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Paris-based independent Perenco has signed a production-sharing contract (PSC) for the offshore Rio del Rey Basin and says it expects progress on approval of its acquisition of New Age’s interest in the Etinde gas field project.

Amid rising concerns about mining governance across sub-Saharan Africa – underlined by a new US advisory warning of ‘unique business risk’ – a contract awarding well-connected UAE company Primera Group the right to export and process much of Democratic Republic of Congo’s artisanal gold has attracted scrutiny and criticism within and well beyond DRC, writes Eleanor Gillespie.

Considerable attention has focused on critical or transition minerals, along with rare earths, as the world moves to decarbonise. Although frequently conflated, these minerals have distinctive – and contingent – definitions. African Energy provides a primer.

Questions remain about the future of Gaz du Cameroun (GDC), after its parent company, Victoria Oil and Gas (Vog) was placed in administration on 20 February. GDC  – one of Africa’s few onshore gas producers that sells to a local clientele – is involved in a dispute with the government having announced a 20% tariff increase from 1 June,  its first price hike for gas in a decade.

United States-based independent Murphy Oil signed production-sharing contracts (PSC) for five offshore Côte d’Ivoire blocks in late June, affirming a renewed industry interest in West African oil and gas licences.

Sound Energy’s deal to bring Yemeni-owned Calvalley Petroleum into the Tendrara gas field could help it to deliver a project that should answer some of state utility Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable (Onee)’s feedstock problems, following the end of Algerian supplies through the Europe-Maghreb Gasline (GME) in 2021 . African Energy takes a closer look at Morocco's gas supply options.

Ghanian independent Springfield E&P has secured a loan from Cairo-based multilateral the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to fund developments in the deep-water West Cape Three Points Block 2 (WCTP 2). The securing of development finance comes as a long-running dispute with Italian major Eni continues in the courts.

Veteran Beninois oil magnate Samuel Dossou-Aworet has increased his stake in London Stock Exchange (LSE)- and Ghana Stock Exchange-listed independent Tullow Oil, according to bourse filings – underlining the 78 year-old Dossou’s determination to continue playing a key (if discreet) role in a company he has long held an interest in.

London AIM-listed Sound Energy has secured a provisional deal for Calvalley Petroleum to take a 40% stake and provide funding for its two-phase onshore Tendrara gas project. Sound has also lined up a debt financing package for Tendrara phase 2, led by Casablanca-based Attijariwafa bank.

London AIM-listed Tower Resources has provided a bullish view of its offshore PEL 96 licence, covering activity in blocks 1910A, 1911 and 1912B in the northern Walvis Basin.

A novel debt restructuring deal between Zambia and its bilateral creditors should pave the way for Lusaka to finally receive new assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and, in time, move beyond its debt defaulting status with credit ratings agencies. The deal could help to relieve pressure on debt-stressed state utility Zesco but, as so often, the devil resides in the detail and some significant elements have yet to be put in place, including a critical agreement with private creditors that could involve further tough negotiations with Beijing.

Oslo-listed PetroNor E&P has sold its interest in the Sinapa and Esperança licences to a Dubai-based subsidiary of Petromal, paving the way for a drilling campaign in Guinea-Bissau’s offshore.

Control over African mineral reserves means governments now hold a lot of the cards in negotiating with corporations and political leaders, during a period of rising global demand and shifting power balances. Industry players now argue that more equitable partnerships may finally be on the table.

Western capitals are focused on establishing a new generation of partnerships to facilitate increased value-addition in Africa, industry players told the 26-27 June London Indaba conference. This theme is being pushed by key players including the United States government.

Following controversy around a Chinese-backed lithium project, the Namibian government has banned exports of unprocessed critical mineral exports in a bid to encourage the development of more domestic processing. Six other projects with integrated processing plants for lithium, graphite and cobalt are, however, making advances, write Marc Howard and Our Namibia Correspondent.