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After Zambia’s Energy Regulation Board (ERB) refused to sign-off on a tariff increase, the government said alternative financing will be found to reduce the 20-hour blackouts caused by historically low levels of rainfall. State utility Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) is facing a perfect storm, with its own generation output and export sales plummeting and public money in short supply as the government grapples with the impact of the drought and a longstanding debt crisis.

Successful Chinese bidders are placing equipment orders for power plants awarded under Sonelagz’s 2GW solar programme. Contracts for 19 plants were signed with eight contractors earlier this year as part of a first phase in a programme to add 15GW of solar capacity by 2035.  

Abdelmadjid Tebboune won a second term as president, with a landslide victory in Algeria’s 7 September election. However, he then joined his two opponents in raising questions about irregularities and the regulator’s handling of the poll.

West Africa Energy’s nearly-complete thermal plant at Cap des Biches will bring much-needed baseload capacity to Senelec’s network, supporting further renewable power projects. Meanwhile, the ruling Pastef party has started an audit of energy contracts awarded by the previous regime – with gas-to-power projects included in its scope, writes Waly Dione Faye in Dakar.

Malaysian national oil company Petronas is leading a pack of several international contenders eyeing up a potential investment in Senegal's 25tcf offshore Yakaar-Teranga gas development.

The nominally ‘independent candidate’ Abdelmajid Tebboune seems set for a second term when Algerians vote in the 7 September presidential election. He has promised accelerated investment in electricity and other infrastructure, a more responsive business environment and faster delivery of jobs and social services – with big new hydrocarbons deals to pay for it all.

The issue leads with a focus on a possible eastwards expansion of the Lobito Corridor, which currently runs from Tenke in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Angola’s Lobito port on the Atlantic coast. The first phase is already leading to faster and cheaper exports of Copperbelt minerals, while a feasibility study is due on a Zambian spur. The US is now mulling support for a potential extension of the corridor to the Indian Ocean, which could compete with Chinese plans to rehabilitate the Tazara link, but might even lead to co-operation with Beijing. Power coverage leads with Elton Oil's revised plans to develop an LNG import and regasification terminal at Dakar Port, Senegal. Initially proposed in 2021, the $120m facility holds great regional significance, given there is no regasification capacity in place in Senegal or in its neighbours. It could supply gas to Senelec’s 300MW Cap des Biches power plant due online by early 2025, as well as Aksa Energy’s 225MW Saint Louis plant, due to be commissioned in 2026. Oil and gas coverage leads with Nigeria, where Oando has completed its acquisition of onshore acreage from Eni.  Despite many challenges, local investors are continuing to make large bets on the mature assets being sold off by international majors. However, the wider economic environment is also difficult, with widespread protests laying bare the scale of the problems facing President Tinubu’s government. African Energy also examines the latest developments in the Niger-Benin Export Pipeline (NBEP) dispute. A deal has ended a three-month suspension of oil shipments, enabling the resumption of significant Nigerien production – and vital foreign exchange earnings for Niamey. Meanwhile, the Nigerien junta has appointed a new oil minister with intriguing connections and has signed a deal with Algiers to restart work at a northern oil block. Finance and policy coverage focuses on DR Congo, where despite an Angolan-brokered ceasefire signed on 30 July between DRC and Rwanda, rebels of the Alliance du Fleuve Congo and their M23 allies are moving north towards Butembo.Their advance along Lake Edward could reach DRC’s Albertine Graben oil blocks, though these have been unlicensed for several years. The African Energy View examines the  build up to presidential elections in Algeria on 7 September, where President Abdelmajid Tebboune is standing with the might of the Algerian state behind him.  

Revised September 2024, this map illustrates the Lobito Corridor railway line running from Tenke in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Angola’s Lobito port on the Atlantic coast and its possible expansion to include a spur to Zambia. The map also shows the potential for the extension of the corridor to the Indian Ocean, which could include a rehabilitated Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) line, which extends from Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The map also shows the location of Copperbelt mines in DR Congo and Zambia, plus other regional railways lines of significance in Dr Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Malawi and northern Mozambique.

Building on funding commitments from the AfDB, US and EU, work is accelerating on the Angola-DRC-Zambia rail network. The Lobito Corridor’s first phase has already seen faster, cheaper exports of Copperbelt minerals and a feasibility study on a Zambian spur is due. Washington is now mulling support for a potential extension of the corridor to the Indian Ocean, which could compete with Chinese plans to rehabilitate the Tazara link, but might even lead to co-operation with Beijing.

State-owned power utility Eskom has pledged that the power cuts that have dogged South Africa for decades could finally be at an end, as long as unplanned outages can be kept at their current level.

Despite many challenges, local investors are continuing to make large bets on the mature assets being sold off by international majors. However, the wider economic environment is also difficult, with widespread protests laying bare the scale of the problems facing President Tinubu’s government, writes Leonard Lawal in Abuja with Marc Howard.

Canada’s Africa Oil Corporation has acquired an option to buy a 7% stake in Impact Oil & Gas from existing shareholders, as it continues its efforts to increase its exposure to the Orange Basin.

The 155MW Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm in Mpumalanga province is the first phase of a wider 900MW wind and solar PV project that includes an 800MW battery energy storage system (Bess).

Despite an Angolan-brokered ceasefire signed on 30 July between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, rebels of the Alliance du Fleuve Congo and their M23 allies are moving north towards Butembo. Their advance along Lake Edward could reach the DRC’s Albertine Graben oil blocks, though these have been unlicensed for several years.

Local downstream player Elton Oil is advancing its $120m regasification terminal project and has signed an offtake deal with Senelec to provide the utility with gas feedstock. The move could be an important step in Dakar’s move away from liquid fuels towards cheaper and less polluting gas, writes Waly Dione Faye in Dakar.