Africa Energy Forum Post Forum Report 2026

Vincenzia Leitich is Executive Vice President for Power and Renewables, Client Coverage at Standard Bank. Across two episodes of the Let's Talk Energy Podcast she told ENN how open access has turned mining into an anchor customer for African renewables, and why transmission rather than capital is now the binding constraint.

New pledges of $900 million were announced on 9 July at a virtual meeting of the co-chairs, after the Nairobi summit was postponed. A new programme responds to Strait of Hormuz disruption that the IEA says affected 30 per cent of globally traded LPG.

President Cyril Ramaphosa officiates at Bethal in Mpumalanga today as the first 155MW phase of Ummbila Emoyeni begins commercial supply. Standard Bank and RMB financed the R4.8 billion phase, the opening stage of a build planned to pass 900MW across seven phases.

Freetown launched a five-year plan in May covering lithium, graphite, cobalt and rare earths, as mineral exports climbed to $1.3 billion. Julius Daniel Mattai, who chairs the African Diamond Producers Association this year, wants African governments negotiating as a bloc rather than one at a time.

Exxaro will add a 100MW battery and a second phase at Lephalale, as Cennergi targets almost 1,000MW of renewables by the end of 2027 and 1,600MW by 2030.

Madagascar’s Ministry of Mines has formalised the exploitation permit for Harena Rare Earths’ Ampasindava project, an ionic clay deposit the London-listed company plans to bring into production in 2028 at about 4,000 tonnes of rare earth oxides a year, with up to $4.84m from the US DFC behind its pilot.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery reported a net profit of $4.73bn on revenue of $22.48bn for the nine months to September, against a loss a year earlier. Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission has approved extending its share offer, which seeks about $1.6bn, to 27 October.

Ethiopia has inaugurated a National Precious Metals Refinery with capacity for more than 600 tonnes a year, owned 51% by the state through Ethiopian Investment Holdings. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says the aim is to replace raw exports in a country where gold earned about half of last year’s export revenue.