Tuesday, November 28

Opinion

African Oil & Gas
  • The Russian invasion of Ukraine has proved highly disruptive to world energy markets.
  • There is still a distance between Africa and the rest of the world in terms of what the continent can do to establish closer ties to energy markets in Europe and elsewhere.
  • Now is the time to offer tax incentives, fast-track projects, show more transparency in processes, and do everything possible to minimize investor risk.

It’s undeniable that the Russian invasion of Ukraine proved highly disruptive to world energy markets. This geopolitical clash led to the imposition of Western sanctions on the export of Russian oil and fuel and the imposition of a price cap on Russian crude by the G7 group.

It also led to the redirection of world oil trade flows. Asian countries such as China and India, for example, began absorbing considerably more Russian oil and fuel than they had done previously, and many …

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Africa climate
  • The promises made to uplift Africa and its people have failed to provide equitable justice. The trend continues.
  • While Africa can play a pivotal role in the global fight against climate change, it should not come at the cost of its own economic development.
  • Every climate finance dollar flowing into the continent must find its way into sustainable measures of mitigation and adaptation.

At Africa Climate Week, the resounding call of a child echoed through the packed hall, stating, “We will hold you to your promises.” This declaration not only reflected the sentiment of the child but also resonated with the aspirations of the entire continent.

As civilisation thrived, the continent went from being the cradle of civilization to the dump yard of urbanization. The promises made to uplift Africa and its people have failed to provide equitable justice. The trend continues.

Africa Climate Summit 2023

The promises made to …

African oil and gas industry | global energy transition

Africa’s oil and gas industry looks flat in the final quarter of 2023. That is, as AEC details in its newly released 2024 African Energy Outlook, capital expenditure (CAPEX) on upstream projects is still rising, but it is on a relatively slow upward trajectory — and it is moving up more slowly than we had predicted last year because of changes in the timeline of certain African upstream projects.…

Single Window System
  • A single window system allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill their needs.
  • It centralizes all information and procedures related to the import, export, and transit of goods in a country.
  • The single windows concept is transferable to various typologies, from Maritime Single to Port Community systems, Trade Single Window, and National Single Window applications.

Trade in Africa has become a widely discussed topic, plagued by infrastructural, innovation, and technical challenges. These issues have hindered the process, affecting economic growth, impeding intra-country business, and slowing the development of regional economic corridors.

It is evident that a sustainable trade environment is essential to enhance trade, which currently lags behind international standards.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) came into effect in May 2019, holding the promise of transformation for the continent. It aims to foster and …

African Energy Industry
  • Behind every discovery in the African energy industry, final investment decision (FID), and first oil announcement in our continent are companies of all sizes.
  • Collectively, these companies are validating the long-held assertion by the Africa Energy Chamber (AEC) that the African continent represents the next frontier for energy exploration and production.
  • Where international corporate divestment from Africa’s oil industry is occurring, smaller players are taking up the slack.

Behind every discovery, final investment decision (FID), and first oil announcement in our continent are companies of all sizes, advancing our energy industry and bringing Africans closer to realizing the energy security and prosperity their petroleum resources represent.

Collectively, these companies are validating the long-held assertion by the Africa Energy Chamber (AEC) that the African continent represents the next frontier for energy exploration and production.

Despite concerns over corporate divestment from the African oil and gas sector in recent years — moves …

Intra-African Trade
  • As AfCFTA becomes a part of the daily business environment, governments and businesses need to know how product standards and regulations protect traders and the society.
  • Governments need to create an enabling environment for investors, which becomes more attractive to foreign direct investment if harmonization of standards exists.
  • Other trading blocs such as the European Union are strong because they collaborate on standards and compliance regulations.

The African continent presents huge potential for growth, and the recently introduced African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement promises to underpin trade facilitation and economic expansion, becoming the largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organization in 1995.

The longest journey starts with a single step. Governments, public bodies, private institutions, and investors are engaging in conversations with a pointed focus on compliance standards, verification of conformities, and regulatory alignment to encourage safe import and export.

Africa’s current population …

African Risk

Yield-chasing investors have poured money into Africa, but an emerging, recent challenge for the continent is that in a now higher interest rate environment, investors don’t need to come to Africa to find higher returns.

Even US treasuries are now yielding far more attractive yields than just a month ago: three-month government bonds offer 5.32 per cent, while 2-year bonds offer a yield above five per cent. Yields have risen in part in response to Fitch’s recent downgrade of the US from AAA to AA+, echoing S&P’s move in 2011.
African bond issuers, spooked by the high-interest rate environment and refusing to issue bonds above the psychological barrier of double-digit yields for Sub-Saharan African bonds, continue to wait it out on the sidelines.…

Leadership
  • A good leader must lead by example and practice what they preach, this demonstrates integrity, it builds trust and respect.
  • Leaders must demand excellence: Only by going the extra mile and pushing ourselves, will we truly develop and standout.
  • Leaders recognise the talent in their team and then push to unlock the talent. 

People often ask me, Anthony Onyemaechi Elumelu (TOE) how do I learn leadership. Should I go on a course? Buy a book? Get a mentor? Are leaders born, or can you become a leader?

Just as I say about business success, leadership has many components – luck, being in the right place at the right time. But I also believe that those talents and those disciplines that you bring, creating a vision and the resilience and focus that delivers that vision, can also forge your own personal leadership.

I was fortunate to work with Chief Ebitimi Banigo, …

South Africa poultry sector

South Africa’s poultry sector is currently undergoing serious challenges. The ongoing load shedding and power disruptions have put tremendous pressure and additional costs on the industry, which makes producing poultry products extremely expensive. One company (Astral Foods) has spent an additional $47.56 million (R919 million) due to load shedding alone. This has had a significant impact on the profitability and sustainability of the company. To make matters worse – South Africa’s poultry sector has been hit with a significant avian influenza epidemic.…