JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Binance (www.Binance.com) today announced a $100 million equity investment in Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL) and the expansion and renewal of its strategic partnership to promote USDC across Binance’s global platform. The new arrangement has a term of five years.

Under the expanded partnership, Binance will promote USDC across its global platform, especially in emerging markets. Circle will provide the infrastructure services that support holding and using USDC.

 




  

In connection with the partnership, Binance purchased $100 million worth of shares of Circle Class A common stock, through a private placement at a purchase price reflecting a five percent discount to the market price of CRCL prior to closing.

“Circle has earned its place as one of the most credible issuers in the world spanning USDC, Arc and the infrastructure reshaping how value moves across borders. Our $100 million investment and five-year commitment represent long-duration conviction,” said Richard Teng, co-CEO of Binance. “We are helping to build a more inclusive, transparent, and compliant digital economy. A stable, trusted digital dollar should not be a privilege–it should be available to anyone with a phone. That’s the future this partnership is designed to deliver.”

“Binance has built one of the largest and most dynamic platforms in the world for using digital currency, creating the internet’s largest financial super app, and becoming the most widely used wallets in the world for dollar stablecoins,” said Jeremy Allaire, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Circle. “Together, we see incredible opportunities to leverage USDC to expand dollar access, support savings and investment with innovative digital asset products, and reach people and businesses throughout global emerging markets.”

ABUJA, Nigeria, September 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (https://www.AfricaFC.org/), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, today announced its critical role as Co-Financial Adviser on the successful close of the ₦728.9 billion Series 2 power sector bond transaction by NBET Finance Company Plc, under the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Programme (PPSFRP). The programme is designed to resolve over a decade of legacy debt obligations within the Nigerian electricity supply industry.

 




  

This issuance follows the ₦501 billion inaugural Series 1 transaction completed in January 2026, where AFC played the same role of Co-Financial Adviser. The Series 2 close, which brings the cumulative issuance under the Programme to approximately ₦1.23 trillion, marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the ₦4 trillion Power Sector Multi-Instrument Issuance Programme..

The Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Committee (PPSDRC) oversees the Programme, with the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Power provides technical leadership, implementing through the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET)’s special purpose vehicle, NBET Finance Company Plc. Proceeds from the Series 2 issuance will continue to enable the process of settling verified, overdue receivables owed to Power Generation Companies (GenCos) for electricity supplied between February 2015 and March 2025, further extinguishing legacy claims and injecting liquidity into the electricity industry.

Building on its critical role in Series 1, AFC provided comprehensive financial advisory services to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the Series 2 transaction, including support in negotiating and executing Settlement Agreements with additional GenCos, structuring of the Series 2 cash and non-cash tranches, and investor engagement ahead of the offer. Working in partnership with CardinalStone Partners as co-Financial Advisers, the transaction reflects AFC’s deep local market expertise and its continued commitment to delivering complex, high-impact policy advice and financial solutions that catalyse sector-wide reform.

Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member and Head, Financial Services at Africa Finance Corporation, said, “Closing the second issuance within eight months of the inaugural series shows the Programme is working as designed- verified legacy obligations are being converted into transparent, investable instruments, and domestic investors are backing that approach. AFC is proud to continue supporting the Federal Government in delivering reforms that restore liquidity to the power sector and lay the foundation for new investment into Nigeria’s generation capacity.”

The Series 2 transaction comes on the back of the full and timely payment of the first coupon and principal instalment on the Series 1 Bonds in July 2026, demonstrating the Federal Government’s commitment to honouring its obligations under the Programme and reinforcing the credibility of the capital-markets approach to resolving legacy sector debt. The issuance, which was oversubscribed, attracted strong demand from pension fund administrators, banks, sovereign wealth funds and asset managers, further mobilising domestic long-term capital for critical electricity infrastructure in Nigeria.

