ABERDEEN, Scotland, March 29, 2025/APO Group/ –The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) – representing the voice of the African energy sector – offers their strong endorsement and support of the West African Energy Summit (WAES). Taking place in Aberdeen, Scotland, from November 18-19, 2025, the event returns for its second edition to foster meaningful exchanges between African and global partners. With investment representing a cornerstone for Africa’s energy future, the event aims to unlock capital flows essential for advancing energy projects.

Hosted in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of Ghana, the Petroleum Commission of Ghana and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, WAES is a premier platform that unites technology providers, innovators, project operators and financiers. Taking place in the “oil capital” of Scotland, the event is poised to unlock new opportunities for strengthened Africa-Scotland oil and gas relations, while incentivizing greater foreign investment and technology injection across African oil and gas projects.

There has never been a more strategic time to invest in Africa. The continent is ripe with opportunity, with investment prospects cropping across both mature and emerging hydrocarbon markets. Angola is preparing to launch a 2025 licensing round, is offering acreage onshore and in marginal fields while enticing spending through incremental production. Nigeria launched an international bid round in 2024, aimed at furthering development in prospective petroleum basins. Libya launched its 2025 licensing round this month and aims to increase output to two million barrels per day in the coming years. These established markets require significant levels of capital and technology to support production goals, presenting a unique opportunity for Scottish and European service providers and operators.

Meanwhile, in emerging markets, efforts to unlock new hydrocarbon plays have led to a range of opportunities for global companies. Namibia is on track to produce first oil by 2029 with projects in the Orange Basin. The country is seeking innovative drilling and appraisal services to fast-track this timeline. In Zimbabwe, exploration has shown trillion-cubic-feet worth of natural gas potential while in Senegal and Mauritania, the start of LNG production at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project has revealed significant potential for billion-barrel finds in neighboring basins.

While the continent pursues accelerated oil and gas developments, efforts to reduce emissions through decarbonization solutions have opened-up collaborative opportunities for African and global players. The continent is promoting a just energy transition, one which incorporates a diverse slate of energy solutions, from oil and gas to coal to geothermal, green hydrogen and renewable energy. Home to oilfields service technology, Aberdeen stands to play a central role in supporting Africa’s oil, gas and decarbonization efforts. Aberdeen has long been recognized as a global center for oil and gas expertise, particularly in offshore technologies. Its robust service sector has been instrumental in supporting African energy projects, providing advanced technological solutions and fostering knowledge exchange. The city’s extensive experience in managing complex energy projects positions it as an invaluable partner for African nations seeking to enhance their oil and gas operations.

As such, the WAES aims to spotlight cutting-edge technologies that can drive efficiency and sustainability in the energy sector. Key focus areas include upstream efficiency, cost reduction, field development, infrastructure projects and asset management. By showcasing advancements in artificial intelligence, data analytics and predictive maintenance, the summit provides a platform for African stakeholders to explore solutions that can facilitate a balanced energy transition.

“It is imperative that African leaders present a unified voice and strategy for African energy transitions. We must make Africa’s unique needs and circumstances clear and explain the critical role that oil and gas will play in helping Africa achieve net-zero emissions in coming decades. Oil and gas will remain a major part of Africa’s energy story for decades to come. Through global partnerships, modernized technology and greater investment, Africa stands to realize its multi-faceted goals of reducing emissions while enhancing energy security,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

NAIROBI, Kenya, March 28, 2025/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) and Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance Company) today launched the Trans-Africa Bond Alliance (TABA), a transformative initiative, designed to bridge the insurance capacity gap and empower African contractors to secure more construction and procurement projects while boosting cross-border trade and enhancing the movement of goods and investment across Africa.

 

By providing robust transit guarantee mechanisms, the joint venture between Afreximbank and Zep-Re is expected to reduce trade barriers, lower costs, and improve efficiency in the movement of goods across Africa. Moreover, TABA will promote seamless cross-border trade and the growth of trade insurance business within the continent, all within the transformative framework of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single market for goods and services across 54 countries. By facilitating seamless transit trade, TABA will strengthen the trade insurance sector, making it easier for businesses to operate with confidence while minimising financial risks.

Speaking at the launch, H.E Veronica M. Nduva, CBS, Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC) noted, “The East African Community has long been committed to fostering regional integration and economic development. Indeed, our two pillars of the four of establishment are a customs union and a common market. The establishment of TABA aligns seamlessly with our regional integration program, which aims to enhance cross border trade, reduce trade costs and promote economic growth across the continent with simplified trade regimes.”

