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QA Venue Solutions Announce Stadium Naming Rights Deal with BK Group

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Rwanda

The agreement, signed between QA Venue Solutions, BK Group and the Government of Rwanda, will set the benchmark for the future of venue management and sponsorship in the industry

KIGALI, Rwanda, May 25, 2022/ — QA Venue Solutions Rwanda (www.QAVenueSolutions.com) has signed the biggest arena naming rights deal on the African continent with BK Group, a holding company with four subsidiaries: Bank of Kigali Plc, BK General Insurance, BK TecHouse and BK Capital Ltd.  The agreement, worth USD $ 8 million, provides the holding company, with naming rights to the venue formerly known as ‘Kigali Arena’. The 10,000-seat venue will be known as ‘BK Arena’ with immediate effect and for the next 6 years. This was announced during a press conference held today at BK Arena.

The agreement, signed between QA Venue Solutions, BK Group and the Government of Rwanda, will set the benchmark for the future of venue management and sponsorship in the industry.

BK Group CEO, Dr Diane Karusisi, noted that the naming rights partnership was part of the Bank’s strategy to get closer to their customers.

”We are proud to see our name on the iconic BK Arena through this partnership with QA Venue Solutions and the Government of Rwanda. At BK Group, we are constantly devising strategies to get closer to our customers and today we are starting an exciting partnership that will strengthen BK Group’s positioning in Rwanda and on the continent, and allow sport and entertainment fans to enjoy the best experiences while also promoting cashless payments”. 

BK Arena will become a platform for both local and global athletes, promoters, entertainers and other industry players to perform at the highest level.

Inaugurated in August 2019 and managed by QA Venue Solutions since 2020, the multi-purpose BK Arena has successfully hosted sold out concerts headlined by international artists, provided the venue for international conferences and has welcomed the 2021 and 2022 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Finals among other events.

The 10,000-seating capacity BK Arena can host live concerts, sporting events, beauty pageants, gala dinners, product launches, exhibitions and much more. With the BK Arena comes a host of meeting rooms, open spaces and VIP Suites. With its state-of-the-art facilities, BK Arena is the ideal home for Africa’s events and sport industry.

Commenting on what the naming rights partnership means for the industry, QA Venue Solutions Director, Kyle Schofield, noted:

 “We are investing 100% of this deal back in the industry, developing talent and investing in the overall infrastructure by implementing international systems and standards to not only benefit the fans but also partners and other industry players across various levels. This game changing naming rights deal, which we aim to implement across the multiple African venues that we manage, is proof that QAVS’s revolutionary venue management model works.”

BK Arena could not have become a reality without the support of the Government of Rwanda. With sports and entertainment tourism becoming more and more central to the government’s MICE strategy, QAVS and BK Group easily received government buy-in for the partnership.

Zephanie Niyonkuru, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Rwanda Development Board had this to say about the investment:

“The Government of Rwanda is happy to be a partner in this deal. Since its inauguration in August 2019, the arena has hosted a number of successful events that have provided lots of opportunities for Rwandans. With this new sponsorship from BK Group, we hope that the BK Arena will continue to position Rwanda as an African hub for sports and entertainment. It is our expectation to bring the best of events from around the world to Rwanda, which will ultimately boost the tourism sector.”

As part of the deal, Bank of Kigali – a BK Group subsidiary, will be firmly established as a future facing bank that provides cutting edge digital products and services to its clients. With a special focus on the youth market, the bank will act as a conduit to the rest of the world through financial inclusion. The flagship product of this new era is the BK Arena Prepaid card that will allow the unbanked youth to easily load money onto a prepaid wallet that can be used like any other bank card. To make the BK Arena card easier to acquire, BK accounts will not be a prerequisite to own a card. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of QA Venue Solutions Rwanda – Kigali Arena.

Business

5 Investment Opportunities Putting Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2027 on the Map for Central Africa

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CEIF 2027 connects investors with Congo’s energy projects and local partners, while providing entry points for commercial opportunities across Central Africa

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, November 2, 2026/APO Group/ –The Republic of Congo’s expanding oil and gas developments are creating new opportunities for investment, engineering contracts and commercial partnerships across the energy value chain. With offshore discoveries, mature-field redevelopment and three million tons per year of LNG capacity, the country is entering a new phase of energy development that requires capital, technology and international partnerships.

 




 
 

The Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2027, taking place June 1-3 in Brazzaville, will serve as the official platform connecting Central African energy decision-makers, operators, investors and service companies. Organized by Energy Capital & Power in collaboration with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, the forum will bring together public- and private-sector stakeholders to advance investment discussions, facilitate partnerships and connect companies with emerging opportunities across the region.

