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West Africa oil exporters are scrambling to deal with a sharp drop in Chinese import demand caused by the coronavirus. China imported around 1.3m b/d of West African crude before the economic jolt caused by the virus. Imports fell to 1.1m b/d in February, causing major disruption to the key market for many sub-Saharan African oil exporters, according to tanker data and crude-loading programmes.

State power utility Zesco is seeking to renegotiate its power purchase agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) in an effort to curb its ballooning debt. At end-April 2019, Zesco owed IPPs about $680m, and the company says low power tariffs mean it has little hope of reducing the burden.

Gulf support has helped ease a chronic fuel supply problem and the generals have appointed an economically liberal government, but as politicians and business recalibrate following Mohamed Morsi’s fall, delivering positive results will depend on Egypt achieving a degree of consensus, write Jon Marks and John Hamilton

Oil companies are coming to the end of a long wait for three ultra-deep licences which many believe constitute the biggest prize on offer in Africa today. Sonangol. the state oil company, has confirmed that BP Amoco, Elf Aquitaine and Exxon will win operatorships of blocks 31, 32 and 33 respectively. However, there is still some uncertainty over the composition of the full contractor groups for each block - and, as FTAE reports below, there is some concern that operators will come under pressure to include shadowy new local companies in groups which will be committed to making massive investments.

Russias recent advance into energy plays across Africa has raised the spectre of a new Great Game led by the Kremlins favoured Gazprom in competition with major western players. But African Energys analysis of recent Russian business in Africa suggests the picture is more complex, with a hard business dynamic running parallel to a state-directed geopolitical strategy, write Eleanor Gillespie, John Hamilton and Jon Marks.

With domestic and regional power demand set to soar, Mozambique has set up its first public-private partnership to develop the giant Mphanda Nkuwa dam. Power planners are also looking to coal and gas reserves, but big ticket hydro and transmission projects still take centre stage, write David Slater and Dan Marks

Production is set to rise next year as Total’s deep-water Moho-Bilondo development comes on stream. But at the same time, the government is facing increasing scrutiny of its finances, and pressure to conform to international …..writes Thalia Griffiths.

Libya is being promoted as the oil industry’s "hottest prospect for new exploration and production success". With all but US sanctions suspended, “political developments coupled with world class prospectivity propels Libya from a modest 20th position in 1998 to the number one country for new exploration, development and production ventures in 2000,” UK consultancy Robertson said in its annual poll of oil companies’ upstream spending. Such optimism is reflected in the flood of businessmen buying expensive airline seats to stay in Tripoli’s mediocre but costly hotels in the quest for contacts and contracts.

Ef forts to encourage private investment in power were under way in Ethiopia before Abiy Ahmed became prime minister in April 2018, but it is only since he assumed office and launched wide-ranging political and economic reform that a credible programme has emerged.

Beijings offer of more credit lines, rising investment flows and nonintervention in domestic affairs wowed leaders, officials and financiers gathered in China for the AfDBs annual meeting and ...

In a first for Africa, Morocco has chosen the Spanish model for a planned gradual liberalisation of its power market from 2003, writes Fatima Mossadeq in Casablanca.

Snel boss Daniel Yengo and colleagues are out of jail, but they have faced a grilling in the DRC Senate and questioning from police, amid claims and counter-claims over Inga hydropower refurbishment contracts and the failing parastatals management. Inga investor MagEnergy says it will continue to work on its projects, while a powerful minister wants them out. Jon Marks and Franois Misser canvassed opinion from all sides.

A colourful array of new investors is beating a path to the leaderships door, as Cte dIvoires battered economy looks for new sources of funding, writes Thalia Grifths.

Oil industry reformer Shukri Ghanems resignation after a dispute with the prime minister is shrouded in mystery, but NOC seems determined to carry on business as usual. Beneath the recent dramatic developments in Tripoli lies Muammar Qadhafi, who has been reasserting his will over swathes of the economy, writes John Hamilton

Libyas new gas round showed just how keen IOCs are to explore despite the Jamahiriyas opaque and sometimes difficult business environment. Algeria has a more established gas industry but its leaders seem more cautious still about encouraging major new E&P initiatives. Jon Marks in Algiers and John Hamilton in Tripoli ask whether gas-hungry Europe will secure reserves from major Maghrebi producers as quickly as EU leaders would like.