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The estimated $1bn EPC deal for the Banda and Tevet fields, which hold combined estimated reserves of 2.2tcf, is the first involvement by Egyptian players in Mauritania’s upstream and marks the revival of Nouakchott’s long-held plans to supply gas to its flagship Banda Duale power plant.

Koko Networks, which supplies bioethanol for ‘clean cooking’ and has grown rapidly since launching in Kenya in 2019 is now targeting 1m households in Rwanda. Supported by carbon credit sales, its distribution and sales network has demonstrated a business case for decarbonising cooking, writes Marc Howard in Nairobi.

Sinomine Resource Group has made deals to purchase controlling interests in a copper mine in Zambia and a copper smelter in Namibia, as the Chinese mining group steps up efforts to increase the production of copper and other critical minerals in southern Africa.

The start of arrears payments by Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has brought some respite to independent power producers’ balance sheets. Although Ghana’s economic recovery still hinges on the conclusion of an IMF programme and wider debt restructuring, private investors have been able to win better terms for their power projects – which is important, as more capacity will be needed to meet rising demand.

The 14MWp Arsenal solar PV plant has been commissioned, according to French developer GreenYellow, which signed a deal with the Central Electricity Board (CEB) to develop the plant in March 2022.

Kinross’ huge solar-storage C&I project will be Mauritania’s second-largest installed PV plant when commissioned in the coming weeks.

Saudi operator Acwa Power said the Noor 3 CSP plant at Ouarzazate would be closed until November after a leak in its hot molten salts tank used to store energy.

The recent approval of plans to set up a Mozambique Sovereign Fund (Fundo Soberano de Moçambique or FSM) by President Filipe Nyusi’s cabinet adds to the growing number of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) across the continent. The move has been lauded by the International Monetary Fund’s Public Financial Management Blog, which examined the fund's structure and role.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has placed ownership of national utility Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) and six other companies into recently revamped sovereign wealth fund Mutapa Investment Fund’s portfolio, where they join the likes of National Oil Company of Zimbabwe, Petrotrade and Hwange Colliery. African Energy takes a closer look at questions surrounding the move and examines recent developments at Mutapa that have triggered some deeper controversy.

Savannah Energy has signed share purchase agreements (SPAs) with Sinopec and its local partner Jagal to acquire the 49% remaining interest in Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Nigeria Ltd (Sipec). Sipec’s principal asset is a 49% non-operated stake in the Stubb Creek oil and gas field in Akwa Ibom state.

Climate Fund Managers has provided capital for waste-to-energy developer Bio2Watt Energy Holdings’ biogas projects in South Africa, including expansion of the 4.8MW Bronkhorstspruit plant.

Climate Fund Managers and Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund have invested $18m in UK-based Konexa to finance the launch of its renewable energy trading platform, with Nigerian Breweries the first customer. Konexa initially plans to wheel power across the national grid to two Nigerian Breweries’ facilities.

Privately-held United States junior Liberty Petroleum has signed three production-sharing agreements (PSAs) with the Somali federal government for offshore blocks 131, 190, and 206.

Eni has closed the sale of some of its Republic of Congo (RoC) upstream assets to indie Perenco. No specifics of the acreage acquired were detailed. Sale of the assets did not detract from RoC being “at the core” of its strategy, Eni said, but instead reflected a ‘refocus’ on major developments.

Swedfund International (Swedfund) and the European Union (EU) have offered finance to carry out environmental and technical feasibility studies for the Malawi-Zambia interconnector, a 330/400kV cross-border transmission line that spans about 184km between Zambia and Malawi.