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Unlocking Opportunities: Swedfund, African Development Bank Advance Collaboration on Private Sector Growth, Climate Action

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Swedfund

The meeting built on earlier talks to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions to accelerate private sector development and climate action across Africa

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 21, 2024/APO Group/ — 

An African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) team, led by Senior Vice President Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala, on 15 February 2024, met with a delegation from Swedfund – the Swedish state development finance institution – led by its CEO, Maria Hakansson.

The meeting built on earlier talks to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions to accelerate private sector development and climate action across Africa. Hakaanson headed a mission to the Bank in September 2023 to explore potential synergies around increasing energy access, financial inclusion, and resilient infrastructure investment.

Previously, in 2022, SwedFund and the African Development Bank agreed to commit financing to independent power transmission line projects, using project preparation and advisory support to promote enabling environments for public-private partnerships across sub-Saharan Africa.

The Swedfund delegation, on a three-day tour of Côte d’Ivoire, comprised deputy board chair Torgny Holmgren, directors Catrina Ingelstam, Caroline AF Kleen, Anna Stellinger and Josefine Ekros Roth, and Swedfund’s Chief Legal Officer Jacob Hageman and Regional Director Kitanha Toure.

Hakansson said the visit allowed Swedfund to learn more about the country and the broader West African region. “It is one way for us to show that we are really serious about making more investments and working within Africa.”  Swedfund’s investments in West Africa have trailed those of other regions, and to expand its presence, it recently opened an Abidjan office.

It is one way for us to show that we are really serious about making more investments and working within Africa

Welcoming the delegation, Tshabalala said that the Bank Group was just finalizing a new 10-year strategy that remained focused on the High 5s and mainstreaming gender and climate. She stressed the importance of attracting private capital. “At the sovereign level, public investment is not sufficient. We emphasize syndications and co-financing, providing more guarantees and tools to increase private sector participation.” 

The Bank’s CFO and Vice President for Finance Hassatou N’Sele, noted the mutual alignment in priorities such as sustainability, job creation, climate, women, and small and medium enterprises.

“We’re very proud of the hybrid capital transaction that we’ve done, which enabled the Bank to crowd in a different segment of the private sector,” she added. “We were able to attract $6 billion of interest for some $750 million transaction that we did… It was sustainable hybrid capital, so this will be leveraged 3 to 4 times, and the idea would be to invest in green and sustainable projects.”  

Ousmane Fall, Bank Group Director of Non-Sovereign Operations and Private Sector, expressed satisfaction with the existing Swedfund collaboration. “We’ve financed $400 million across 11 deals in 15 years,” he said.

Touching on the support for the African Continental Free Trade Area, Fall cited integrated special agro-industrial zone initiatives, saying the Bank backs the Afreximbank’s Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, adopted by 19 central banks to facilitate trade.

Hakaanson said Swedfund would welcome more syndications in partnership with the Bank. “These instruments are important for the SwedFund portfolio and meet a demand from the market.” Hakaanson also expressed interest in participating in the Africa Investment Forum platform.    

Aida Ngom, the Bank Group’s Director of Private Sector Development, welcomed Swedfund’s interest in doing more co-financing. “Twenty percent of our portfolio is in the private sector. We’ve collaborated with Swedfund on private equity. To scale up our private sector engagement, we offer guarantees, vanilla loans and sub loans, and we always try to develop new instruments.”

“As MDBs, we are vital to private sector development to mitigate risk, ” Tshabalala said. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Energy

Halliburton Repositions for Venezuela’s Upstream Revival at Venezuela Energy Week 2027

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Etu Energias

Halliburton will join Venezuela Energy Week as a Platinum Sponsor as international operators accelerate efforts to restore production, reactivate drilling capacity and rebuild the oilfield services ecosystem

CARACAS, Venezuela, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Halliburton has joined Venezuela Energy Week 2027 as a Platinum Sponsor, bringing one of the world’s leading oilfield services companies into a market where international operators are moving to restore production and expand upstream activity. Taking place February 22–25 in Caracas, Venezuela Energy Week comes as a new investment cycle is creating fresh demand for drilling, well services, reservoir evaluation and production technologies.
 