When completed, the Programme will impact approximately 5,398MW of electricity generation capacity by Nigerian GenCos, effectively finalising settlement of payments for 290,644.84GWhr of electricity billed since February 2015 and providing a strong foundation for new investments into capacity enhancement and expansion by companies serving 12 million active registered customers across the country.

Mr. Akin Odeyemi, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc. said, “For too long, verified receivables have sat on GenCos’ balance sheets, limiting their ability to pay gas suppliers, maintain plants and invest in new capacity. With Series 2, we are turning more of those arrears into liquidity across the electricity value chain. We thank our investors, the participating GenCos, our advisers and the regulatory authorities whose support made this issuance possible.”

Nigeria’s Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Programme forms a fundamental aspect of the energy sector reforms by the government, alongside significant ongoing investments in consumer metering and transmission infrastructure, and a transition to bilateral electricity trading between wholesale counterparties based on market-reflective pricing. Together, these reforms are aimed at ensuring the evolution of a viable and sustainable electricity market in Nigeria to support long-term industrial growth and development.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 22, 2026/APO Group/ –Following regulatory approval from the South African government, Navitas Petroleum has assumed operatorship of Block 1 CBK offshore South Africa. This follows Eco Atlantic’s completion of a farm-down of a 37.5% working interest in the license to Navitas.

 




  

The deal provides the Atlantic Margins explorer’s partner with one of the Orange Basin’s largest exploration blocks. The frontier region has drawn major industry players including Shell, TotalEnergies, bp, and Galp since play-opening discoveries offshore Namibia started transforming the area’s upstream landscape in 2022.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) welcomes the completion of Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas’ farm-down in Block 1 CBK. As the voice of the African energy sector, the Chamber views the transaction as an important step in advancing exploration and unlocking the country’s significant offshore oil and gas potential.

Completed on September 22 following South African regulatory approvals, the transaction transfers operatorship of the 19,929-km² block to Navitas. Eco retains a 37.5% interest, while local partner OrangeBasin Energies maintains 25%. Eco received $4 million in cash and will be carried by Navitas for up to $7.5 million of its share of the work program.

Block 1 CBK sits within the Orange Basin, one of Africa’s most active frontier exploration areas, directly adjacent to Namibia and close to recent discoveries by Galp Energia, TotalEnergies, Rhino Resources and Shell. Three legacy wells have already confirmed a gas discovery with tested flow rates of 32.4 million standard cubic feet per day.

“South Africa has an opportunity to turn its offshore resource potential into investment, energy security, jobs and economic growth,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC. “Partnerships that combine international capital and technical expertise with local participation can help move these resources toward development while creating wider opportunities across the African energy value chain.”

An August 2026 review by Eco and Navitas estimated more than 3.6 billion barrels of unrisked prospective oil resources and approximately 4.5 trillion cubic feet of prospective gas resources on Block 1 CBK. The partners are continuing advanced interpretation and reprocessing of existing seismic data to identify prospects and potential drilling targets, with the farm-down carrying Eco’s share of a work program that includes two planned exploration wells.

The transaction also demonstrates how farm-downs can distribute exploration risk while preserving exposure to high-impact African resources. Navitas assumes operational responsibility and expenditure commitments, while Eco retains substantial upside. If the existing option with OrangeBasin Energies is exercised in full and Navitas acquires half of the additional interest, Eco and Navitas would each hold 47.5% with OrangeBasin Energies retaining 5%.

For South Africa, successful exploration could support domestic oil and gas supply, attract international investment and generate demand for local services, technology and expertise. The project also forms part of a broader Orange Basin exploration story spanning South Africa and Namibia, reinforcing the region’s growing importance within Africa’s upstream landscape.

The AEC supports continued collaboration between government, international operators, African companies and financial and technical partners to advance Block 1 CBK. As Navitas assumes operatorship, the project provides an opportunity to convert substantial geological potential into exploration activity, investment and, ultimately, energy and economic value for South Africa and the continent.