Spell of relative peace allows South Sudan to launch first-ever oil and gas licensing round
South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum officially launched the country’s first-ever oil and gas licensing round in an inaugural event on Wednesday in Juba. Focused on accelerating exploration and production at new and existing blocks, and promoting the country as a competitive investment destination, the event signified an historic moment in...
South Sudan’s block 5A resumes crude oil drilling after seven years
Production in South Sudan’s block 5A – operated by Sudd Petroleum Operating Company (SPOC) – has resumed from the Tharjiath Central Processing Facility into the Tharjiath – WNPOC Heglic Control Centre pipeline after seven years of production shutdown due to civil war. SPOC will unpack its production resumption journey at...
Technology firm Emerson publishes its environmental, social, governance report
Global technology and engineering company, Emerson, has announced the publication of its 2020 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting how the company develops and delivers technologies, software and services to enable greater sustainability, efficiency and safety for essential industries while supporting communities worldwide. As Emerson helps drive progress across...
Kenya’s NCBA bank invests in new technology to offer inclusive financial services
“We have a view or a mission to be Africa’s most valued digital platform for financial services, which then means we are seeking to move to not just identify ourselves as a bank but actually identify ourselves as a marketplace upon which financial services are offered, upon which customers can...
Radisson Hotel Group expands its clout in African with new hotel in Djibouti
Radisson Hotel Group has entered the Djibouti hospitality industry after signing an agreement to build a new hotel in Djibouti that will be known as Radisson Hotel Djibouti. The deal marks the group’s entry into the country and brings its East African portfolio to 18, with over 2700 rooms in...
SA tourism minister sighs with relief after Hyve picks Cape Town for energy parleys
Hyve Group Plc, organisers of Africa Oil Week have signed a three-year deal with the CTICC in Cape Town to reaffirm their long-term commitment to the continent. In response, South Africa’s Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said, “I am delighted with the news that from 2022, Hyve Group will be hosting...
Africa Renewable Energy Fund II secures €125 million first tranche for investment
The Africa Renewable Energy Fund II has achieved its first close at €125 million, following a joint investment of €17.5 million from The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Climate Technology Fund through the African Development Bank. AREF II, a successor to the original Fund, is a 10-year closed-ended...
Israeli lawyer Eitay Mack fears surveillance gadget exports threaten press freedom
“Many countries are using these technologies to put people in jail,” Israeli lawyer Eitay Mack told Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in a recent video interview. Mack was describing how advanced surveillance capabilities such as those that CPJ has documented are being used to target journalists like Omar Radi and...
Opec Secretary General confirms he will attend African Energy Week in South Africa
Opec General Secretary Mohammed Barkindo and three oil ministers from three African countries have confirmed they will attend African Energy Chamber’s conference in Cape Town, South Africa, in November. The confirmations come against a backdrop of criticism of a similar event set for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which some oil...
Mobile phone app Truecaller announces launch of ‘smart’ SMS feature in Africa
Truecaller, the world’s most trusted and accurate caller ID and telephone search engine, is rolling out a new feature to further augment the user experience in Africa. The new feature, Smart SMS, has been introduced based on user feedback and is designed to cater to the evolving needs of consumers,...
