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United States (U.S.) Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is back to Powering Africa Summit 2026 to discuss energy access and clean cooking

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Building on last year’s focus, ‘The Future of the US & Africa Energy Partnership’, PAS 2026 will analyse how US foreign policy is transforming under the current administration, including through investment-led commercial diplomacy

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America, March 2, 2026/APO Group/ –U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will return to Powering Africa Summit (PAS), taking place in Washington, D.C. on 19-20 March 2026, where he will take part in a fireside chat focused on energy access and clean cooking.

 

Having provided a keynote address and participated in a fireside chat at the 10th anniversary PAS 2025, Secretary Wright will again join policymakers and industry leaders at this year’s Summit to discuss US-Africa cooperation across energy infrastructure, critical minerals and investment strategies.

Building on last year’s focus, ‘The Future of the US & Africa Energy Partnership’, PAS 2026 will analyse how US foreign policy is transforming under the current administration, including through investment-led commercial diplomacy.

Within this year’s theme, ‘Powering the US-Africa Partnership: Energy Infrastructure, Critical Minerals & Investment Strategies’, a spotlight will be shone on progress since PAS 2025, and the role of reciprocal agreements in advancing critical minerals development and increasing trade between the US and Africa.

We’re delighted to be back for the 11th Powering Africa summit in Washington DC next month, and of course to be welcoming Energy Secretary Chris Wright back to the Summit

Some of the Summit’s key sessions will explore large scale infrastructure investment, guarantees and financing, and how gas strategies between the US and Africa are increasing energy security and bilateral trade, with several senior government leaders set to attend, including:

  • H.E. Honourable Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Vice President, Liberia
  • H.E. Honourable Dr. Eng. Habtamu Itefa Geleta, Minister of Water & Energy, Ethiopia
  • H.E. Honourable John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for Energy & Green Transition, Ghana

Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will be in attendance to provide welcome remarks at the summit, alongside Adam Cortese – CEO of renewable energy solutions specialist Sun Africa – who will provide the summit sponsor welcome address.

Cortese commented: “Sun Africa is proud to sponsor the Powering Africa Summit 2026 at this transformative time for US-Africa energy collaboration. Secretary Wright’s continued leadership and engagement underscore the growing commitment to practical, investment-driven solutions that expand energy access and unlock opportunities in critical minerals and infrastructure. We look forward to meaningful dialogue with ministers, policymakers, and industry partners to advance win-win initiatives grounded in pragmatism and profitability, ensuring sustainable success that will withstand the test of time.”

Senior representatives from other leading global organisations, agencies and institutions include:

  • John Jovanovic, Chairman, U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM)
  • Nicholas Checker, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
  • Thomas Hardy, Deputy Director & COO, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)
  • Daniel Petrie, Acting Chief of Staff, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
  • Nancy Rivera, MD, U.S. International Development Finance Group (DFC)

Simon Gosling, Managing Director of EnergyNet, commented: “We’re delighted to be back for the 11th Powering Africa summit in Washington DC next month, and of course to be welcoming Energy Secretary Chris Wright back to the Summit to meet with stakeholders and to discuss the future of US/Africa relations. At last year’s Summit the Secretary talked about America’s [all of government approach] to partnering with African nations, and we’re pleased to have confirmed such a broad, high level representation from across State, Energy, Exim, DFC, MCC and Commerce to provide those necessary insights into the Trump Administration policies…”

Alongside Summit Sponsor Sun Africa, Petrodex joins as the Lead Sponsor, Genesis Energy as the Networking App Sponsor, and Lagos State Office of Works as the African Government Partner. Other sponsors include Endeavor Energy, Denham Capital, Mission 300 and HYDRO-LINK. Associate Sponsors include Absa, Alliant, Allied Talent Partners, A&O Shearman, Nant Power, NRECA International and McDermott, Will & Schulte.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EnergyNet Ltd..

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Africa’s first full-stack hydrogen hub powers up in Namibia

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The CMB.TECH Namibia facility in Walvis Bay brings together solar power generation, green hydrogen production, and energy storage in a single operational ecosystem

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 24, 2026/APO Group/ –Namibia is demonstrating what is possible in Africa’s energy transition with the continent’s first fully integrated green hydrogen facility.

 




 
The CMB.TECH Namibia facility in Walvis Bay brings together solar power generation, green hydrogen production, and energy storage in a single operational ecosystem, demonstrating how clean energy can be produced at industrial scale while supporting industrial decarbonisation and long-term energy resilience.

 

This landmark project marks a key step in sustainable energy infrastructure. It integrates solar power generation, green hydrogen production, and energy storage within one ecosystem. This shows how clean energy can be produced at scale to support industrial decarbonisation and long-term energy resilience.

“Africa’s first fully integrated green hydrogen facility demonstrates that large-scale clean energy production is not a future ambition, but a present-day reality. Operating successfully in one of the world’s most demanding environments, it showcases the viability of green hydrogen as a cornerstone of the continent’s energy transition,” Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO, Siemens Sub-Saharan Africa, tells ESI Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4d0HFy3), part of VUKA Group.

