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The completion by Norway’s PetroNor E&P of the acquisition of Panoro’s minority stake in Offshore Mining Lease (OML) 113 in offshore Nigeria in mid-July has paved the way for the commercialisation of a gas field that is estimated to have reserves of 1.1tcf.

The Economic Committee of West African States (Ecowas) inaugurated the Nigeria segment of its regional off-grid electricity access project (Rogeap) in Abuja on 19 July. The project, which was initially launched in 2017, was restructured with additional financing and relaunched in 2020.

Commodity trading giant Vitol is setting up a joint venture with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (Nsia) to invest in carbon reduction and offsetting programmes. Nsia chief executive Uche Orji said the new venture would provide “an enabling platform to trade carbon credits”.

With over 7.4GW of engine capacity installed across 45 countries, Helsinki-headquartered Wärtsilä reports progress on its own co-developed power projects in four sub-Saharan markets – Nigeria, Gabon, Mozambique and Malawi – as well as for a range of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work for gas-to-power (GTP) schemes.

Following initial overtures, the decision to co-develop the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline as a gas superhighway linking Nigeria and other gas producers with over a dozen markets along its route – and inland to supply landlocked countries via spurs – was agreed by King Mohammed VI and President Muhammadu Buhari, during the Moroccan monarch’s late 2016 state visit to Nigeria.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has overturned global calculations about natural gas supply, especially in Europe, meaning projects previously thought unfeasible are now making progress. One possible beneficiary is the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, strongly pushed by King Mohammed VI and supported by his friend President Muhammadu Buhari, which could now undergo a radical change to supply the European network.

Daystar Power Energy Solutions is installing a 350kwp solar project at Lagos Business School. The project is being financed through the Sustainable use of Natural Resources and Energy Finance (Sunref), an initiative funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

A case in the Federal High Court of Nigeria over the Barracuda oil field in Niger Delta Block OML141 has again been adjourned, this time until 16 November.

Many in Nigeria believe the authorities’ move to implement minimum electricity generation capacity is politically motivated. With elections due in 2023, the pressure is on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to demonstrate its achievements. Reaching a minimum 5GW of available generation capacity would be an improvement from past administrations.

Regulator Nerc began ‘a phased activation’ of power purchase agreements on 1 July, in another attempt to meet its 5,000MW electricity target. Officials believe the move can rebalance an industry in crisis, but stakeholders are unsure if the target is achievable and the public is wary of gimmicks ahead of elections in 2023, writes Adaora Elemide in Abuja, with Jon Marks in Brussels.

Dutch development finance institution FMO has signed a $15m senior loan for African and India-focused off-grid provider D.Light Design, with $5m from the Building Prospects envelope and a $10m FMO-A loan. The majority of the loan is denominated in local currency, comprising Nigerian naira and Kenyan shillings.

Three Nigerian electricity distribution companies (discos) – Benin, Kaduna and Kano – have been taken over by Fidelity Bank, after it called in the collateralised shares following defaults.

Panoro Energy is expected to complete the sale of its interest in Offshore Mining Lease (OML) 113 in offshore Nigeria to PetroNor E&P by 15 July, following a further two-week delay announced by the companies on 30 June.

Mini-grid financing facility CrossBoundary Energy Access has raised a $25m senior debt facility. CrossBoundary is looking to raise $150m in total to finance a portfolio of mini-grids primarily in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia.

Talks are at an advanced stages for West Africa Gas Limited (WAGL) Energy, a joint venture between Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and local conglomerate Sahara Group, to develop liquid petroleum gas supply in West Africa through the construction of jetties and other infrastructure.