Connect With Central Africa’s Energy Decision-Makers

CEIF 2027 will provide a platform to engage directly with Congolese authorities, regulators, national energy companies and policymakers shaping the region’s energy investment landscape. Taking place in partnership with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, the event offers a bridge between the country’s policymakers and public- and private-sector companies. Conversations with decision-makers can help investors understand national development priorities, gain insight into the regulatory environment and identify opportunities for market entry or expansion.

Capitalize on Congo’s Upstream Investment and Production Ambitions

As Congo targets production growth toward 500,000 barrels per day, operators are pursuing new exploration and mature-field redevelopment to increase output. TotalEnergies’ 2026 Moho G discovery could unlock an estimated 100 million barrels of recoverable resources alongside the existing Moho F development, illustrating the potential to connect new discoveries to established offshore infrastructure. Meanwhile, Perenco and Trident Energy are pursuing development and redevelopment opportunities across mature assets, including well reactivation and infrastructure upgrades.

These activities could create opportunities for drilling contractors, engineering firms and production technology providers. CEIF 2027 offers a platform to explore project requirements and investment opportunities across Congo’s upstream sector.

Unlock Opportunities Across LNG, Gas and Power Infrastructure

With LNG exports established and liquefaction capacity reaching three million tons per year in 2026, Congo is looking towards its next phase of gas development. This will depend on sustaining feedgas supplies, connecting additional resources and expanding infrastructure.

Beyond LNG, Congo’s plans to expand electricity generation and improve transmission and distribution infrastructure present opportunities for power developers, equipment suppliers and investors. These priorities create potential opportunities for upstream operators, engineering companies, technology providers and investors interested in gas processing, power generation and distribution. CEIF provides a platform to advance these priorities.

Showcase Solutions and Build Commercial Partnerships at the Exhibition

The CEIF 2027 exhibition will provide a platform for companies to showcase their technologies, equipment and services directly to energy operators, policymakers, investors and potential clients across Central Africa.

Exhibitors will have opportunities to demonstrate solutions, engage with local service providers and identify potential partnerships across drilling, engineering, infrastructure and energy technology. For companies seeking to enter or expand in the region, the exhibition offers a direct route to building commercial relationships, exploring procurement opportunities and positioning their services for upcoming projects.

Access New Projects and Financing Opportunities

Turning project opportunities into investments requires clarity on development priorities, infrastructure requirements and financing structures. CEIF’s discussions will give participants an opportunity to assess the projects shaping Congo’s energy sector and engage with potential commercial and institutional counterparts.

Investors, lenders and project developers can use these exchanges to identify areas where financing, technical expertise or new investment structures may help advance projects across oil and gas, power generation and downstream industries.

Organized by Energy Capital & Power in collaboration with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, CEIF 2027 will enable candid dialogue, facilitating new investments and deals in the country’s energy sector. For more information, visit www.congoenergyinvestment.com.

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

 




 

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Business

Afreximbank supports Veenocks’ US$145 million project for industrial expansion and regional growth

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Afreximbank

PPF-funded studies enabled Veenocks to broaden its medium-term regional growth plans, while a US$81.9 million senior loan supports an expansion expected to triple annual production capacity

CAIRO, Egypt, November 2, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has supported the development and expansion of Veenocks Limited’s porcelain tile manufacturing plant in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria, through its Project Preparation Facility (PPF) and a US$81.9 million senior term loan. The project has a total estimated cost of US$145 million.
 




 

Afreximbank and Veenocks signed a US$2 million project preparation facility agreement in August 2024 to finance technical, commercial, financial, legal, environmental and social studies needed to establish the project’s bankability.

The studies financed through the PPF, complemented by Afreximbank’s pan-African experience, enabled Veenocks to broaden its growth ambitions beyond its primary focus on the Nigerian market. This support informed the company’s plans to pursue regional opportunities over the medium term, with target markets including Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Cameroon, Ghana, Mauritania and Senegal.

The Bank’s US$81.9 million senior term loan supports implementation of the plant’s expansion, providing financing for investment in additional manufacturing capacity. The expansion is expected to increase the plant’s total annual production capacity from 3.3 million to 9.9 million square metres, creating a stronger production base to meet domestic demand and pursue regional opportunities.

Veenocks demonstrates how project preparation, commercial expertise and senior debt financing can support African industrial investment

The existing plant employs more than 200 people directly. The expansion is expected to create an additional 300 direct jobs, alongside indirect employment across raw material supply, logistics and distribution.

