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The coup d’état in Niger appears to be undermining oil and gas sector ambitions in neighbouring Benin, with London Stock Exchange-listed independent Zenith Energy citing regional political instability as a reason for pulling out of talks for a production-sharing contract to resume output from Block 1 and potential delays anticipated to the $7bn Niger-Benin export pipeline (NBEP), which was due to be completed this year.

Electricidade de Moçambique (EdM) is to advance $3m to the Mphanda Nkuwa Implementation Office (GMNK) to help with the cost of development work for the 1.5GW Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric power (HEP) plant, ahead of financial close.

The Lagos-headquartered Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) is investing $95m in Kampala-headquartered Mahathi Infra Uganda. The funding will be used to build two barges that will move diesel, gasoline, kerosene and jet fuel 250km across Lake Victoria, from Kisumu in Kenya to Bugiri-Bukasa.

The agreement for Senegal to become only the second African economy to secure a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) has the potential to salvage the climate financing framework’s credibility, which appeared to be flatlining.

Tanzania faces a $109.5m hit in one of several disputes dating back to late president John Magufuli’s government, after an Icsid arbitral panel decided in favour of the Ntaka Hill nickel sulphide joint venture in the latest – but likely not the last – bill to come due from the former administration’s nationalist economic policies – a legacy President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s reforming government is working to overcome, writes Marc Howard.

Zambian state utility Zesco’s plan to reduce its chronic indebtedness is making progress, with a crucial renegotiation of existing power purchase agreements (PPAs) with independent power producers (IPPs) appearing to bear fruit.

Some media reports have pointed to Niger’s substantial uranium deposits as a potential motivation for the coup – although personal ambitions are a more likely motivation.

Most big oil companies reported a sharp falls in profits in Q2 2023, but Africa still figures prominently in results and future plans – and where it doesn’t majors are able to divest at least some of their more attractive assets.

Russia has strongly backed the anti-western, populist regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso through its mercenary Wagner Group, which has also established itself as a force in Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan.

Strategically important Niger is at a crossroads after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, with events quickly deteriorating to the extent that Ecowas has threatened force to reinstate democratic rule, while France and the US are anxious to ensure their key regional military base doesn’t follow other Sahel states by falling into the Russian camp, writes Marc Howard.

Meetings in July between United Arab Emirates state minister for foreign affairs Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Nahyan Al-Nahyan and leaders from around the continent gave further public expression to the UAE’s interest in promoting mining and other economic opportunities in Africa – along with promoting wider political ties and its hosting of the COP28 climate talks in November.

£10m ($12.7m) from the United Kingdom International Development-funded FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi) to a new Risk Sharing Backstop Facility (RSBF), which is intended to support sustainable climate infrastructure in Nigeria, was announced on 2 August, during a visit to Abuja by UK foreign secretary James Cleverly.

On 26 July, nine military officers made a televised address to say they had ousted the democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum. The announcement was made on state television by Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane – who has since been named as the putschist’ Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie (CNSP)’s spokesman – but no coup leader was immediately specified.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has taken some initial steps to develop green hydrogen projects, but analysts and industry players say more support is needed from the government, development financiers, international technology partners and offtakers if the nascent industry is to fulfil its potential.

President Bola Tinubu’s first two months in office have been marked by rapid moves to reform the poorly performing economy. However, his government faces daunting challenges which may not be eased by many senior posts going to ‘political’ appointees, as the new president returns pre-election favours. As inflation spikes, continued protests against ‘anti-poor policies’ are adding to pressures on Nigeria’s new leader, writes Jon Marks.