Connect with us
Anglostratits

Energy

S&P Global Ratings’ Samira Mensah Joins African Energy Chamber (AEC) G20 Forum as Africa Seeks to Close Investment Gap

Published

on

African Energy Chamber

Taking place November 21, the G20 Forum connects global capital to African projects, supporting Africa’s broader goals of making energy poverty history

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 12, 2025/APO Group/ –With an energy finance gap estimated between $30 billion and $50 billion per year, Africa is pursuing diversified sources of financing to address this shortfall and advance strategic projects. Aligned with goals by the continent to make energy poverty history, the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) upcoming G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum seeks to close this gap by connecting global capital to African projects. Samira Mensah, Managing Director, Regional Head Africa & Country Head South Africa, S&P Global Ratings, is speaking at the forum, where she is expected to share insight into investment trends, credit ratings and strategies for securing capital in an ever-changing global context.

 

While Africa’s energy potential is well-known – with over 125 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, 620 trillion cubic feet of proven gas and abundant renewable energy potential – high borrowing costs, perceived credit risks and limited access to long-term financing remain an impediment to project development. In tandem, global pressures to advance the energy transition has seen funding for oil and gas projects significantly fall, delaying African projects and impacting efforts to enhance energy security across the continent. Within this scenario, organizations such as S&P Global Ratings plays a crucial role, shaping market confidence and supporting capital access through transparent risk evaluation. The organization’s research has consistently highlighted the importance of developing robust domestic capital markets, enhancing sovereign creditworthiness and leveraging blended finance and guarantees to reduce the cost of borrowing for African issuers.

Closing Africa’s energy investment gap is not only about mobilizing capital, it is about changing perceptions

While perceived credit risk continues to impact projects in Africa, recent trends have seen a continental push toward closing Africa’s energy financing gap. The $5 billion Africa Energy Bank – spearheaded by the African Petroleum Producers Organization and Afreximbank – is making rapid gains in raising funds, offering an alternative, home-grown solution to raising capital. Development finance is gaining traction, evidenced by the U.S.-Export-Import Bank re-approving a loan of up to $4.7 billion to support the development of the TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG project. The African Development Bank also reached a record of $11 billion in new investments approved in Africa between 2024 and 2025. International energy companies are ramping-up their spending. Eni is investing $8 billion in Algeria, backed by a deal signed with Sonatrach, while ExxonMobil could invest as much as $15 billion in Angola’s Namibe basin following successful drilling. African M&A transactions also saw a significant increase, totaling $2.7 billion in H1, 2025 alone.

The upcoming G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum builds on this momentum by offering insight into Africa’s energy opportunities. The forum follows the African Energy Week 2025 conference, where a Premier Invest-led Deal Room identified up to $13.4 billion project opportunities across the upstream, midstream, downstream and renewable energy segments. By connecting global financiers with African stakeholders, the G20 Forum aims to drive projects forward while addressing challenges such as perceived risk and market uncertainty. Mensah’s participation will bring technical depth to discussions on how sovereign and corporate ratings can catalyze investment in Africa’s oil, gas and power sectors, particularly as countries pursue both expansion and transition agendas.

“Closing Africa’s energy investment gap is not only about mobilizing capital, it is about changing perceptions, improving credit risk assessments and creating confidence in African markets. Institutions like S&P Global Ratings play a vital role in helping investors see the full picture: that Africa is not a risk to be avoided, but an opportunity to be embraced,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

To register for the Forum click here (https://apo-opa.co/443y98Q).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Home  Facebook

Energy

Siemens Energy Expands Angola Footprint as Senior Vice President (SVP) Waheed Abbasi Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

Published

on

Energy Capital

From FPSO power solutions to local service capacity, Siemens Energy is scaling its role in Angola at a time when the country is pursuing gas expansion

LUANDA, Angola, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –Waheed Abbasi, Senior Vice President, Gas Services: Europe and Africa at Siemens Energy, has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition as a speaker. Abbasi’s participation comes at a time when Siemens Energy is deepening its footprint in Angola through major power infrastructure and local capacity investments, positioning itself as a key enabler of the country’s evolving oil and gas market. At the event this September (9-10), Abbasi is expected to bring insights into how power technology and gas infrastructure are converging to support Angola’s next phase of industry growth.