 

Halliburton has already begun repositioning its Venezuelan operations for the changing market. In April, Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Miller said the company was discussing commercial terms with customers and had visited its Venezuelan facilities, which he said were in better condition than expected. In July, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered the restart of Halliburton’s operations and the return of previously seized assets, removing a significant legal obstacle to the company’s reactivation. Halliburton has since posted new positions in Venezuela, including roles in Maturín covering logging and perforating maintenance and supply-chain procurement, as well as a technical sales position in Zulia.

The timing reflects growing demand for oilfield services as Venezuela moves to reactivate mature fields, expand drilling and bring new investment into production. Halliburton’s capabilities span the full well lifecycle, including drilling, formation evaluation, well construction, completion and production, with services such as well intervention, cementing and stimulation increasingly important as operators work to restore aging wells and infrastructure. As new investment moves from agreements into field activity, Halliburton is positioned to provide the technical expertise and equipment required to translate Venezuela’s resource potential into additional production.

The investment environment is also changing. Venezuela’s January 2026 reform of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law opened new avenues for private participation in primary hydrocarbons activities, including operating and production contracts under which private companies can assume technical, operational and financial management. Subsequent regulations issued in July established the framework for royalties and the integrated hydrocarbons tax, while oil companies have been working to migrate existing agreements into the new regime.

This evolving framework is creating an increasingly important role for international oilfield service companies capable of supplying technology, equipment and technical expertise at scale. Halliburton’s renewed engagement comes as Venezuela moves from regulatory reform and investment agreements toward the practical work of drilling wells, restoring production and expanding field capacity.

At Venezuela Energy Week 2027, Halliburton will bring its renewed Venezuelan presence into discussions on the practical requirements of production growth, from drilling and well construction to completion and intervention. Its Platinum Sponsorship will place the company at the center of conversations around how Venezuela can rebuild oilfield capacity and translate new investment into additional barrels.

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

 




 

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Energy

Welligence Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Associate Sponsor as Angola Enters New Production Cycle

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Etu Energias

As gas commercialization, deepwater developments and a shifting exploration landscape reshape Angola’s upstream sector, Welligence will bring its market intelligence expertise to the Angola Oil & Gas 2026 Conference and Exhibition

LUANDA, Angola, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Angola’s upstream industry is entering a new investment cycle, with gas commercialization, deepwater development, renewed exploration activity and an expanding independent operator base creating new opportunities across the market. Against this backdrop, energy intelligence firm Welligence has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as an Associate Sponsor.
 




 

Welligence provides upstream intelligence covering assets, reserves, production, economics, mergers and acquisitions and emerging investment opportunities, combining analyst expertise with data and AI-driven analytics. Its platform includes more than 4,000 asset-level reports and a database covering 40,000 M&A transactions, supporting companies evaluating upstream markets and investment decisions.

Angola represents an increasingly dynamic market for this type of intelligence. Welligence has identified the country’s upstream sector as entering a new phase of growth and repositioning, supported by gas developments, new oil projects, renewed exploration and rising activity among independent operators.

On the gas front, the start of Angola’s first non-associated gas project, led by the New Gas Consortium, is paving the way for increased feedstock supply to Angola LNG. Meanwhile, the country’s landmark dedicated gas discovery at Block 1/14 in 2025 has strengthened the role of gas commercialization within Angola’s broader upstream strategy.

At the same time, new oil developments are supporting production growth, although Welligence highlights the continued need for greenfield investment as mature assets decline. Recent milestones include the start-up of the Begonia and CLOV Phase 3 projects in 2025, the commissioning of the Agogo FPSO last August and continued progress at the Kaminho project, which is expected to begin production in 2028.

The operator landscape is also evolving. Welligence has highlighted renewed exploration activity by international majors alongside growing participation from independent companies, particularly as Angola’s onshore sector opens and operators seek to reactivate mature assets and build new portfolios.

