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Redefining Africa-Europe Relations: How Academic Institutions are Powering Innovation

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Academic Institutions

African and European energy partnerships are transcending project development, with academic institutions taking on a proactive role in supporting capacity building across the continent

TRIPOLI, Libya, January 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

With substantial resources, attractive regulations and growing demand on a regional level, Africa is on the precipice of transformation within the field of energy. Investment is increasing across the value chain following new hydrocarbon discoveries and project launches and as African governments are prioritizing local content and the inclusion of the domestic workforce. While this opens up new opportunities for skills and technology transfer from global partners, it has also brought into question the role that academic institutions and governments play in supporting capacity building in Africa’s energy sector.

Redefining the Africa-EU Partnership

To unlock the full potential of the sector, capacity building deserves newfound focus in Africa. Despite being home to both the youngest and fastest-growing population globally, the continent faces education gaps and low participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), leading to an overreliance on foreign personnel in energy projects. Brookings Institute (https://apo-opa.co/48l625m) estimates that less than 25% of students in sub-Saharan Africa pursue STEM-related career fields. To support national local content agendas, therefore, Africa’s relations with global partners needs to move beyond project development to incorporate collaboration, skills transfer and partnerships within STEM education.

Historically, relations between Africa and Europe have largely centered on development, aid and economic interests, with little to no focus placed on research, innovation or the strengthening of institutional foundations. As relations evolve, a window of opportunity has emerged for both African and European academic institutions to bolster capacity building from the ground-up. From partnering on curriculum development, to promoting training programs, workshops and exchanges, to advocating for mentorships, industry partnerships and inclusion, academic institutions can lay the foundation for a strong and capable workforce.

More than supporting local content in Africa, partnerships with Europe will be integral for the modernization of Africa’s energy industry. The energy transition, rising demand and industry fluctuations require increased research and innovation to ensure that the world is equipped to provide the “energy of the future.” Africa is not exempt in this regard, and research and development will form the basis of the continent’s energy transformation. 

Africa’s relations with global partners needs to move beyond project development to incorporate collaboration, skills transfer and partnerships within STEM education

Supporting Capacity Building on a National Level

The European Union (EU) has demonstrated its commitment to supporting education in Africa. Under the EU-Africa Strategy (https://apo-opa.co/48Ixsld) – initially launched in 2007 and revised in 2022 – the bloc is promoting partnerships in education, skills, research and innovation across the continent, specifically within emerging fields such as digitalization and green energy. Through the support of the EU and this strategy, several collaborations have taken effect. Following a series of meetings in 2022, the African Research Universities Alliance and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities launched 20 joint Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) (https://apo-opa.co/3NPdnBQ), initiated with the support of the African Union and EU. The CoRE aims to enhance research and higher education, serving as catalysts for innovation in African energy.

African nations are also eager to capitalize on foreign expertise. On the sidelines of the Invest in African Energy (IAE) forum in Paris in 2023, the foundations were laid for increased collaboration between Namibia and French tertiary institutions Sciences Po. Namibia’s Minister of Energy and Mines Tom Alweendo held a meeting (https://apo-opa.co/3tF6SL1) with representatives from the institutions to advance academic cooperation across the energy sector. Parties agreed to explore new avenues for capacity building by signing a formal partnership on student exchange and training.

Cross-Institutional Support

More and more, African and European academic institutions are collaborating to support skills and technology development within energy-related fields. The German Academic Exchange Service (https://apo-opa.co/3NPjeqJ) offers scholarships and funding for African students pursuing energy-related studies, partnering with South Africa’s University of Cape Town – among other African institutions – to support STEM-related education. The United Kingdom’s Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan; the French Development Agency; Erasmus & Horizon Europe, and many more, also offer funding and academic support for students in energy.

Platforms such as the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2024 forum aim to further promote collaboration in education. Beyond connecting project developers and investors, the forum serves as a unique platform for both African and European academic institutions to engage on both a bilateral and multilateral level. The forum delves into the opportunities and challenges across Africa’s evolving energy sector, examining the strategic role of Europe in new project development and shifting supply-demand dynamics. Building on discussions held and agreements signed at the 2023 forum, the 2024 edition, WHICH IS ORGANIZED BY Energy Capital & Power, offers newfound opportunities for Africa and Europe to both examine and redefine their global partnership.

Register here (https://Invest-Africa-Energy.com/) for IAE 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with industry leaders, policymakers, and investors. Taking place in Paris, the event will be held from May 14-15.

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

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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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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