African markets and business updates

A senior Eritrean delegation comprising Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, Head of Economic Affairs, and Mr. Nesredin Mohammed Saleh, Minister of Trade and Industry, held talks today, 1 October, in Cairo with Dr. Badr Abdellaty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Expatriates, and Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Transport. During the meeting with Dr. Badr Abdellaty, the two sides reviewed progress in implementing the agreement previously reached and discussed the next steps, areas of bilateral cooperation, and regional matters of mutual interest.…

For decades, “frontier basin” has been synonymous with uncertainty. Investors have typically associated frontier exploration with limited geological data, unclear regulatory frameworks, speculative acreage allocation and elevated commercial risk. That perception no long accurately reflects Liberia. The country’s offshore sector is entering a fundamentally different phase. Risk has not disappeared – no frontier basin is without it – but it has become increasingly identifiable, measurable and manageable.…

As Botswana celebrates her 60 years independence on Wednesday, Lesotho gears for her own golden Jubilee independance as well on Sunday. The two sister countries are set to be marking decades of peace, stability and governance after gaining freedom from the British Colonial rule that is September 30, 1966 for Botswana and October 4, 1966 for the Mountain Kingdom respectively. In an interview with the Agency on Wednesday, the Coordinator of Lesotho at 60 under the Ministry of Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture, Mrs. ‘Mabasia Shano explained the committee is fully aware of the aforementioned scenarios between two sister countries sharing a lot in common including independence month and year.…

Liberia is entering a new phase of offshore exploration as international companies advance seismic and geological programs while the government strengthens the infrastructure and institutions needed to support a growing petroleum sector. Activity is accelerating in the Harper Basin, while port modernization, petroleum storage and regulatory capacity are developing in parallel. TotalEnergies and BluEnergies are already advancing a technical work program across Blocks LB-26, LB-30 and LB-31 in the Harper Basin. Announced in July 6, the program includes seismic reprocessing, seabed surveys and geochemical work aimed at identifying drillable prospects and potential drilling locations.…

As part of her virtual Mentorship and Leadership Platform, “Beyond Power; Leadership, Global Influence and Impact,” Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation ( ) , has published a new leadership article titled “Leadership Beyond the Obvious: Universal Rights Need Local Understanding.” Through the article, Dr. Kelej reflects on why universal principles must be translated into action that responds to local realities, priorities, cultural contexts and the needs of the communities being served. To read the full article and access the platform, visit: Speaking about the article, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.)…

Liberia will launch its 2026 offshore direct negotiation licensing round in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) using a Houston investor event to outline acreage opportunities, regulatory terms and data supporting the next exploration cycle. The strategy was presented in Houston during Liberia Investor Day, organized in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, where LPRA Director General Marilyn Logan outlined the authority’s mandate, licensing framework and approach to attracting companies with different levels of tactical readiness.…

The Western Cape Government has invested over R30 million into a shared sports facility at Lentegeur Senior Secondary School and Cornflower Primary School in Mitchells Plain. Learners from 68 other schools in the area now have access to two rugby fields, a cricket oval with three pitches and three practice cricket nets, a clubhouse, and an artificial surface for rugby, football and hockey. The Western Cape School Sport Strategy commits R130 million over three years, with 624 no-fee and low-fee schools set to receive sport equipment.…

The refinery in Lamu County is expected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day from its planned completion in 40 months.

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) ( www.Afreximbank.com ) congratulates the Government and people of the Republic of Kenya, led by H.E. President Dr William Samoei Ruto, on the groundbreaking of the Dangote oil refinery in Lamu. The landmark investment has the potential to significantly expand Africa’s refining capacity, strengthen regional energy security and accelerate the continent’s transition from exporting raw materials to trading value-added products. The approximately US$16 billion refinery is planned to have capacity to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and is expected to create approximately 60,000 jobs.…

Africa's Green Economy Summit (AGES) has launched the preview brochure for its 5th edition, taking place in Cape Town from 23 to 26 February 2027. The City of Cape Town has been confirmed as host city once again, continuing a partnership that has anchored AGES in the city since its earlier editions. The launch comes as the world turns its attention to COP31, the UN Climate Change Conference. AGES is positioned to carry that global momentum forward, turning the commitments and conversations of COP31 into the partnerships and financing decisions that deliver Africa's sustainable development on the ground.…