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Mining investor Appian Capital Advisory is buying a majority stake in the Rosh Pinah C&I solar PV plant that supplies its Rosh Pinah Zinc mine. Appian plans to treble capacity at the power plant, alongside a major production expansion at the mine.

A catastrophic decline in oil sale revenues transferred to the state treasury, which cannot be explained by normal market factors, threatens to undermine the already shaky foundations of Libya’s governance. African Energy’s analysis of recently released data suggests that uneconomic barter deals, smuggling, mismanagement and corruption have cost the country tens of billions of dollars in the past three years, writes John Hamilton.

The state-owned Development Bank of Namibia has earmarked $53m for renewable energy projects as part of its 2025-29 strategy, as the country looks to make better use of its solar and wind resources and move away from reliance on coal and thermal plants.

Despite some improvements, diplomatic relations between Niger and Benin remain fraught. Cotonou has recalled its ambassador after deeming his public apologies for last year’s Niger-Benin Export Pipeline dispute had gone too far. Meanwhile, ties between Niger and Algeria continue to warm, signalled by fresh momentum for the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project and Algiers’ backing for a new refinery in Dosso.

African Energy’s latest piece of investigative journalism is based on a stream of leaked documents, mostly in Arabic, which have been translated and verified by senior editor John Hamilton. This exposé of mismanagement, corruption and lack of accountability is part of an ongoing reporting project. (Access to the dossier is included in African Energy newsletter subscriptions).

Solarcentury Africa and Chariot Transitional Power have signed a partnership to develop a C&I solar PV plant for Karo Platinum Mine in Zimbabwe’s Mhondoro-Ngezi district.

Cape Town-headquartered Sola Group has provided African Energy with an update on the progress of its 132MW Lichtenburg 1 and the 150MW Springbok solar PV plants. Once completed the IPPs will add to the company’s growing portfolio of wheeling projects.  Sola has a pipeline of about 900MW solar and battery energy storage projects, some with secured grid connections with Eskom and others still seeking a grid connection.

The zeal with which Elon Musk and others in Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ posse have taken to dismantling the global financial and security order may prove to be a passing phase, but it is more likely to represent a lasting shift that poses some very serious questions for Africa, writes Jon Marks.

Progress at Uganda’s premier upstream project is on track for first oil by year-end, according to operator TotalEnergies. But the Eacop pipeline – which will carry most of the output to Tanzania’s coast for export – is behind schedule due to financing difficulties. The lack of midstream progress could delay Ugandan oil exports, writes our Kampala correspondent.

Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) for a 2GW wind independent power producer (IPP) project in Egypt. It will be the country’s largest wind farm and its largest single-asset IPP.

Turkey’s Karpower has started dispatching power from two of its floating powerships in Gabon. The vessels are supplying 70MW to Libreville, bringing an end to over five months of protracted loadshedding in the capital.

Rumours are swirling that state-owned giant Nigerian National Petroleum Company is looking to replace long-serving group chief executive Mele Kolo Kyari. Others refute this, highlighting the good work being done by the incumbent, writes Leo Lawal in Lagos.

The government is planning a feasibility study to examine converting 100MW of liquid-fuelled thermal plant capacity to gas-to-power, with LNG feedstock among the options being considered. Efforts to produce domestic LPG are also being promoted by the government as a way to reduce deforestation and the health impact of biomass use, writes our Kampala correspondent.

Following a well-subscribed $185m close in December, Camco’s Repp 2 blended finance fund is targeting a $250m final close next year. The renewables-focused private debt fund aims to speedily deploy capital to back African IPPs of up to 25MW. It is also offering technical assistance grants to developers to ease the burden of early-stage work such as project studies.

Anzana Electric Group has raised $35m from the Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB) to finance the construction of the 1.65MW Upper Ruvyironza and 9MW Upper Mulembwe hydroelectric power plants.