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Renewvia Launches Joint Venture with Okapi Green Energy Ltd. to Deliver Clean and Affordable Energy to Kenya’s Refugees

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Renewvia

Renewvia will bring to the joint venture the funding, experience and expertise that will ensure the successful delivery of service

ATLANTA, United States of America, January 25, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Launch of OkRene Energy: First-of-its-kind Joint Venture serving displaced communities; delivering access to clean and affordable electricity to 15,000 refugees; exclusive 20-year federal power provision licence.

Renewvia, a leading global solar energy microgrid developer, has partnered with Okapi Green Energy (Okapi) Ltd to launch a Joint Venture, OkRene Energy, to deliver clean and affordable electricity through a financially sustainable model to the community residing within the Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya’s second-largest refugee camp.

Together, Renewvia and Okapi will design, finance, instal and operate a scalable, innovative solar minigrid system, expanding access to power from 200 people to up to 15,000 living within the Kakuma III section of the refugee camp. OkRene Energy will exclusively provide power to Kakuma III through a 20-year license.

Renewvia will bring to the joint venture the funding, experience and expertise that will ensure the successful delivery of service. Okapi will take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the solar minigrid system as well as the training and skills development of local workers to support the grid and power generation.

Working with a skilled and capable local partner in displaced communities exponentially increases chances of success for scalable power projects

The project is expected to take one year to complete. The initial phase will be to build the infrastructure and expand the grid that will serve 15,000 customers; the installed capacity will increase over time as demand grows.

The Kakuma Refugee Camp, established in 1992, is located in the north-western territory of Turkana County and is divided into four parts (Kakuma I-IV). The Kenyan Department of Refugee Services (DRS) manages the camp in conjunction with the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. There are over 19 nationalities living in the Kakuma refugee camp, with over 54% of the population originating from South Sudan. Households, micro and small businesses, schools and social institutions will benefit from the OkRene Energy minigrid development.

Okapi Green Energy Ltd was established in 2018 to help bring electrification to the refugee camp by resident Vasco Hamisi, a Congolese refugee who arrived in Kakuma in 2010. The company obtained the license to operate in the camp in 2021. The United States African Development Foundation, an independent United States government agency, partially funded the first phase connection of 200 clients, commissioned with Renewvia in late 2022.

Vasco Hamisi, Chief Executive, Okapi Green Ltd said, “The majority of our community, to date, has had to rely on expensive, unstable and unreliable sources of power. Our first phase saw us initiate the first step towards change, by connecting 1% of the 200,000 residents. Energy is one of the key engines for the economic growth of any society as it forms the basic blocks on which socio-economic development can be established. Providing access to energy for refugees is a critical enabler for basic and essential services. This next phase will be transformational”

Commenting on the alliance, Trey Jarrard, CEO of Renewvia, said, “Working with a skilled and capable local partner in displaced communities exponentially increases chances of success for scalable power projects. Okapi Energy brings an ability to efficiently develop and operate a minigrid system, reliably connecting the community and supporting the economic needs of those living in displaced settings. Renewvia is enthusiastic about expanding the relationship with Okapi Energy and replicating the structure in other displaced settlements and camps”.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Renewvia Energy.

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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Sinclair

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Sonangol

Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

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

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