With a long-standing presence in Angola, Siemens Energy has played a central role in strengthening power and infrastructure systems through projects in the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors. The company is currently developing an 80 MW power generation plant for the Kaminho FPSO – part of the first large deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin. The FPSO, currently 50% complete, will be installed in 2027 with first oil produced from the Cameia field in 2028. By integrating advanced power generation systems into offshore infrastructure, Siemens Energy is supporting more efficient, lower-emission production while ensuring reliable operations in deepwater environments.

At the same time, Siemens Energy has strengthened its on-the-ground presence with the launch of its Angola Service Shop in 2026. The facility brings service execution, project support, training and critical spare parts closer to customers, enabling faster response times and improving operational reliability across Angola’s oil and gas sector. By anchoring its services locally, Siemens Energy is not only supporting existing projects but also building the infrastructure needed to sustain long-term industry growth, reinforcing supply chain resilience and technical capacity within the country.

Siemens Energy’s activities in Angola form part of a broader continental strategy, with the company active in more than 50 African countries and leading initiatives across power generation, renewable energy and hydrogen development. This pan-African footprint positions Siemens Energy as a key partner for governments seeking to balance industrial growth with energy transition goals. In Angola, this is particularly relevant as the country looks to diversify its energy mix while leveraging its hydrocarbon resources to drive economic development.

Angola’s strategy to increase the share of gas in its energy mix to 25% is creating new opportunities for companies like Siemens Energy to deploy gas-to-power solutions. The start of key projects, including the country’s first non-associated gas project – led by the New Gas Consortium –, is expected to unlock greater gas flows, supporting both LNG exports and domestic power generation. As gas availability increases, the need for efficient power generation, grid infrastructure and industrial energy solutions will become more critical. Siemens Energy’s technology portfolio, spanning gas turbines, power systems and integrated energy solutions, positions the company to play a central role in enabling this transition.

Stepping into this picture, Abbasi’s participation at AOG 2026 comes at a time when Angola is aligning upstream growth with downstream and power sector expansion, creating a more integrated energy ecosystem. The event will provide a platform for discussions around gas monetization, power infrastructure and industrial development, areas where Siemens Energy is actively contributing.

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

Continue Reading

Business

African Mining Week (AMW) to Showcase Emerging Mining Frontiers as Africa Ramps Up Geomapping

Published

on

Energy Capital

The upcoming African Mining Week will connect global investors with emerging opportunities across Africa’s mining sector amidst a surge in national geomapping exercises across the continent

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –State agencies the Ghana Gold Board and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority have signed an agreement to co-conduct geological surveys in the Funsi, Atuna and Bensere East regions. The initiative aims to expand national gold reserves, increase output and support the formalization of artisanal mining operations. The agreement is part of a growing trend across Africa, with mineral-rich countries embarking on national geomapping programs to strengthen mineral production, de-risk exploration projects and position the continent as a key player in the global mineral supply chain.

 

Acceleration in geomapping exercises will be a key focus at the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) Conference and Exhibition – The Most Influential Mining Conference in Africa, scheduled for October 14-16 in Cape Town. The event will connect global investors and geophysical technology providers with African regulators and project developers, facilitating strategic collaborations aimed at unlocking greenfield developments.

The theme for AMW 2026 – Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value Chain – reflects a growing trend among African mining jurisdictions eager to unlock the continent’s $8.5 trillion worth of untapped mineral potential. This is backed by the launch of national geomapping initiatives, aimed at identifying new exploration frontiers and supporting investments.

