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Africa Oil Corporation (AOC) said the farm-in process for Block 3B/4B offshore South Africa is advancing, with the aim of securing a new partner by end-Q1 2023. The Vancouver-based company has described Block 3B/4B as “on trend” with the Venus and Graff oil discoveries made by TotalEnergies and Shell in Namibia’s Orange Basin in early 2022.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update, issued at the end of January, underlines China’s importance both globally and for an African continent where it has made considerable efforts to build political relations and infrastructure, in order to secure resources vital to its domestic growth.

French contractor Vinci has started construction on Senegal's 128MW Sambangalou hydroelectric power (HEP) dam.

Under instructions from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algerian state utility Sonelgaz sent a “highly qualified” mission to Cuba on 19-25 January to study a solar generation project in Havana.

Egypt has a good claim to have been the most dynamic of all African countries in 2022, but 2023 may be its year of reckoning. The currency crisis now ravaging the economy could bring President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s futuristic edifice of renewables, green hydrogen (GH2), new cities, real estate, electric trains, sea water desalination and social infrastructure crashing down unless he can keep on side a wide coalition. This includes the IMF and Gulf monarchies which are Egypt’s largest creditors, the military, whose economic prerogatives must now be curtailed, a hard-pressed population, and international business partners.

Energy minister Ibrahim Yacoubou told a ceremony to commission the Zinder HFO plant that the Gorou Banda solar PV project in Niamey will be commissioned on 2 April.

So much for a post-carbon world, as a welter of new upstream investment plays marks the start of 2023. Some of Africa’s biggest producers are offering new acreage and developments, including Nigeria’s latest marginal fields round and Algerian efforts to exploit surging demand for gas stoked by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago.

Sultan Al-Jaber’s appointment to preside over the end-year COP28 climate talks in Dubai brings a storied United Arab Emirates official to global prominence. His leadership in renewables developer Masdar and other UAE sustainable energy initiatives is welcome, but Al-Jaber’s powerful role as head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has added to climate campaigners’ fears that big hydrocarbons producers will take the COP process even further off track, write Jon Marks and African Energy staff.

The Kano state government has announced the completion of construction work at the Tiga hydroelectric power (HEP) project following years of delays.

A source familiar with the project told African Energy the Memve’ele hydroelectric power plant has achieved full operational capacity.

French independent power producer (IPP) Voltalia has begun construction of the 148MW Bolobedu solar PV plant in Limpopo province.  

The 44MW Singrobo-Ahouaty hydroelectric power (HEP) plant reached a €174.3m ($183.4m) financial close in December according to a statement by mandated lead arranger African Development Bank (AfDB).

Australian Securities Exchange-listed EcoGraf expects to sign a framework agreement with the Tanzanian government for its Epanko graphite project in early 2023.

A realignment of global alliances is ever more apparent as the first anniversary of Russia’s attempted conquest of Ukraine approaches and global power and wealth seem to concentrate in ever fewer hands. This has been seen in the solidarity among members of the Opec+ oil exporters’ alliance, in which long western-aligned Saudi Arabia and President Vladimir Putin’s Russia remain the driving forces.

London AIM-listed Helium One Global says it is on course to spud a well in Q1 2023, aimed at proving a helium discovery at the Tai prospect in Tanzania’s Rukwa Basin.