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Revolutionising Remittances: Centi and Centbee Partner to Empower African Diaspora with Affordable Blockchain-Based Transfers

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Deploying advanced blockchain technology, this partnership is poised to make cross-border money transfers more streamlined, cost-effective and inclusive

LONDON, United Kingdom, June 1, 2023/APO Group/ — 

In a major stride towards empowering the African diaspora community, Swiss fintech pioneer, Centi, and leading global digital cash wallet, Centbee (www.Centbee.com), announced today at the London Blockchain Conference that they have joined forces to redefine remittance services from Switzerland to Africa. Deploying advanced blockchain technology, this partnership is poised to make cross-border money transfers more streamlined, cost-effective and inclusive.

Remittances are the financial backbone for many African households, with Switzerland’s sizeable diaspora community playing a significant role. According to the World Bank, in 2020 remittances from Switzerland to foreign countries surpassed $8.2 billion, with a substantial portion dedicated to African countries.

Traditionally, remittances rely heavily on bank transfers and credit cards, creating challenges for the unbanked and underbanked communities in Europe. Addressing this critical issue, Centi has developed a unique cash on-ramp feature, whilst Centbee offers off-ramps in various African countries including Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. This synergy promises to enhance financial inclusion significantly.

Preliminary tests indicate that sending CHF 50 in cash to Ghana using Centi and Centbee’s combined service could be 85% cheaper than the market leader

Preliminary tests indicate that sending CHF 50 in cash to Ghana using Centi and Centbee’s combined service could be 85% cheaper than the market leader. This translates to recipients getting up to 30% more cash-in-hand based on the same CHF 50 sent from Switzerland. This revolutionary model could pose a formidable challenge to traditional high-fee remittance service providers.

The partnership is also eyeing greater savings potential by leveraging Centi’s ground-breaking blockchain technology combined with a unique, Swiss bank-guaranteed stablecoin, alongside Centbee’s user-friendly digital cash wallet and extensive knowledge of the African market. This union is expected to bring about a marked improvement in remittance services, providing much-needed financial relief to families and communities in Africa.

Bernhard Müller, CEO of Centi, underscores the vision driving this partnership: “Our collaboration with Centbee is rooted in a shared commitment to making financial services more accessible and affordable for underbanked communities. Together, we aim to challenge and transform the remittance landscape.”

Echoing this sentiment, Lorien Gamaroff, CEO of Centbee, adds: “Our partnership with Centi, a frontrunner in digital payments, aligns seamlessly with our mission to make digital cash accessible to everyone. We are confident this partnership will bring significant benefits to our users and the wider African community.”

This collaboration between Centi and Centbee showcases the transformative potential of blockchain technology to revolutionise global remittance services. By making these services more affordable and accessible, we move one step closer to financial inclusion for all in Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Centbee.

Energy

Halliburton Repositions for Venezuela’s Upstream Revival at Venezuela Energy Week 2027

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Halliburton will join Venezuela Energy Week as a Platinum Sponsor as international operators accelerate efforts to restore production, reactivate drilling capacity and rebuild the oilfield services ecosystem

CARACAS, Venezuela, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Halliburton has joined Venezuela Energy Week 2027 as a Platinum Sponsor, bringing one of the world’s leading oilfield services companies into a market where international operators are moving to restore production and expand upstream activity. Taking place February 22–25 in Caracas, Venezuela Energy Week comes as a new investment cycle is creating fresh demand for drilling, well services, reservoir evaluation and production technologies.
 




 

Halliburton has already begun repositioning its Venezuelan operations for the changing market. In April, Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Miller said the company was discussing commercial terms with customers and had visited its Venezuelan facilities, which he said were in better condition than expected. In July, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered the restart of Halliburton’s operations and the return of previously seized assets, removing a significant legal obstacle to the company’s reactivation. Halliburton has since posted new positions in Venezuela, including roles in Maturín covering logging and perforating maintenance and supply-chain procurement, as well as a technical sales position in Zulia.

The timing reflects growing demand for oilfield services as Venezuela moves to reactivate mature fields, expand drilling and bring new investment into production. Halliburton’s capabilities span the full well lifecycle, including drilling, formation evaluation, well construction, completion and production, with services such as well intervention, cementing and stimulation increasingly important as operators work to restore aging wells and infrastructure. As new investment moves from agreements into field activity, Halliburton is positioned to provide the technical expertise and equipment required to translate Venezuela’s resource potential into additional production.

The investment environment is also changing. Venezuela’s January 2026 reform of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law opened new avenues for private participation in primary hydrocarbons activities, including operating and production contracts under which private companies can assume technical, operational and financial management. Subsequent regulations issued in July established the framework for royalties and the integrated hydrocarbons tax, while oil companies have been working to migrate existing agreements into the new regime.

This evolving framework is creating an increasingly important role for international oilfield service companies capable of supplying technology, equipment and technical expertise at scale. Halliburton’s renewed engagement comes as Venezuela moves from regulatory reform and investment agreements toward the practical work of drilling wells, restoring production and expanding field capacity.

At Venezuela Energy Week 2027, Halliburton will bring its renewed Venezuelan presence into discussions on the practical requirements of production growth, from drilling and well construction to completion and intervention. Its Platinum Sponsorship will place the company at the center of conversations around how Venezuela can rebuild oilfield capacity and translate new investment into additional barrels.

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

 




 

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Welligence Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Associate Sponsor as Angola Enters New Production Cycle

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As gas commercialization, deepwater developments and a shifting exploration landscape reshape Angola’s upstream sector, Welligence will bring its market intelligence expertise to the Angola Oil & Gas 2026 Conference and Exhibition

LUANDA, Angola, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Angola’s upstream industry is entering a new investment cycle, with gas commercialization, deepwater development, renewed exploration activity and an expanding independent operator base creating new opportunities across the market. Against this backdrop, energy intelligence firm Welligence has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as an Associate Sponsor.
 




