Latest News
Exploration
Sierra Leone launches 5th Petroleum Licensing Round
The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone officially launched the country’s 5th Petroleum Licensing Round in London. In total, 63,643km2 of offshore acreage is up for grab across 56 graticular blocks of some 1,360km2 each.
Nigeria
How Africa Oil Corp. made half a billion dollars from Nigeria in less than two years
By securing an indirect interest in some of the country’s largest producing deep-water blocks in 2020, Africa Oil Corp. has shown the benefits that come with betting on Nigeria’s brownfield opportunities.
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Downstream
Amidst higher oil prices, Ghana wants to speed up refining sector growth
With the prices of petroleum products reaching historic highs this year, the country is faced with an increasing import bill that puts pressure on its ability to meet budget requirements.
M&A
After Shell, TotalEnergies also seeks to divest from SPDC JV in Nigeria
TotalEnergies has announced during its Q1 2022 Results Call today that it will put up for sale its 10% interest in the Shell Petroleum Development Co. (SPDC) JV in Nigeria.
NOG 2022
Spotlight on Nigeria
As the industry prepares to gather in Abuja on July 4-7 for the 21st NOG Conference & Exhibition, Hawilti explains why 2022 is such a pivotal year for Nigeria’s energy sector.
LNG-to-Power
AG&P delivers world’s first modular FSRU in Senegal
GAS Entec has completed the conversion of a 125,000 m3 LNG carrier for KARMOL, the JVof Turkey’s Karpowership and Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines.
Exploration
Wildcat Petroleum granted non-exclusive rights over 20 blocks offshore Sierra Leon
The permit grants Wildcat Petroleum non-exclusive rights to conduct reconnaissance operations over 24,000 km2 for a period of six months.
Geothermal Energy
EPC contract signed for Ethiopia’s first IPP
The EPC contract for the Phase 1 (50 MW) of the Tulu Moye Geothermal Project in Ethiopia was signed yesterday with the consortium of Mitsubishi Corporation and SEPCOIII. Construction is expected to start in September this year for a commissioning by December 2024.
Fertilizers
World’s second largest granulated urea plant commissioned in Nigeria
On March 22nd, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned Africa’s largest granulated urea plant and the second biggest in the world in Ibeju Lekki. The Dangote Fertilizer facility has a capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) and is now making Nigeria self-sufficient in fertilizers, with extra capacity reserved for exports.
Wind
Savannah Energy plans 250 MW wind farm in Niger
Savannah Energy, operator of some of the most prolific oil blocks in Niger, is currently planning to construct and operate the country’s first wind farm in its Tahoua Region. The project was subject to the execution of an agreement in March between Savannah Energy and the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies of the Republic of Niger.
Angola
Eni’s discovers at least 500m additional barrels at Ndungu field
Eni has upgraded its field estimate at Ndungu on Block 15/06 offshore Angola at 800 million to 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent in place following the successful drilling of the Ndungu-2 appraisal well.
Hydrogen
Namibia: O&L and CMB.TECH target first hydrogen by 2023
Cleanergy Namibia, the joint-venture set up by both companies, aims to produce green hydrogen from solar power and for distribution to heavy-duty applications like trucks, locomotives, mining equipment and ships.
LNG
Eni selects New Fortress Energy’s Fast LNG liquefaction technology for Congo FLNG
The development of a floating LNG project has been on the table for several years in the Republic of Congo and is finally gaining traction. A few weeks ago, Eni announced it was seeking to develop the project in two phases with two modular and flexible liquefaction plants.
Renewable Energy
Africa’s largest copper-gold mine to run on 430 MW of renewable energy
First Quantum Minerals (FQM), the company that notably operates Africa’s biggest copper mine by production in Zambia, has entered into a new partnership with Chariot and Total Eren to develop 430 MW of solar and wind power for its mining operations in Zambia.
Infrastructure
Nigeria’s new Infrastructure Corporation opens for business
On April 8th, term sheets were signed between the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) and four independent infrastructure asset managers.
Mega projects
Ethiopia's controversial mega-dam starts generating power
The first turbine of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam's (375 MW) has come online. The dam is 1.8km-long and 155m-high with total volume of 10.4 million m3, making it the biggest dam in Africa and one of the largest in the world.
Gas pipeline
Can the Declaration of Niamey help revive the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline Project?
On February 16th, the ministers of petroleum and energy of Algeria (Mohamed Arkab), Niger (Sani I. Mahamadou) and Nigeria (Timipre Sylva) signed the Declaration of Niamey to try to put the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline (TSGP) Project back on track.
M&A
Africa’s petroleum retail sector to undergo more M&A activity
As Africa’s petroleum retailers seek to achieve better economies of scale, the sector will continue to experience mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in coming years, according to a new study by pan-African investment research agency Hawilti.
Solar Power
Southeastern Africa’s biggest solar PV plant opens in Malawi
President of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, officially inaugurated and commissioned the 60 MW Salima solar PV plant in Malawi’s Central Region.
COP26
Western nations announce multi-billion dollar partnership to phase out South African coal
The United States, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union have committed $8.5bn (£6.2bn) to help end South Africa’s reliance on coal.
Infrastructure
InfraCo Africa and Helios are establishing a new $350m climate-focused investment vehicle for Africa
InfraCo Africa and Helios Investment Partners have announced that they are working together to establish a pan-African investment vehicle: Climate, Energy Access and Resilience (CLEAR). The initiative was revealed as part of a UK government event hosted in Glasgow on Finance Day of the UN’s COP26 Summit.
