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The East African Crude Oil Pipeline has boosted regional energy ambitions and is poised to swell the treasuries of Tanzania and Uganda, but while the project’s supporters laud its potential economic and developmental benefits it has also ignited a fierce debate over hydrocarbons financing and how deals are structured in the energy transition age.

The Tshisekedi government’s announcement that Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler’s Ventora Development would return control of its mining and oil assets to Democratic Republic of Congo puts assets back into play including the Albertine Graben blocks 1 and 2, managed by Gertler’s company Oil of DRCongo. But there are potential further complications from continued US sanctions against Gertler and over exactly what’s in the deal, writes François Misser.

Democratic Republic of Congo has the resources – if not yet the right governance framework – to help meet rising global demand for rare earth minerals. China has so far made much of the running with such resources, prompting economic and strategic concern in the US and Europe where DRC’s potential has not gone unnoticed, writes François Misser.

Cheered on by ANC advocates of state intervention led by energy minister Gwede Mantashe, the government looks set to purchase the 180,000 b/d South African Petroleum Refineries (Sapref) joint venture, to pre-empt a sale or closure of the ageing unit by its owners Shell and BP. How to finance and keep open the outmoded facilities in the South African rust belt will pose major challenges, writes Marc Howard.

Scatec has refinanced three solar PV projects from early rounds of South Africa’s renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme (REIPPP), sharing profits from the transaction 50/50 with the government to reduce tariffs.

Outspoken energy minister Gwede Mantashe has gone into bat for the oil and gas industry, in a bid to overcome challenges that have confronted explorers in the South African offshore, writes James Gavin.

Political and security conditions may be acutely difficult in the G5 Sahel countries, but a new era beckons for solar projects in the region, symbolised by AfDB approval of a plan to develop 500MW of PV capacity. Sector insiders believe that short-term problems such as rising risk premiums may be offset by the positive medium-to-long-term prospects for the rollout of solar PV across the Sahel, writes Marc Howard

For over two decades, onshore natural gas production at Gadiaga has quietly continued building its Senegalese domestic supply business, while more recent attention has focused on major offshores discoveries and the Macky Sall government’s gas-to-power ambitions. Operator Fortesa is seeking funding for expansion eastwards onto the Thiombane Dome, claiming a possible new 1tcf-plus in gas reserves, but is hampered by western reluctance to invest in hydrocarbon exploration, writes Marc Howard.

The collapse of the private majority owners of two distribution companies has highlighted persistent structural issues in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry stemming from 2013’s poorly implemented privatisation. Analysts argued that the collapse is indicative of the federal government and regulators’ continued failures to rectify longstanding issues, writes Marc Howard

The Maputo government is trying to attract more majors to its offshore acreage, just as industry giants TotalEnergies and Eni ready themselves for further development of their rival liquified natural gas projects in the politically unstable north, writes James Gavin

Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EgyptERA) is growing into the role envisaged for the power sector regulator in the landmark 2015 Electricity Law. The electricity industry regulator has been busy with the issuing and renewal of generation and distribution licences to private businesses, which are opening significant niches in Egypt’s huge energy market – chipping away at the huge role still played by state-owned enterprises gathered under the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) umbrella. EgyptERA has recently awarded a licence to private sector renewables developer Karm Solar to run a mini-grid supplying resorts and hotels in the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam. It has also renewed licences for Emac Utilities and Services’ diesel-fired scheme at Port Ghalib and for industrial park operator Al-Tajamouat Investment Egypt – Taqa Power’s Global Power Company subsidiary, which has industrial and tourism-related clients, and real estate developer Amer Group.

The deadline for financial close has been pushed back and the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme plants will not now be operational until March 2023, seven months later than previously planned, as questions mount about the rationale for what is meant to be a fast-track procurement programme, writes Dan Marks

London AIM-listed Savannah Energy raised $65m on 30 December through a share placing with institutional and other investors. Buyers included five of the company’s six directors, led by chief executive Andrew Knott, who subscribed to £2.2m ($3m)-worth of shares. The proceeds will be used alongside debt and other financing to fund the acquisition of upstream and midstream assets in Chad and Cameroon from ExxonMobil Corporation and Petronas E&P, announced earlier in the month.

Starsight, CrossBoundary, Daystar and Blue Camel are among a growing number of operators who are building a major corporate business as companies seek secure electricity supply, writes Marc Howard.

West and central Africa-focused independent PetroNor E&P’s chief executive Knut Søvold remains under investigation by the Norwegian economic crime agency, Økokrim, after being detained in a pre-Christmas swoop related to an ongoing case concerning corruption in African projects.