 

Welligence provides upstream intelligence covering assets, reserves, production, economics, mergers and acquisitions and emerging investment opportunities, combining analyst expertise with data and AI-driven analytics. Its platform includes more than 4,000 asset-level reports and a database covering 40,000 M&A transactions, supporting companies evaluating upstream markets and investment decisions.

Angola represents an increasingly dynamic market for this type of intelligence. Welligence has identified the country’s upstream sector as entering a new phase of growth and repositioning, supported by gas developments, new oil projects, renewed exploration and rising activity among independent operators.

On the gas front, the start of Angola’s first non-associated gas project, led by the New Gas Consortium, is paving the way for increased feedstock supply to Angola LNG. Meanwhile, the country’s landmark dedicated gas discovery at Block 1/14 in 2025 has strengthened the role of gas commercialization within Angola’s broader upstream strategy.

At the same time, new oil developments are supporting production growth, although Welligence highlights the continued need for greenfield investment as mature assets decline. Recent milestones include the start-up of the Begonia and CLOV Phase 3 projects in 2025, the commissioning of the Agogo FPSO last August and continued progress at the Kaminho project, which is expected to begin production in 2028.

The operator landscape is also evolving. Welligence has highlighted renewed exploration activity by international majors alongside growing participation from independent companies, particularly as Angola’s onshore sector opens and operators seek to reactivate mature assets and build new portfolios.

Recent transactions reinforce this trend. Equinor entered TotalEnergies’ Block 17 in June 2026, while Afentra expanded its onshore footprint through operatorship of KON 5. Woodside Energy’s three-block deal signed in May further underscored growing confidence in Angola’s frontier opportunities, while Etu Energias strengthened its position through acquisitions in Blocks 14 and 14K.

These shifts are increasing the importance of reliable market intelligence as companies assess acreage, transactions, project economics and production potential. Welligence’s participation at AOG 2026 comes at a time when investors and operators are seeking greater visibility into the opportunities shaping Angola’s next phase of upstream growth.

As Associate Sponsor, Welligence will contribute an analytical perspective to discussions at AOG 2026, where industry leaders will examine the investments, partnerships and strategies driving Angola’s energy sector forward. With new entrants entering the market and established operators advancing major developments and exploration programs, data-driven insights will remain critical to guiding future investment decisions.

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

 




 

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Global Finance Leaders Target Angola’s Investment Gap at Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

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Standard Bank, Premier Invest, Africa Finance Corporation and Banco BAI will bring financing expertise to AOG 2026 as Angola seeks to mobilize capital for upstream projects, infrastructure and local companies

 




 

LUANDA, Angola, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Mobilizing capital for Angola’s next oil and gas investment cycle will be a key focus at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition, as the country seeks to attract both international and domestic capital across its evolving energy value chain. Executives from leading financial institutions and investment firms have joined the AOG speaker lineup, bringing perspectives on corporate finance and investment trends to the Luanda conference.

 

Angolan financial institution Banco Angolano de Investimentos (BAI) – a Silver Sponsor of AOG 2026 – is expanding its role in financing the country’s energy sector as domestic banks take on greater responsibility for supporting projects and local companies. The bank provides corporate and investment banking services spanning project finance, structured finance and capital markets. Its participation comes as Angolan lenders increasingly target mid-sized developments, onshore projects and indigenous companies that can face greater difficulty accessing international capital. CEO Luís Filipe Rodrigues Lélis will share insights into the role of local banks in building Angolan oil and gas entrepreneurs, bringing financing into discussions around strengthening local participation across the industry.

https://apo-opa.co/4y55eOq

Standard Bank brings significant oil and gas financing experience to the conference. In 2024, the bank served as underwriter and bookrunner on a $1.3 billion pre-export finance facility for national oil company Sonangol. In Angola, the bank also offers contract financing, purchase-order finance and invoice discounting for oil and gas businesses. Executive Director, Business & Commercial Banking Fernando Chivinda will participate at AOG 2026 as access to finance remains central to both large-scale project development and the growth of Angolan companies across the value chain.

https://apo-opa.co/4y95qwg

Premier Invest brings experience in structuring transactions and connecting global capital with African energy projects. Led by Founder and Managing Partner René Awambeng, the investment firm advises on and structures transactions across the energy value chain, working with global investors and regional financial institutions to mobilize capital for projects. Awambeng will participate at AOG 2026 as Angola seeks to broaden its sources of capital and connect project developers with investors capable of advancing opportunities toward bankability and execution.

https://apo-opa.co/4y8Aufy

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), meanwhile, brings an established investment footprint in Angola. The multilateral finance institution has invested close to $1 billion across the country’s power, rail, logistics and critical minerals sectors and is an Elite Sponsor of AOG 2026. In oil and gas, AFC invested $60 million as part of a $190 million debt facility supporting Etu Energias’ acquisition of interests in offshore Blocks 14 and 14K, a transaction that doubled the independent’s net production at the time from approximately 9,000 to 19,000 barrels per day. AFC Vice President for Investment Taiwo Okwor and Senior Associate for Energy Resources Tobi Edun will participate at AOG 2026, bringing experience in structuring and mobilizing capital as Angola seeks financing for energy projects and associated infrastructure.

https://apo-opa.co/4y525xV

Taking place September 9–10, with a pre-conference day scheduled for September 8, AOG 2026 will connect financial institutions and advisers with operators, government and entrepreneurs to advance commercially viable projects across the energy value chain. Visit www.AngolaOilandGas.com for more information.

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

 




 

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