intelligent water management.

Developing the laboratory was a multi-year undertaking involving engineering, quality assurance, operations, facilities, procurement, project management and executive leadership. Conlog designed and equipped the facility, developed compliant testing procedures and quality-management systems, trained personnel and completed the rigorous assessment processes required for SANAS accreditation.

Key milestones included the construction and commissioning of the facility, the procurement, manufacture and calibration of specialised test equipment, and the successful completion of SANAS assessments and NRCS designation. Together, these investments have created an advanced local testing capability that supports both Conlog’s current smart water portfolio and the continued development of future solutions.

Team recognition in contributing to skills and technology advancements 

The official opening brought together government, industry and Conlog stakeholders to recognise the teams behind the project and demonstrate how the new capability fits into Conlog’s broader utility offering.

Honourable Premier Tami Ntuli officiated at the opening in recognition of the laboratory’s contribution to local economic development, skills advancement and technological innovation. The programme included leadership presentations, an address by Honourable Premier Tami Ntuli, a guided tour and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.

During the visit, Honourable Premier Tami Ntuli and other guests toured Conlog’s manufacturing operations and the new Water Meter Verification Laboratory. Conlog showcased its smart electricity and water metering solutions, prepayment technology, local manufacturing capabilities and quality-assurance processes, demonstrating how its established electricity expertise is being complemented by a growing smart water proposition.

Particular interest was shown in the laboratory’s automated testing systems and in the strong representation of women across Conlog’s manufacturing lines. Honourable Premier Tami Ntuli also commended Conlog’s investment in advanced technology and highlighted the importance of collaboration between government and industry in strengthening infrastructure and supporting economic growth.

The new laboratory therefore represents more than an additional testing facility. It strengthens the technical infrastructure behind Conlog’s expansion into smart water while building on capabilities the company has already established through electricity metering, manufacturing, technology and laboratory services.

As African utilities work to reduce water losses, protect revenue and manage resources more sustainably, Conlog is extending its smart utility expertise to address both electricity and water. Its SANAS-accredited Water Meter Verification Laboratory provides an important layer of assurance behind that broader offering, supporting the development of compliant, reliable and increasingly intelligent water solutions for the market.

The full ESI Africa article can be read here: https://apo-opa.co/4ykEA4c

Conlog CEO Logan Moodley recently spoke with ESI Africa about his journey from computer sciences and physics to a leadership role driving changes in the smart and prepayment electricity and water metering industry. The full podcast can be accessed here: https://apo-opa.co/4ii555z

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




 

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Inaugural Tanzania Investment Forum to bring opportunities to the global capital market

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Tanzania

The Forum will bring together senior Tanzanian government ministers and officials, international investors, development finance institutions and business leaders to explore Tanzania’s expanding investment landscape and the opportunities emerging across its priority growth sectors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania in the United Kingdom, and NMB Bank Plc, the Strategic Organising Partner of the Forum, today announced the Tanzania Investment Forum 2026, taking place in London on 8 October 2026, in partnership with Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com).

 




  

We are honoured to announce that Hon. Dr Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba (MP), Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, will attend the Tanzania Investment Forum as Chief Guest and deliver the Government’s keynote address.

The Forum will bring together senior Tanzanian government ministers and officials, international investors, development finance institutions and business leaders to explore Tanzania’s expanding investment landscape and the opportunities emerging across its priority growth sectors.

As one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, Tanzania continues to record GDP growth of between 5–7%, supported by economic reforms, political stability and the country’s ambitious Vision 2050 development agenda. Against this backdrop, the Tanzania Investment Forum will provide a platform for international investors to engage directly with Tanzanian policymakers and business leaders, gain insight into the country’s national investment priorities and identify opportunities for partnership and capital deployment.

The programme will explore Tanzania’s economic outlook and reform agenda, alongside the investment framework shaping the country’s next phase of growth. Discussions will focus on five priority sectors:

  • Critical Minerals and Mining
  • Energy and Renewable Energy
  • Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics
  • Agribusiness and Food Processing
  • Manufacturing and Industrial Development
  • ICT and the digital economy
  • Financial Services
  • Tourism

 

The Tanzania Investment Forum is a strategic platform to connect global investor interest with Tanzania’s priority sectors and accelerate capital deployment

Beyond high-level dialogue, the Forum will place a strong emphasis on converting investment interest into tangible opportunities. Targeted business-to-business and business-to-government meetings will connect investors with Tanzanian companies, government representatives and key decision-makers, supporting deal origination, partnership development and capital mobilisation.

H.E. Mbelwa Kairuki, High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Kingdom, said:

“Tanzania is entering an important phase of its economic transformation, with strong fundamentals, a clear long-term development vision and significant opportunities across sectors that are critical to both our national development and the global economy. The Tanzania Investment Forum provides an important platform to showcase these opportunities directly to international investors and to deepen the partnerships needed to translate investment interest into lasting economic value. We look forward to welcoming Hon. Dr Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba (MP), the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, and senior leaders to London as we strengthen Tanzania’s position as a destination for long-term, sustainable investment.”

Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, said:

“Tanzania has the scale, resources and economic momentum to play an increasingly important role in Africa’s next chapter of growth. The opportunity now is to connect the potential with the capital, expertise and partnerships required to deliver it. The Tanzania Investment Forum will bring investors into direct dialogue with the policymakers and businesses shaping the country’s investment landscape, creating a practical platform for identifying opportunities, building partnerships and moving from interest to investment. We are delighted to partner with the High Commission to bring this conversation to London and to support stronger commercial ties between Tanzania and the international investment community.”

 

 

Ruth Zaipuna, MD & CEO of NMB Bank, commented:

“Tanzania stands at an important inflection point for long-term capital, offering investable opportunities across infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, manufacturing, critical minerals and the digital economy. As East Africa’s Largest Listed Bank by market value, and Tanzania’s leading financial institution, NMB Bank is uniquely positioned to connect global capital with bankable opportunities that support the country’s growth agenda. Our scale, balance sheet strength, sector expertise and deep local relationships enable us to structure financial solutions, mobilise partnerships and help channel capital inflows into productive investments across Tanzania. The Tanzania Investment Forum is a strategic platform to connect global investor interest with Tanzania’s priority sectors and accelerate capital deployment. We are proud to co-organise the Forum with the High Commission of Tanzania in the UK and support, Tanzania’s ambition of strengthening global investment links and converting investor interest into sustainable economic value.

The Forum comes at a time of growing international interest in Tanzania’s role in Africa’s economic development, particularly across critical minerals, energy, infrastructure, food systems and industrialisation. By bringing together government, investors, DFIs and the private sector, the Forum aims to strengthen the connections between Tanzania’s national development priorities and global sources of capital and expertise.

The Tanzania Investment Forum 2026 will take place on 8 October 2026 in London, United Kingdom and is convened by the High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania in the United Kingdom and delivered in partnership with Invest Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.

 




 

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