The launch concurred with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Smart Africa Alliance Benin’s Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation
COTONOU, Benin, September 9, 2022/APO Group/ —
Smart Africa’s capacity building arm, the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) (https://SADA.atingi.org/) in partnership with Benin’s Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation have launched a national digital academy in the country, demonstrating yet again the initiative’s unrelenting effort to boost digital skills on the African continent.
The launch concurred with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Smart Africa Alliance Benin’s Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation, part of which is provision, by SADA, of specific capacity building interventions related to the country’s priorities in the ICT sector.
The launch of SADA in Benin follows launches in other countries namely: Rwanda, Ghana and The Republic of Congo. The creation and rollout of this initiative across the continent comes against the backdrop of an immense gap in digital skills in the midst of an ever-evolving digital world.
“SADA is a direct response to digital skills shortage with which Benin and Africa in general are confronted. As one of the most active countries of the Smart Africa alliance, we are extremely pleased to implement SADA in Benin and advance the nation digital skills, in close collaboration with our partners” commented Mr. Lacina Koné, the Director General and CEO of Smart Africa.
SADA is a direct response to digital skills shortage with which Benin and Africa in general are confronted
SADA initiative in Benin will be an essential backing to the country’s digital sector strategy, which is to transform Benin into West Africa’s digital services platform through means including human resources with the necessary capacities to drive Benin’s sustainable development. SADA Benin will encompass a range of initiatives such as advanced trainings in ICT through a training of trainer approach, executive training and teachers’ skills. As part of the SADA Benin framework, and in the same week of the SADA launch, 40 Master trainers will be trained in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity and will train other local trainers as part of the extension of this initiative.
Hon. Aurélie Adam Soulé, Minister of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation said: “SADA is an instrument, a platform that will allow us to take new initiatives and strengthen the initiatives that have already been taken by the Republic of Benin within the framework of its action program and to open perspectives on other areas of cooperation and capacity building. This MoU signature is for me, a very important step to scale up.”
As a pan-African dynamic learning ecosystem, SADA aims to improve digital skills qualifications, employability, and meet the emerging talent needs of African citizens. The national digital academy will support the uniquely identified digital skills priority needs at the national level. Furthermore, such national digital academies will soon be rolled out in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti and Sierra Leone.
SADA is also embarking on two new programs to provide digital skills for African youth, entrepreneurs and citizens in general, for them to thrive in the global technology ecosystem. The SADA for youth and entrepreneurs will help increase the digital technology competence, reduce unemployment, and increase the digital entrepreneurship capabilities for youth in Africa; while the SADA Digital Literacy will help all African citizens to be digitally literate.
Since its start of operation in August 2020, focusing on the Capacity Building for Decision Makers (CBDM) and the National Digital Academy modules, SADA has trained about 3,000 policy and decision-makers across 26 countries in trending digital transformation and emerging technology related topics including Artificial Intelligence Use Cases, Digital Economy, 5G Connectivity, Data Protection & Privacy, Rural Broadband Policies, Security Technologies, Regulatory and Innovative Sandboxing Environments, Data Centers and Cloud, Digital Identity for Underserved, ePayment, etc. The objective is to reach over 22,000 trained beneficiaries by 2023, supported by the SADA In-country implementation wave.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Smart Africa Digital Academy.
Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August, convening U.S. energy leaders ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas
HOUSTON, United States of America, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The organizers of Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) have confirmed that the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August 2026 at The Post Oak Hotel. Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the event will bring together U.S. energy companies, investors and policymakers to explore commercial opportunities ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas in February.
The showcase will feature Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao as a keynote speaker, providing an update on Venezuela’s energy priorities, investment agenda and opportunities for international partnership. Her participation underscores the country’s commitment to strengthening engagement with global industry as it seeks to expand production and unlock new upstream investment.
Bringing together exploration and production companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers, engineering firms, technology companies and financial institutions, the Houston Industry Showcase will examine opportunities across exploration, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and field development.
As Venezuela works to increase oil and gas production, demand is expected to grow for the technical expertise of U.S. service providers in drilling, well intervention, completion services, production optimization, artificial lift, digital oilfield technologies and infrastructure rehabilitation. Houston-based industry leaders – including SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Weatherford and a broad network of EPC contractors, equipment manufacturers and specialized service companies – are well positioned to support the modernization of mature fields, improve operational efficiency and deliver the technologies and services needed for future upstream projects.
The Houston event follows a successful Industry Showcase in London, which brought together international investors, operators and energy service companies to explore Venezuela’s evolving investment landscape. Building on that momentum, the Houston edition will deepen engagement with the U.S. energy industry and strengthen commercial dialogue ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027.
Venezuela Energy Week – the country’s largest energy investment platform to date – has been confirmed for 22–25 February 2027 in Caracas. Organized by Energy Capital & Power, the event will bring together government leaders, investors and industry stakeholders from across the global energy value chain.
To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 19, visit https://apo-opa.co/4g0TncR. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.
Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.
To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/4hkvteE).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) is pleased to announce that the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has granted a new patent for its innovative Smart Stabilization System.
The patent was granted on 10 July 2026 under Singapore Patent No. 10202250873B for the invention titled “A Computer Network Stabilization System and Method.” The patent application was filed on 1 September 2022 and was formally granted following a comprehensive review process.
This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development
The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility. Leveraging sophisticated algorithms and advanced simulation models, the system is designed to anticipate supply and demand imbalances and implement programmable stabilization measures before they escalate into market disruptions.
Unlike traditional stabilization mechanisms that rely on capital reserves, buffer funds, or external interventions, the Smart Stabilization System introduces a next-generation framework for achieving autonomous market stabilization through proactive and programmed stabilization mechanisms. By incorporating distributed ledger technology and cryptographic trust mechanisms, the platform enhances transparency, trust, and operational resilience for digital asset and commodity markets.
The successful patent grant reflects IsDBI’s growing contribution to technological innovation and its commitment to developing knowledge-based solutions that address contemporary economic and development challenges.
Since filing the patent application back in 2022, the Institute has continued to advance the Smart Stabilization System through ongoing development and testing, aimed to expand its practical applications and support future capitalization opportunities. These advancements have positioned the system as a potentially transformative solution for enhancing stability and resilience in increasingly digital and interconnected economies.
Commenting on this occasion, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, said, “The grant of this patent by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore further strengthens the Institute’s position as a leader in developing innovative knowledge-based solutions that leverage modern technologies to address complex development challenges. This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).
The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins
HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.
Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.
Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.
At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.
The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.
As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.
Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
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