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The ten largest renewable energy additions to African grids in 2024 fall into four distinct groups: Ethiopian hydro, other sub-Saharan African hydro, and wind and solar projects in North Africa and South Africa. African Energy has assessed the projects and whether or not they will be built in time.

Privately-owned indie Perenco has long been a significant upstream player in west and central Africa and it is now extending its position with new discoveries and plans to increase production in Chad, Republic of Congo and elsewhere, as its general manager Benoît de la Fouchardiere tells African Energy.

Bowleven is weighing up a possible equity injection at a “very substantial discount” to its share price, as it looks to shore up its balance sheet, the London AIM-listed company said.

Electricité de France (EDF) has signed a JV agreement with the Cameroonian government to develop the next project on the Sanaga River. The new HEP plant will generate 450-550MW, which would make it Cameroon’s most powerful generation unit.

Norwegian independent power producer Scatec has commissioned a solar PV and battery hybrid project in South Africa, plus two similar schemes in Cameroon via its subsidiary Release.

Cameroon Oil Transportation Company’s new senior leadership team features figures from Chad and Cameroon, prompting speculation that their bilateral rift may be healing. UK-based independent Savannah Energy remains a central player, but may come under further pressure if the two governments start acting in concert, writes James Gavin.

Paris-based independent Perenco has signed a production-sharing contract (PSC) for the offshore Rio del Rey Basin and says it expects progress on approval of its acquisition of New Age’s interest in the Etinde gas field project.

Questions remain about the future of Gaz du Cameroun (GDC), after its parent company, Victoria Oil and Gas (Vog) was placed in administration on 20 February. GDC  – one of Africa’s few onshore gas producers that sells to a local clientele – is involved in a dispute with the government having announced a 20% tariff increase from 1 June,  its first price hike for gas in a decade.

The dispute over Savannah Energy’s assets in Chad and Cameroon has intensified, amid claims that Chad orchestrated an illegitimate general meeting of shareholders in the Cotco pipeline company – drawing a rebuke from Yaoundé, writes James Gavin.

Savannah Energy’s dispute with Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno’s government in Ndjamena has gone cross-border, with diplomatic ties between Chad and Cameroon under stress after the London AIM-listed oil company’s new deal to sell part of its interest in the export pipeline, writes James Gavin.

Savannah Energy has committed to developing the 75MW Bini a Warak hydroelectric scheme – previously expected to be built by Chinese finance and companies – as an independent power project (IPP). The project should burnish London AIM-listed Savannah’s credentials as a broad-based energy company, during a period when it is consolidating its Cameroonian links while contesting neighbouring Chad’s nationalisation of its upstream assets.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has asked for expressions of interest (EoI) for consultancy services to support a Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (Sefa) Africa Mini-Grid Acceleration Programme (Amap) project to speed up the development of solar/hydroelectric power mini-grids in Cameroon.

Belgian construction firm BESIX said on 9 March that the first two cofferdams in the spillway openings of the 420MW Nachtigal hydroelectric power (HEP) plant have been lowered.

President Paul Biya remains the central player in Cameroonian politics, close observers say, with the health of a fit 90-year old. As one put it: “He is not running around like an athlete, but he is well, physically and mentally.” Biya is generally alert, has the mental stamina to sit through meetings and engages in normal discussion when foreign dignitaries, ambassadors and ministers visit – which has not been the case for some other nonagenarian leaders.

President Paul Biya, who has celebrated his 90th birthday and will soon have completed 41 years in power, takes a hands-off approach to presiding over Cameroon, whose domestic divisions continue to fuel regional conflicts while international supporters help to underpin the economy, writes Paul Melly.