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In the latest step of the long process of moving Nigeria’s energy sector away from erratic gas supply and unenforceable contracts, the World Bank on 22 April approved the first of four partial risk guarantees (PRGs) worth $400m covering gas sales in the country. The PRG was signed alongside a gas supply and aggregation agreement (GSAA) by the World Bank, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN, as owner of Egbin power plant), Egbin Power plc, Chevron Nigeria Ltd and Deutsche Bank. Provisions have been made under the agreement for the transfer of guarantees to a new owner of Egbin should the plant be sold, subject to approval by the World Bank.

The deadline by which preferred bidders from the second round of South Africa’s renewable energy independent power producers (REIPPP) programme must reach financial close has been extended from the end of March to 22-26 April. The delay has been caused by the Department of Energy needing approvals before it can sign agreements, the most important of which is the requirement that the budget for each round is formally approved by the Treasury under the Public Finance Management Act.

The World Bank Group (WBG) on 22 August debarred Slovenia’s Flycom for making corrupt payments in connection with a project in Democratic Republic of Congo. The infrastructure services company was debarred for 18 months from working for the WBG and four other major multilaterals for engaging in corrupt practices linked to the Southern Africa Power Market Project.

Japan’s Toshiba Corporation on 27 August signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development outlining a partnership to develop geothermal power projects and training. Under the agreement signed at the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Nairobi on 27-28 August, Toshiba will collaborate in the development and supply of equipment for a geothermal power plant, create operation and management guidelines, and assist with the training of personnel.

Société Nationale d’Electricité du Burkina (Sonabel) invites expressions of interest by 17 April from consultants to assist with the extension and reinforcement of the national grid. The work is to be financed by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) from funds made available for the Projet d’Extension et de Renforcement des Réseaux Electriques, and is open only to consultants from member countries of the IDB, according to a procurement notice published by Sonabel on 21 March.

The governments of Equatorial Guinea (EG) and Cameroon signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 10 July paving the way for joint development of Noble Energy’s Yolanda discovery in EG Block I and Yoyo discovery offshore Cameroon. The company told African Energy the MoU stated that the two discoveries were in a contiguous reservoir that would be jointly developed as the Yoyo-Yolanda condensate gas field and operated by Noble Energy.“The MoU signifies a commitment from both countries to work together to develop the Yoyo-Yolanda condensate gas field,” Noble said.

Less assertive until now in Arab-African affairs than its ally the UAE or rival Qatar, Saudi Arabia hosted a new regional grouping on 12 December as foreign ministers from seven countries attended the first consultative meeting of the Arab and African Coastal States of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in Riyadh. A communiqué issued after the gathering said the group was set up to enhance cooperation “in the political, economic, cultural, environmental and security fields” among the members. A follow-up meeting of senior officials is due to be held in Cairo.

National Transitional Council oil commitee chairman: Mustafa El-Huni, Omar Shakmak, Ali Tarhouni, Nouri Berouin

Electricité de Djibouti has released the general procurement notice for the Fialé-Caldera geothermal power project in the Lake Assal area. The project aims to develop a 50MW geothermal power plant in three phases to 2018. Tender documents are expected to be released soon. The first phase will take 30 months and is expected to be completed by May 2016.

Circle Oil has signed a petroleum agreement with the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (Onhym) for the Lalla Mimouna Nord and Lalla Mimouna Sud exploration permits in the Rharb Basin.

Philippe Edmonds’ latest venture, BioEnergy Africa Ltd, floated on London’s Alternative Investment Market on 1 September.

Companies and acreage have changed hands at a brisk pace over the past year and, while offshore oil remains elusive, hopes remain high that other countries can replicate Uganda’s success. East Africa pioneer Black Marlin Energy is now owned by Afren, while Irish independent Tullow Oil has established a big position onshore Kenya, where it hopes to use the skills

Volta River Authority (VRA) has awarded two contracts worth nearly $10m to Spain’s Montreal Montajey y Realizaciones for substation and transmission work for the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) coastal transmission backbone project.

Soco International announced on 2 July that it had entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Quill Trading Corporation and WMLC Resources Limited to sell its shareholding in SOCO Cabinda Limited for up to $5m in cash.Soco’s 85%-owned subsidiary Soco Cabinda holds a 22%, non-operating, working interest in the production-sharing contract for the onshore Cabinda North Block.

Afren and its partner Amni International Petroleum Development Company have announced the start of production from the Okoro Setu project in OML 112. Initial production from the first of two wells drilled to date has commenced at a rate of more than 3,000 b/d of 27º API gravity oil. .