Hydrogen for local industrialisation in Namibia

The hydrogen produced at CMB.TECH will initially power local industrial applications, like dual-fuel trucks, generators and Namibia’s first hydrogen-powered freight locomotive. In the future, the plant will expand and integrate more with port infrastructure, transforming maritime decarbonisation by refuelling ships with ammonia from green hydrogen.

This will boost Namibia’s renewable energy use and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, especially in the hard-to-decarbonise shipping sector.

As the technology partner underpinning the operation, Siemens provides the integrated electrical, automation and safety infrastructure that enables seamless coordination across the site, creating a high-availability platform that supports the future of green industrial development.

Namibia is one of the sunniest countries in the world, with about 300 sunny days a year, and solar power can be harnessed in abundance. In Walvis Bay, that solar power drives an electrolyser that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. To produce marine fuel, the hydrogen will be combined with nitrogen from the air to create ammonia, which is then liquefied.

Africa’s first fully integrated green hydrogen facility demonstrates that large-scale clean energy production is not a future ambition, but a present-day reality

“In a region where reliable energy is essential for economic growth and social development, what matters most is a system that simply works,” says Dall’Omo. “The CMB.TECH plant can only deliver on its promise if all technologies operate seamlessly as one. That is where Siemens makes the decisive difference. Working as a ONE tech company and serving as the unified interface for automation, control, and power distribution, we ensure the facility runs reliably from day one.

“Our long presence in the region, deep understanding of local conditions, and close collaboration across our businesses help reduce complexity, solve issues quickly, and keep operations stable. In short, we bring the entire system to life, enabling the plant to become a dependable, future-shaping asset for the customer and the wider community.”

Integrated hydrogen economy

CMB.TECH is a “Living Lab” for an integrated hydrogen economy. “The facility includes a solar-powered off-grid electrolyser for renewable hydrogen production, a refuelling station for hydrogen-powered vehicles and industrial applications, and an on-site Hydrogen Academy for local talent development,” says Roy Campe, Chief Technology Officer at CMB.TECH.

The plant’s 5MWp solar park covers 6.5 hectares and feeds a hydrogen production facility with a 5MW Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyser and a 5.9MWh battery. The fully off-grid electrolyser produces green hydrogen using electricity from the solar park and energy stored in the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

CMB.TECH built the facility and is using the green hydrogen for its local industrial applications, making the company its own first customer and ensuring a guaranteed buyer from day one. “Many green hydrogen projects are stalling because, while they invest heavily in solar energy and green hydrogen production, there is often no commercial offtake agreement in place to secure demand for the hydrogen produced,” says Dall’Omo.

“Beyond its role as an energy production facility, the project illustrates how green hydrogen can accelerate the decarbonisation of transport and logistics value chains. From supporting local mobility solutions to enabling future maritime refuelling infrastructure, it provides a tangible pathway toward lower-carbon industrial and shipping ecosystems,” says Wiebke Polomka, Senior Manager: Southern Africa, Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft.

Hydrogen Academy in Namibia

In addition to ecological and economic effects, knowledge transfer is central. The Hydrogen Academy on site trains drivers, technicians, and scientists and strengthens the labour market. Today, 24 of the facility’s 25 employees are Namibian and received training through the Hydrogen Academy.

“By partnering with local universities and institutions like the Namibia Institute for Mining Technology, the project is training a new generation of engineers and technicians. This creates a sustainable pipeline of local expertise, positioning Namibia as an exporter of not just green molecules, but also the technical knowledge required to operate and maintain a hydrogen economy,” says Johannes Shimbilinga, Municipal Mayor of Walvis Bay.

The plant also provides a model for collaborative energy transformation. “The project underscores the importance of ecosystem-led execution in delivering complex energy transitions,” Dall’Omo concludes. “By bringing together developers, systems integrators, technology partners, and cross-border industry stakeholders, it demonstrates how strategic collaboration can unlock sustainable industrial growth and long-term economic resilience.”

The current 5MWp solar park occupies only a fraction of the available land. “The next step is to increase capacity to 250MW, then to 500,” says Campe. “We want to turn Namibia into a global energy hub and export energy to Europe and the rest of the world. Today we have 7,000 solar panels. In the future, there could be millions.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




  

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Lindsayca to Support Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2027 Guyana Launch as Energy Investment Takes Center Stage

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The Houston-based energy solutions company will join government, industry and investment leaders in Georgetown on September 1 to launch the 2027 edition of Caribbean Energy Week

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Integrated energy solutions company Lindsayca has been confirmed as Exclusive Sponsor of the Cocktail Reception at the Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2027 in-country launch, taking place in Georgetown on September 1, 2026.

Hosted at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, the launch will bring together government officials, energy companies, investors, financiers and regional stakeholders to examine Guyana’s rapidly expanding energy project pipeline and its growing influence on the wider Caribbean energy market. Discussions will focus on the opportunities emerging across the country’s oil and gas sector, gas-to-power infrastructure and broader energy value chain, while considering how Guyana’s development can contribute to greater regional energy security and integration.

