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Oryx Energies has entered the Gambian market for the first time with the acquisition of a 75.01% stake in Atlas Energy Limited, Gambia. Atlas manages a network of 28 service stations and supplies fuels, lubricants and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products to business customers. The service stations will keep the Atlas name, while lubricants and LPG products will be sold under the Oryx Energies brand.

Operator Harvest Natural Resources has made an oil discovery with the Dussafu Tortue Marin-1 well on the Dussafu Marin Block. Partner Panoro Energy said the well was spudded on 19 November to test the potential of the pre-salt Gamba and Dentale formations.

Several high-profile government figures have been dismissed over a new power sector corruption scandal set to overshadow the contest for the leadership of incumbent party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and ensure corruption remains top of the agenda in the run-up to October’s elections. The scandal centres on payments to Pan Africa Power Solutions Tanzania, owned by controversial businessman Harbinder Singh Sethi, from TSh200bn ($124m) held in an escrow account at the central bank. Sethi claimed to have purchased a 70% stake in Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL), a 100MW gas-fired power plant, from Malaysia’s Mechmar Corporation, which is now in administration.

For investors lining up to buy into the privatisation of Nigeria’s electricity supply industry, the issue of when the 459MW Azura-Edo independent power producer (IPP) will reach financial close has taken on a central importance. But questions of lending terms may seem arcane to outside observers and swathes of the Nigerian population who are focusing on more general economic and security priorities. The new president has declared he is “100% focused” on tackling the Boko Haram insurgency, while already being besieged by myriad other issues, including tackling splits in his All Progressives Congress coalition.

Intratrek Zimbabwe has been sounding out prospective contractors for the 100MW Gwanda solar PV project, as well as essential refurbishment at the 100MW Munyati coal power plant and 40MW Gairezi hydro. The news may be some consolation to state utilities who have been under pressure over the contracts in recent months, complaining to MPs that money given to the company could not be accounted for and progress had been slow (AE 336/5).

The Ministry of Energy and Water has given a consortium led by China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) an engineering, procurement and construction contract to build the 2,171MW Caculo Cabaça hydropower project, the Chinese construction and engineering company announced on 11 June. The contract, valued at $4.53bn, will include civil works as well as the supply, installation and commissioning of hydromechanical and electromechanical equipment, it said. Work is to be completed within 80 months. CGGC said the government would need to make a loan application to Chinese banks to arrange financing for the project.

Despite mixed results from its recent exploration efforts, Russia’s Lukoil has underlined its commitment to the Gulf of Guinea with a new production-sharing agreement offshore Côte d’Ivoire

AMINEX: Egypt, Tanzania drilling plans; STERLING: Board changes

Renewables developer Access Power has acquired the licence for the 100MW Sankana solar scheme in Ghana’s Upper West Region from Accra-based Home Energy Africa and is in negotiations on a power purchase agreement and put-call agreement. The Ghana Energy Commission gave Home Energy Africa, distributor for Dutch solar products manufacturer Home Energy International, a 100MW provisional wholesale supply licence in February 2014, and a siting permit for the 200ha site in November 2014. Project sources say finalising the put-call agreement, essentially a sovereign guarantee, is expected to take some time.

Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) has selected engineering, procurement and construction contractors for a 5MW geothermal wellhead project at Aluto Langano. Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation announced on 28 February that it had been awarded the contract alongside Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Turkey’s Egesim Energy Electro-Mechanic Construction Contracting Company.

Goodluck Jonathan and his allies have proved ruthless in their efforts to reshape the Nigerian energy industry, with the president firing the second NNPC head of his short tenure, while his crackdown on corruption is removing some powerful PDP figures opposing his bid for a second term

Block 3A operator Heritage Oil expects to upgrade reserves for the Kingfisher field following the drilling of the Kingfisher-2 appraisal well.

The decision by the Milan prosecutor to include Eni and its chief executive, Paolo Scaroni, in its investigation of Saipem’s activities in Algeria has focused attention on a key associate of former energy and mines minister Chakib Khelil.

Record electricity consumption in mid-July has highlighted the basic weaknesses of beleaguered state utility Sonelgaz as it seeks to attract international support for its ambitious investment programme, writes Oualid Khelifi

The European Investment Bank has agreed $500m of finance for the Egyptian Refining Company as part of the largest project financing transaction in Egypt.