The recent decision by the Democratic Republic of Congo to immediately ban exports of copper and cobalt concentrates signed off by H.E Louis Kabamba Watum, Minister of Mines of the DRC and Vice Chairperson of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group Ministerial Steering Committee, sends an unmistakable shock-wave through global commodity markets. With London Metal Exchange benchmark copper prices surging in response, Kinshasa’s aggressive push to force domestic processing highlights a continent-wide awakening: African nations are no longer willing to serve merely as raw quarry for the global energy transition. Yet, sovereign export bans and fragmented national policies, standing alone, risk creating…
Author: Tiwalade Ojo
Shell has agreed to sell its European onshore renewables business to TotalEnergies, marking another significant step in the British energy major’s strategic reallocation of capital towards businesses where it believes it holds stronger competitive advantages. The transaction transfers a portfolio spanning operational renewable assets and a substantial development pipeline across four European markets, while reinforcing TotalEnergies’ ambitions to become one of Europe’s leading integrated electricity companies. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and completion remains subject to regulatory approvals. Portfolio Realignment Reflects Diverging Energy Transition Strategies The agreement covers Shell’s European onshore renewables portfolio across Italy, the…
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) participated in the Africa Infrastructure & Energy Conference (AIEC), hosted by Financial Markets Indaba, where the Bank showcased its innovative blended finance approach to mobilising private capital and accelerating the delivery of strategic infrastructure projects across Africa. Representing Afreximbank, Victor Mashoko, Head of Trade Finance and Correspondent Banking, presented the Bank’s blended finance framework, demonstrating how the strategic combination of concessional, development and commercial capital can transform infrastructure concepts into bankable, investment-ready projects. His presentation emphasised that Africa’s infrastructure challenge is not a lack of investment opportunities or available capital, but rather the need to mobilise…
Africa could face economic losses of between $10 billion and $20 billion if an anticipated “super” El Niño develops as forecast, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB), raising fresh concerns over food security, infrastructure resilience and macroeconomic stability across the continent. The warning comes as climate scientists project one of the strongest El Niño events on record, with the potential to trigger widespread droughts, flooding and severe storms across multiple African regions. AfDB Flags Growing Economic and Humanitarian Risks Anthony Nyong, the AfDB’s Director for Climate Change and Green Growth, said the climate phenomenon could reduce GDP by 1%…
The 2026 TIME Earth Awards, positioned as a recognition of individuals driving measurable environmental progress, offer more than symbolic acknowledgement. They reflect a broader recalibration in how global climate leadership is assessed; shifting from advocacy and pledges to implementation, scalability, and systems impact. Among this year’s honourees is Damilola Ogunbiyi, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General. Her inclusion underscores the growing centrality of energy access and transition infrastructure within the global climate agenda. For African stakeholders, the recognition carries particular weight. It situates the continent not as a passive recipient of…
South Africa has brought a 240 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant online to supply electricity to major mining operations, marking a significant step in aligning the country’s resource sector with energy transition objectives. The project, located in the Northern Cape, is designed to deliver renewable power to mining companies through grid-based wheeling arrangements — an emerging model reshaping energy procurement across Africa’s extractive industries. Core Details The solar facility — the Mooi Plaats solar park — has a capacity of 240 MW (AC) / 283 MW (DC) and is currently the largest single-site solar installation in South Africa. Developed by…
Lagos, March 2026 — Nigeria has suspended the issuance of gasoline import licences for a second consecutive month, signalling a deliberate policy shift toward prioritising domestic refining capacity as the country recalibrates its downstream petroleum market. The move aligns with provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which stipulate that fuel imports should only occur when local production is insufficient to meet national demand. The policy marks a structural inflection point for Africa’s largest oil producer, where decades of dependence on imported refined fuels are now being reassessed in light of newly operational domestic refining capacity. Regulatory Enforcement and Market…
LAGOS — February 26, 2026 — A specialised delegation from Germany’s state of Rhineland-Palatinate has commenced a mission in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, to explore industrial cooperation and renewable energy partnerships, marking what officials described as the first formal outreach of its kind by the German subnational entity. The visit reflects the growing strategic interest of German industrial and energy actors in West Africa’s largest economy. It also complements broader bilateral engagement frameworks between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly in energy transition and infrastructure cooperation. Delegation Objectives and Strategic Relevance Led by Dr.Joe…
Abidjan / Brazzaville, February 2026 — The African Development Bank (AfDB) has extended a €10 million trade finance guarantee to Ecobank Congo, strengthening the Republic of Congo’s capacity to participate in international trade and improve access to critical foreign exchange liquidity. The guarantee (part of the AfDB’s broader Trade Finance Programme (TFP)) aims to unlock capital for Congolese importers and exporters, mitigate payment risks, and bolster private sector resilience amid complex macroeconomic conditions. Strengthening Trade Finance and Market Access The €10 million guarantee provides Ecobank Congo with risk backing that enhances its ability to issue letters of credit, supply chain…
Geneva / Abuja, February 2026 — The World Trade Organization (WTO) is at a strategic crossroads as its Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, urged member states to engage in substantive discussions about reforming the institution’s foundational framework, including the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rule, ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference scheduled for March in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The MFN principle — which obliges WTO members to extend any tariff advantage granted to one trading partner to all others, is a cornerstone of multilateral trade governance. But a combination of rising protectionist measures, differentiated trade agreements, and geopolitical tensions has diminished its centrality,…