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Rabat has pushed ahead with legal reforms that could open up the electricity supply industry and encourage more self-generation, but observers fear the entrenched interests of state utility Onee and regional utilities will continue to delay meaningful change, writes John Hamilton.

A new administration is coming to Abuja, with some familiar faces and the same old daunting problems to fix. An uncomfortably small proportion of Nigeria’s 220m-plus population voted in an election that could have a big impact, but only if Bola Tinubu surprises his detractors by driving forward with a diverse package of reforms and reconciliation measures that have defied previous governments, writes Jon Marks.

National Oil Corporation has relaunched its growth-oriented upstream strategy and is encouraging international companies to help Libya achieve the 2m b/d crude oil production target mooted for at least 15 years. Eni’s recent huge gas development agreement with NOC suggests the market’s need for Libyan hydrocarbons has trumped more pessimistic assessments of the government’s capabilities, but widespread political, social and legal opposition to the Italian deal is a reminder that, while huge growth in oil and gas production is technically feasible, developments remain prey to Libya’s volatile politics.

Political, social and legal opposition to Eni’s multi-billion-dollar upstream gas development deal is driven by an alliance of fief holders who may not be able to stop the deal, but could make it harder and more expensive to complete. The opposition reflects continuing dysfunction, raising the prospect of more blockades and disruption, writes Mohamed Eljarh*, with John Hamilton.

Algerian state giant Sonatrach has been courting international oil companies to capitalise on the potential to ramp up deliveries to Europe, but African Energy’s soundings suggest there are plenty of reasons for caution, despite the improved investment climate since hydrocarbons sector reforms were unveiled.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s rejection of all three of Karpowership South Africa’s environmental impact assessment applications has thrown the Turkish company’s – and other departments of government’s – emergency gas-to-power plans into disarray once more.

President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa strengthened his grip on power by appointing political allies and retaining loyalists in a 6 March cabinet reshuffle. The changes included the appointment of 48-year-old Kgosientsho ‘Sputla’ Ramokgopa to take charge of a new Ministry of Electricity. Sputla has hit the ground running by launching the Resource Mobilisation Fund.

Tunisia’s economic decline and return to autocracy has been underlined by the World Bank suspending new projects in response to President Kaïs Saïed’s anti-immigrant stance. However, Qatar may soon start to provide much-needed funds and Tunisia is also earning revenue by acting as a re-export hub for embargoed Russian oil, writes Jon Marks.

Somalia has been accused of circulating an unofficial maritime map that includes offshore blocks that are claimed by Yemen.

The extent that South Africa’s power crisis threatens meltdown in the political system, as well as in the failing electricity supply industry (ESI), has been reflected in open warfare between the government and state utility Eskom’s group chief executive officer (GCEO) André de Ruyter – whose contract has been terminated even before his expected end-March departure.

Cautious hopes have been dashed that a wave of interest from younger generation and independent-minded urban voters would prompt a sea change in Nigerian politics as the favourite Bola Tinubu, representing the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared winner in the 24 February presidential election with 37% of the official vote.

President Paul Biya remains the central player in Cameroonian politics, close observers say, with the health of a fit 90-year old. As one put it: “He is not running around like an athlete, but he is well, physically and mentally.” Biya is generally alert, has the mental stamina to sit through meetings and engages in normal discussion when foreign dignitaries, ambassadors and ministers visit – which has not been the case for some other nonagenarian leaders.

President Paul Biya, who has celebrated his 90th birthday and will soon have completed 41 years in power, takes a hands-off approach to presiding over Cameroon, whose domestic divisions continue to fuel regional conflicts while international supporters help to underpin the economy, writes Paul Melly.

President Samia Hassan’s government has expressed a warm welcome for private capital in the power and other sectors – to the extent it expects investors will develop most of the capacity planned to be added to the grid this decade. But risks go with rewards, and in a feisty address to industry players energy minister January Makamba has categorically ruled out sovereign guarantees, insisting developers finance and structure projects on their commercial merits alone, and show his ministry more respect, writes Marc Howard in Dar es Salaam.

Tullow Oil’s Ghana unit has filed for arbitration in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) over two tax bills amounting to $387m received from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the London AIM-listed independent said on 14 February. This is in addition to a separate existing tax dispute between Tullow and the authorities in Accra.