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Monrovia is in discussions with Genser Energy for a greenfield, 270MW gas-fired power plant. New capacity is sorely needed for Liberia’s grid which, despite imports from Côte d’Ivoire via the Transco CLSG line, still faces severe loadshedding, particularly in the dry season.

British energy major BP has started production from the second phase of the offshore Raven field in Egypt ahead of schedule. A number of infill wells have been tied back to existing onshore infrastructure as part of the West Nile Delta project.

The Zimbabwe Environmental Management Agency has approved the environmental social impact assessment for pilot production at the Cabora Bassa gas project in the north of the country, paving the way for a gas-to-power project to supply the nearby Eureka gold mine.

The issue leads with a look at Ivanhoe Mines' procurement of solar PV and battery storage supply for its operated Kamoa-Kakula copper mine in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lualaba province. The solar and storage, which would be one of the largest renewable energy C&I plants developed in Africa to date, will augment hydroelectricity from Snel and Sapp imports, helping to ensure continuity of power supply at the site.   African Energy reports from the recent Invest in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town. Industry players told African Energy that the enormous mining demand for C&I and wheeled IPP offtake seen over recent years was a mere taste of what is yet to come, as African producers accelerate mineral operations. Elsewhere in DRC, the African Energy View focuses on the catastrophe in Eastern Congo. Coverage includes a revised DRC energy map, which also plots violent incidents in the region over the last year. African Energy also examines the approval of a 13% hike in Eskom tariffs from April 2025, with further hikes to follow of 5.4% in 2026 and 6.2% in 2027. Critics have said the increases will pile pressure on consumers already reeling from cost-of-living increases. Power coverage includes a closer look at South Sudan, where there are glimmers of hope for the country with the world’s lowest electricity access rate, with three recent developments pointing to progress: a first renewable IPP, an AfDB-backed scheme to interconnect with Ethiopia and a $50m World Bank technical and grid assistance programme. African Energy looks at Kenya, where the Ruto government has set ambitious goals for 2025, including doubling power transmission line construction and adding 1.4m more on-grid customers over the year. The issue also examines news that Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) has reportedly agreed an 80MW power purchase agreement (PPA) with Phoenix Group, a crypto-currency mining company based in the UAE. Power is due to start flowing under the agreement in Q2 2025, but it remains unclear where Phoenix’s crypto mining site will be located – or where the power will be generated. Oil and gas coverage leads with the latest earnings releases from Africa-focused oil majors, which revealed a broadly mixed picture for 2024, with profits struggling to match the levels of previous years. This dampened financial performance has continued into 2025, with some majors making costly-write downs. ESG, finance and policy coverage leads with the AfDB and World Bank Mission 300 electricity access plan, which has attracted pledges of over $50bn, while National Energy Compact commitments promise to boost power provision and private investment. African Energy asks whether Mission 300, which has an ambitious goal to connect 300m Africans to electricity by 2030, can succeed where other grand pledges to electrify Africa have failed?  

South African state power utility Eskom has secured an above-inflation increase in electricity prices from April 2025, with further hikes to follow of 5.4% in 2026 and 6.2% in 2027. Critics have said the increases will pile pressure on consumers already reeling from cost-of-living increases.

Copperbelt Energy Corporation is making progress on the 136MWp second phase of the Itimpi solar PV plant, developing what would be Zambia’s first wind plant and expanding interconnection capacity with Democratic Republic of Congo.

Eni’s fast-track FLNG projects have revived interest in the Republic of Congo’s oil and gas prospects, with Trident Energy’s acquisition of mid-life assets from Chevron and TotalEnergies providing another shot in the arm, writes James Gavin.

The latest financial results from international oil companies revealed that 2024 was a tough year for many of them, not least because of reduced refining margins. Many of the pressures are likely to continue in 2025, although there is plenty of exploration activity to keep most of them busy, writes James Gavin.

London-headquartered Tullow Oil has confirmed that chief executive Rahul Dhir is to step down on 14 February. He will be replaced on an interim basis by chief financial officer Richard Miller.

With links to billionaire UAE national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi-based cryptocurrency firm Phoenix Group has secured an 80MW PPA in Ethiopia.  The deal is a sign of how power-hungry crypto-mining companies could be drawn in to countries that are developing large power surpluses.

Sasol, De Beers and Anglo American will trial the use of tobacco plants and drumstick tree to produce vegetable oil that can then be turned into renewable diesel at a number of sites around South Africa.

Mpumalanga-based MMC’s 20-year energy supply agreement with IPP and electricity trader Noa Group is intended to provide the bulk of renewable energy supply for the metal company. Noa will source the energy from multiple generation facilities across South Africa via wheeling through the Eskom grid.

Ivanhoe Mines’ procurement of substantial solar PV and battery storage supply for its operated Kamoa-Kakula copper mine will augment hydroelectricity from Snel and Sapp imports, helping to ensure continuity of power supply at the site, where the commissioning of a smelter has been delayed by power supply problems, writes Marc Howard in Cape Town.

Golden Valley Mine expects to complete construction work on a 2MWp solar PV plant by end-February, guaranteeing a steady supply of power to its mine.

The Ruto government has set ambitious goals for 2025, including doubling power transmission line construction and adding 1.4m more on-grid customers over the year – while also planning to spend money itself on upstream oil exploration.