Africa has around 110 borders, with 16 land-locked countries relying on complex and costly trade processes. According to African Development Bank (https://apo-opa.co/42cf7vn), transport charges in some cases exceeding the value of goods being traded. With TABA, traders can transport goods from Cape Town to Cairo using a single transit bond, significantly reducing delays and cutting trade costs. This transformative solution enhances the efficiency of African supply chains while ensuring customs authorities receive guaranteed revenue in the event of procedural breaches.

The establishment of TABA builds on decades of efforts to bolster intra-African trade through key financial and insurance institutions. By leveraging expertise from these institutions; Afreximbank, which is playing a critical role in trade finance and facilitation since its founding in 1993, and ZEP-RE, a leading reinsurance provider supporting trade insurance solutions across Africa, TABA aims to address the challenges businesses face in navigating Africa’s diverse regulatory environments. The alliance will harmonize trade practices and introduce a standardised framework that ensures secure, predictable, and efficient trade movement.

Mr Denys Denya, Senior Executive Vice President of Afreximbank, said:

“Today we forge a new alliance to dismantle the artificial barriers and tighten the bolts and nuts of the wheels of trade and investment flows across national borders. This couldn’t have come at any other time than now, when the pillars of global cooperation and integration are being disintegrated, and fragmentation, isolationism and protectionism have taken hold in our world. Through this collaboration, our goal is not to displace local operators but to boost the capacity and efficiency of interstate transit regimes, paving the way for a continental framework under the AfCFTA.”

Ms Hope Murera, Managing Director and CEO of Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance Company), noted during the launch the impact TABA would make in Africa trade ecosystem. She said, “Today, we are not just unveiling a new partnership—we are ushering in a new era. One that reimagines how we facilitate trade, manage risk, and support cross-border movement across our continent. ZEP-RE’s experience and impact through flagship regional programs demonstrates what is possible when vision meets action.  TABA represents a shared vision—a vision where Africa is connected by bridges of opportunity, not barriers”.

TABA introduces a streamlined approach to trade facilitation by leveraging Transit Bonds, Performance Bonds, and Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) to guarantee the secure movement of goods. This initiative will:

• Enhance trade efficiency by eliminating delays caused by multiple national bond requirements,
• Boost investor confidence through a structured and transparent customs guarantee system,
• Reduce trade costs, making African exports more competitive on a global scale,
• Ensure compliance with customs regulations, preventing illicit trade and securing revenue for governments and
• Expand market opportunities for African businesses by enabling smoother cross-border trade.

Following today’s launch, key stakeholders will engage in B2B meetings and marketplace interactions to discuss strategies for implementing TABA across Africa. The alliance will also roll out an awareness campaign to educate businesses and financial institutions on the benefits and operational framework of the new system.

JORF LASFAR, Morocco, March 28, 2025/APO Group/ –COBCO, the battery materials joint venture between AL MADA and CNGR Advanced Materials, has signed a strategic long-term supply agreement with Umicore, a global leader in circular materials technology, for the delivery of precursor cathode active materials (pCAM) to be used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Under the terms of the agreement, COBCO will supply high-performance NCM pCAM from its newly commissioned production facility at Jorf Lasfar, Morocco. These materials will feed Umicore’s cathode active material (CAM) production lines, supporting its international customer base and contributing to the advancement of sustainable mobility in Europe and beyond.

This partnership underscores the growing momentum behind building a robust, transparent, and low-carbon battery value chain in the EMEA region. COBCO’s state-of-the-art plant operates to the highest environmental and quality standards, leveraging Morocco’s renewable energy potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its products.

“This agreement marks a significant milestone in COBCO’s ambition to become a strategic supplier of low-carbon, high-quality battery materials to global leaders in electromobility,” said Allen Luo, CEO of COBCO. “We are proud to contribute to Umicore’s responsible sourcing and circularity commitments while anchoring critical battery materials production in Morocco.”

Commissioned in early 2025, COBCO’s first production lines represent the foundation of a broader industrial development program. In addition to NCM pCAM, the company is expanding into Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cathode materials and black mass recycling—creating an integrated and circular battery materials ecosystem with a total capacity equivalent to 70 GWh, enough to power over 1 million EVs per year.