 




  

Lindsayca’s participation comes at a significant point in Guyana’s energy development, with the country advancing major projects aimed at translating its growing hydrocarbon resources into reliable domestic energy supply and wider economic value. The reception will provide an opportunity for Lindsayca to engage with policymakers, investors, project developers and industry leaders participating in the launch.

Nelson Drake, Board Director and Senior Vice President of Business Development at Lindsayca, is confirmed to speak at the launch, bringing the company’s perspective on Guyana’s evolving energy infrastructure landscape and the opportunities emerging across the wider Caribbean market.

Lindsayca is currently developing Guyana’s 300 MW gas-fired power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility at Wales under the country’s landmark Gas-to-Energy (GTE) program. In June 2026, the project entered its final phase, with engineers preparing the facility to receive natural gas and begin the commissioning process. Electricity generation is targeted for December 2026. Once operational, the facility is expected to approximately double Guyana’s electricity-generation capacity, marking a major milestone in the country’s energy transformation.

The company’s regional portfolio extends beyond Guyana, with energy infrastructure projects across the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Argentina and the Gulf of Mexico. In the Dominican Republic, Lindsayca is advancing the Manzanillo Power Land project, a more than 400-MW combined-cycle thermal power plant. The project is progressing toward completion of its combined-cycle phase, with turbine works, heat recovery steam generator installation, piping, structural works and testing advancing as part of the development program.

The Georgetown launch will serve as a precursor to the main Caribbean Energy Week, taking place in Guyana from July 13–15, 2027. Held under the patronage of Guyana’s President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and with the endorsement of Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, CEW 2027 will spotlight Guyana’s emergence as a major energy hub and examine its growing role in shaping the Caribbean’s energy future. The event is organized by Energy Capital & Power.

To register for the Caribbean Energy Week 2027 In-Country Launch in Georgetown on September 1, 2026, visit: https://apo-opa.co/4gD94HE

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

 




 

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Dentons, Clifford Chance to Spotlight Legal Pathways to Mining Investment at African Mining Week (AMW) 2026

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Senior legal experts will explore how regulatory certainty, financing structures and strategic partnerships can help move Africa’s mineral projects from investment opportunity to production

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s mining sector is entering a new investment cycle, driven by growing demand for critical minerals, efforts to expand domestic processing and a push to develop the infrastructure needed to move projects from discovery to production. As governments revise mining codes and seek greater local value creation, the legal and regulatory frameworks underpinning these projects are becoming increasingly important to investors.

 




  

That dynamic will be explored at African Mining Week (AMW) 2026, taking place in Cape Town from October 14–16, where legal and advisory specialists will join industry leaders to examine how regulatory frameworks, financing structures and strategic partnerships can accelerate mineral development.

As part of the “Accelerating Mineral Production: The Energy, Water & Waste Nexus” panel, Iyunola Adekanye, Partner at Dentons, and Ope Osinubi, Senior Associate at Clifford Chance, are expected to discuss the legal and policy considerations shaping investment across Africa’s mining value chain. The session comes as mining companies and governments increasingly look beyond resource development itself to address the energy, water and infrastructure constraints that can determine whether projects reach production.

Dentons has been expanding its mining and natural resources capabilities as activity grows across Africa’s critical minerals sector. In June 2026, the firm opened a new office in Kolwezi, the mining hub of the DRC, strengthening its presence in one of the continent’s most important copper and cobalt markets. The move gives the firm a closer base from which to support mining companies and investors navigating the DRC’s regulatory environment, transactions and project development.

The expansion comes as the DRC seeks to attract greater investment into exploration, mining and downstream processing while increasing the domestic value captured from its mineral resources. Dentons’ wider African mining practice spans 17 countries and provides legal support across mining transactions, regulatory matters, project development and investment, reflecting the increasingly cross-border nature of Africa’s mineral supply chains.

Clifford Chance, meanwhile, advises mining companies, financiers and strategic investors on transactions spanning project finance, acquisitions, infrastructure and resource development. Its work across Africa includes advising financial institutions such as Deutsche Bank, the African Development Bank, Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement, Standard Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank on financing transactions supporting infrastructure and resource-sector development.

The firm has also advised on major energy and mining-related financings, including a $250 million financing for Aradel Energy in Nigeria, highlighting the growing intersection between resource development, energy infrastructure and access to capital.

At AMW 2026, Adekanye and Osinubi will examine how stronger regulatory frameworks and well-structured partnerships can help reduce investment risk, mobilize capital and address the infrastructure gaps holding back mineral production.

As Africa seeks to move further up the mineral value chain, the ability to align government policy, investor protections, financing structures and infrastructure development will be critical. The discussion at AMW 2026 will highlight the legal architecture behind that investment push – and the role advisors can play in turning ambitious mining strategies into bankable projects.

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

 




 

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