Recent examples include Burundi’s mid-March partnership with U.S. companies Lifezone Metals and KoBold Metals to assess the Musongati Nickel project and other critical mineral prospects. The Democratic Republic of Congo has also engaged Xcalibur Smart Mapping to survey an area spanning 700,000 square kilometers as part of a strategy to unlock over $24 trillion in untapped mineral reserves, with 90% of its geology yet to be explored.

Zambia has also completed 55% of its national geomapping project, as the country seeks to identify new copper deposits to meet its 2031 target of increasing output to three million tons. Meanwhile, Nigeria is advancing its own geomapping efforts following approval of a N1 trillion budget for 2026, aimed at unlocking the country’s potential in more than 44 critical minerals. Several other countries, including Tanzania, are also implementing similar initiatives, while South Africa is providing technical support to nations such as Gabon, South Sudan and Nigeria.

Liberia has plans to geomap 80% of its largely unexplored geology. In an exclusive interview ahead of AMW 2026, Matenokay Tingban, Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, told organizers that “we are seeking geomapping and exploration partners. With Liberia’s vast but largely untapped mineral resources, access to geoscientific data will allow us to negotiate stronger investment deals and unlock downstream infrastructure development.”

The surge in geomapping initiatives highlights Africa’s commitment to unlocking its mining sector growth and presents lucrative opportunities for global exploration, drilling and geophysical technology providers. AMW 2026 will showcase ongoing geomapping progress, connecting African stakeholders with global partners to foster partnerships that will drive the expansion of Africa’s drilling and greenfield projects.

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

Continue Reading

Business

African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) Pushes Regional Energy Hubs to Unlock Africa-Wide Investment Scale

Published

on

Energy Capital

APPO’s Secretary General outlines integration strategy, gas potential and financing tools reshaping Africa’s energy investment landscape at IAE 2026

PARIS, France, April 24, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) is promoting the development of regional energy hubs across the continent, aiming to remove trade barriers and strengthen infrastructure interconnections – from pipelines to refining and distribution networks.

 

Speaking at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2026 in Paris, Farid Ghezali, Secretary General, APPO, said the initiative is central to repositioning Africa in the global energy system. The strategy signals a structural shift for investors: away from fragmented national markets toward a unified, high-growth regional bloc of 1.4 billion people.

“For investors, this changes everything,” Ghezali said. “You are no longer investing in isolated national markets, but in an integrated regional market with scale, demand growth and long-term potential.”

We need long-term partnerships that justify large-scale investments and create stability for both producers and buyers

Ghazali framed the push for integration as a response to a rapidly shifting global energy landscape marked by volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. “Recent events have shown that energy security is not just about supply – it is about reliability and resilience,” Ghazali noted. “The world is looking for diversification and stability,” he said. “Africa can offer both – but only if we organize ourselves as a connected and competitive energy market.”

A key part of APPO’s vision is addressing the continent’s infrastructure gap. Despite holding more than 600 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, Africa continues to face constraints in monetizing its resources. “Resources in the ground are not enough,” Ghezali noted. “We need pipelines, LNG facilities, processing infrastructure – real assets that connect supply to demand.”

He emphasized that Africa must move beyond short-term, transactional energy deals, particularly in its engagement with Europe. “We cannot remain in the logic of short-term transactions,” he said. “We need long-term partnerships that justify large-scale investments and create stability for both producers and buyers.”

Financing remains a hurdle, especially as traditional capital sources become more cautious under ESG pressures. However, short-cycle exploration, near-field developments and optimization of existing assets offer immediate value, as recent successes in Namibia, MSGBC countries and Ivory Coast have shown. To support more projects, APPO has backed the creation of the African Energy Bank. At the same time, investors’ preferences are shifting toward integrated energy projects that combine upstream development with domestic power generation or LPG production. “The most attractive projects today are those that deliver both financial returns and development impact,” Ghazali said. “Gas-to-power projects respond to both energy security and sustainability.”

Ghazali underscored the need to boost intra-African energy trade. “We produce oil and gas, yet we import refined products,” he said. “This must change. Regional integration is the only path to a competitive and self-sufficient energy market.”

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

Continue Reading

Trending