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United Kingdom (UK) visa services in Sub-Saharan Africa are now available through VFS Global

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VFS Global

UK visa customers can now choose from a range of optional services, depending on their location, offered by VFS Global to provide enhanced comfort and convenience

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 5, 2024/APO Group/ —

  • UK Visa Applications Centres open in Abidjan, Antananarivo, Banjul, Eden Island, Kinshasa, Libreville, and Port Louis
  • VFS Global was recently awarded the contract to provide UK visa services in 142 countries worldwide

Residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles, travelling to the UK can now book appointments to submit their visa applications through VFS Global’s (www.VFSGlobal.com) new state-of-the-art Visa Application Centres.  

Effective 22 October 2024, customers applying for a UK visa will be directed to VFS Global to book an appointment to complete their visa application. Customers will also have the option to choose additional services designed to make the application process easier.

Mr Marc Owen, Director for Visa, Status and Information Services at UKVI, said: “The opening of our new Visa Application Centres mark an exciting milestone in the provision of a world-class UK visa service. We’re committed to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants.”

Commenting on the launch of the new Centres, Mr. Alok Singhal, Head- Sub-Saharan Africa, VFS Global, said, “We are excited to embark on this new journey with UK Visas and Immigration here across Sub-Saharan Africa. We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with UK Visas and Immigration since 2003 and look forward to now bringing travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles our best-in-class services.”

UK visa customers can now choose from a range of optional services, depending on their location, offered by VFS Global to provide enhanced comfort and convenience. These include document upload assistance, Prime Time for application submission outside of business hours, SMS notifications, document checking service, and courier return of the passport once a decision has been made.

VFS Global’s Keep My Passport While Applying service allows customers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Madagascar, and Mauritius to keep their passports once their application is submitted and biometrics have been enrolled. Customer will only need to re-submit their passport when a decision is reached.

The services can be booked in advance on www.VFSGlobal.com or at the Visa Application Centre at the time of the appointment. These services are completely optional and have no bearing on the processing timeline and outcomes of visa applications.

We’re committed to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient, and meet the needs of all applicants

As a partner to the UK Visas and Immigration since 2003, VFS Global offered visa services in 58 countries before the new contract and has now been awarded the contract to provide UK visa services in 142 countries worldwide. In the African region, VFS Global will provide Visa Application Centres for the UK in 31 countries, from October 2024.

UK Visa Application CentresDemocratic Republic of Congo: 1st Floor. Office no 104, kiyo Ya Sita Building ,364 boulevard du 30 juin, Gombe, Kinshasa
Cote D’Ivoire: Rue des Carrossiers, Treichville zone 3,Centre commercial HLM, 1er étage, Abidjan
Gabon: Radisson Blu Okoume Palace Hotel, 5 Boulevard de Nice, Libreville
Gambia: 2nd Floor, Plot 948, Brusubi Phase 1, Bertil harding Highway, Banjul
Madagascar: Novotel Convention & Spa (TEL), 101 Antananarivo
Mauritius: Madeleine House, Third Floor, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Drive, Port Louis
Seychelles: Eden Bleu Hotel (TEL), Eden Island, Seychelles, Eden Bridge NA
Democratic Republic of Congo
Website:
 https://apo-opa.co/3YOiisO Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon, Wed & Fri)Cote D’Ivoire
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3YMxAhz Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Tuesdays only)Gabon
Website: https://apo-opa.co/4fxcPfy Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Once a month)Gambia 
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3AtNzb4 Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Mon, Tues & Thur)Madagascar
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3CcNbyc Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Fortnightly))Mauritius 
Website: https://apo-opa.co/40vwCrc Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Tuesdays & Thursdays)Seychelles 
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3Arvr1q Business hours*: 8 AM to 5 PM (Seasonal)*Except public holidays

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VFS Global.

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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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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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

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

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

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

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