Recent transactions reinforce this trend. Equinor entered TotalEnergies’ Block 17 in June 2026, while Afentra expanded its onshore footprint through operatorship of KON 5. Woodside Energy’s three-block deal signed in May further underscored growing confidence in Angola’s frontier opportunities, while Etu Energias strengthened its position through acquisitions in Blocks 14 and 14K.

These shifts are increasing the importance of reliable market intelligence as companies assess acreage, transactions, project economics and production potential. Welligence’s participation at AOG 2026 comes at a time when investors and operators are seeking greater visibility into the opportunities shaping Angola’s next phase of upstream growth.

As Associate Sponsor, Welligence will contribute an analytical perspective to discussions at AOG 2026, where industry leaders will examine the investments, partnerships and strategies driving Angola’s energy sector forward. With new entrants entering the market and established operators advancing major developments and exploration programs, data-driven insights will remain critical to guiding future investment decisions.

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

 




 

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Global Finance Leaders Target Angola’s Investment Gap at Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

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Etu Energias

Standard Bank, Premier Invest, Africa Finance Corporation and Banco BAI will bring financing expertise to AOG 2026 as Angola seeks to mobilize capital for upstream projects, infrastructure and local companies

 




 

LUANDA, Angola, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Mobilizing capital for Angola’s next oil and gas investment cycle will be a key focus at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition, as the country seeks to attract both international and domestic capital across its evolving energy value chain. Executives from leading financial institutions and investment firms have joined the AOG speaker lineup, bringing perspectives on corporate finance and investment trends to the Luanda conference.

 

Angolan financial institution Banco Angolano de Investimentos (BAI) – a Silver Sponsor of AOG 2026 – is expanding its role in financing the country’s energy sector as domestic banks take on greater responsibility for supporting projects and local companies. The bank provides corporate and investment banking services spanning project finance, structured finance and capital markets. Its participation comes as Angolan lenders increasingly target mid-sized developments, onshore projects and indigenous companies that can face greater difficulty accessing international capital. CEO Luís Filipe Rodrigues Lélis will share insights into the role of local banks in building Angolan oil and gas entrepreneurs, bringing financing into discussions around strengthening local participation across the industry.

https://apo-opa.co/4y55eOq

Standard Bank brings significant oil and gas financing experience to the conference. In 2024, the bank served as underwriter and bookrunner on a $1.3 billion pre-export finance facility for national oil company Sonangol. In Angola, the bank also offers contract financing, purchase-order finance and invoice discounting for oil and gas businesses. Executive Director, Business & Commercial Banking Fernando Chivinda will participate at AOG 2026 as access to finance remains central to both large-scale project development and the growth of Angolan companies across the value chain.

https://apo-opa.co/4y95qwg

Premier Invest brings experience in structuring transactions and connecting global capital with African energy projects. Led by Founder and Managing Partner René Awambeng, the investment firm advises on and structures transactions across the energy value chain, working with global investors and regional financial institutions to mobilize capital for projects. Awambeng will participate at AOG 2026 as Angola seeks to broaden its sources of capital and connect project developers with investors capable of advancing opportunities toward bankability and execution.

https://apo-opa.co/4y8Aufy

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), meanwhile, brings an established investment footprint in Angola. The multilateral finance institution has invested close to $1 billion across the country’s power, rail, logistics and critical minerals sectors and is an Elite Sponsor of AOG 2026. In oil and gas, AFC invested $60 million as part of a $190 million debt facility supporting Etu Energias’ acquisition of interests in offshore Blocks 14 and 14K, a transaction that doubled the independent’s net production at the time from approximately 9,000 to 19,000 barrels per day. AFC Vice President for Investment Taiwo Okwor and Senior Associate for Energy Resources Tobi Edun will participate at AOG 2026, bringing experience in structuring and mobilizing capital as Angola seeks financing for energy projects and associated infrastructure.

https://apo-opa.co/4y525xV

Taking place September 9–10, with a pre-conference day scheduled for September 8, AOG 2026 will connect financial institutions and advisers with operators, government and entrepreneurs to advance commercially viable projects across the energy value chain. Visit www.AngolaOilandGas.com for more information.

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

 




 

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