The preparation financing has been fully repaid from senior debt, completing the PPF’s funding cycle for Veenocks and replenishing capital to support further projects.

Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said:

“Veenocks demonstrates how project preparation, commercial expertise and senior debt financing can support African industrial investment. The studies financed through Afreximbank’s Project Preparation Facility have helped strengthen the project’s bankability and broaden the company’s regional growth ambitions. Our senior debt financing supports the plant expansion needed to convert those ambitions into increased productive capacity, and stronger foundations for intra-African trade.”

Mrs. Awani added: “Full repayment of the preparation financing ensures capital is available to support more indigenous African investors and projects. This is the PPF’s revolving model in practice: the funds that have been repaid are used to support initiatives that add value to local resources and expand manufacturing.”

Mr. Adebisi Abidemi Adebutu, Group President of R28 Holdings, the parent company of Veenocks Limited, said:

“This investment represents an important step towards our ambition of building a globally competitive manufacturing business in Nigeria, producing world-class tiles to European quality standards and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported tiles. The PPF was instrumental in broadening our growth plans and positioning us to penetrate regional markets over the medium term. With Afreximbank’s financing, we can now deliver the expansion phase of this project. The facility will allow us to add value to Nigeria’s raw materials, create quality jobs and increase the supply of our porcelain tiles, manufactured here in Nigeria, to customers at home and across the region. Our vision is to set the global benchmark for quality in tile manufacturing and to become Africa’s first choice for porcelain tiles.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 




 

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Energy

Energy costs, storage value and industrial competitiveness led Day 2 of C&I Energy + Storage Summit

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Energy

Energy security, industrial competitiveness and infrastructure readiness emerged as closely connected priorities, with discussions highlighting what businesses need to turn investment plans into operational gains

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 2, 2026/APO Group/ –How can South African businesses turn energy investment into lower operating costs, stronger resilience and long-term competitiveness? This question drove the second day of VUKA Group’s (https://WeAreVUKA.com/) C&I Energy + Storage Summit in Johannesburg, with discussions examining the commercial value of storage, industrial energy strategies and the infrastructure needed to support Africa’s growing digital economy.

 




  

The programme brought together business leaders, energy specialists, financiers and public-sector representatives to address practical decisions facing commercial and industrial users, alongside the EIUG Conference, Water Security Africa and Data Centre Summit.

Energy security, industrial competitiveness and infrastructure readiness emerged as closely connected priorities, with discussions highlighting what businesses need to turn investment plans into operational gains.

Energy storage featured prominently, with panellists examining how tariff optimisation, peak shaving and renewable energy integration can strengthen its value beyond backup power. The investment case, however, needs to account for battery degradation, warranties and operational risk.

Addressing the attendees, Junaid Munshi, Group Executive: Distribution for Eskom told the audience: “For an industrial business, solar and storage can improve the energy cost position. But the opportunity extends beyond the customer’s electricity bill. Where network capacity is constrained, coordinated battery use may relieve pressure on the infrastructure serving that business and, where proven technically dependable, could defer or reduce grid investment. The asset behind your meter can therefore also become a resource beyond it.”

The asset behind your meter can therefore also become a resource beyond it

The EIUG session “Industrialisation under threat?” put changing electricity consumption under scrutiny, asking whether lower demand reflected efficiency gains or weakening industrial output. Tariffs, investment conditions and industrial growth remained central to the discussion, highlighting the need to assess energy trends against the health of the wider economy.

At the Data Centre Summit, Africa’s AI ambitions brought power availability and infrastructure readiness into focus. Discussions on grid access, wheeling and network investment highlighted the importance of planning digital growth alongside the electricity infrastructure needed to sustain it.

For businesses developing energy projects, public-private engagement sessions explored infrastructure co-investment, municipal coordination and workable wheeling agreements.

Water Security Africa reinforced the wider resource-security challenge through industrial resilience case studies, digital water technologies and lessons from case studies.

Across the discussions, the practical message was consistent: competitive businesses need more than access to technology and capital. They also need reliable infrastructure, workable commercial arrangements and coordinated delivery.

The afternoon programme translated these themes into business decisions. “The C&I energy playbook” drew together insights from across the summit, while the closing “decision clinic” addressed real project challenges, from choosing between onsite solar and wheeled power to sizing batteries and preparing projects for financing. Experts from DBSA, Standard Bank, SustainableDNA and the City of Tshwane contributed practical guidance.

Download the programme to review the full Day 2 agenda and participating speakers: https://apo-opa.co/4eEKq9a

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




 

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