Southern Africa

Multiple wind turbines set against a sunset sky
Southern Africa

New Thinking On Africa’s Electricity Problems Demands Commitment And Faith

With African electricity supply industries in a state of flux, everyone agrees the infrastructure needed for economic development can only come from the private sector, but the existing financial and commercial models are inadequate – and a desperate need for investment in transmission only makes this financing challenge harder. Some new thinking about how to […]
Southern Africa

Relyez And Veers Group Announce Strategic Joint Venture To Address South Africa’s Energy Challenges

[Shenzhen & Cape Town & Barcelona, 26 June 2024] – RelyEZ, a Bloomberg Tier 1 provider of innovative energy storage solutions, and Veers Group, a pioneer in South Africa’s renewable energy sector, are proud to announce at the African Energy Forum 2024 the formation of a strategic joint venture to address the pressing energy challenges […]
Southern Africa

Power Pools: A Possible Solution To Africa’s Power Conundrum

In the realm of energy infrastructure, Africa stands at a pivotal juncture. The continent, with its ever-expanding population and growing economy, faces a pressing need for reliable and sustainable energy sources. To give a deeper understanding of the present condition of utilities in Africa, as of 2022, an estimated 600 million people, or about 43% […]
Southern Africa

Stepping on the gas

Once the preserve of giant producers, natural gas developments are now emerging across the continent – and playing a role in shoring up global energy security, reports James Gavin "Africa must have natural gas to complement its renewable energy,” African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina said on the sidelines of a UN conference earlier this […]
Southern Africa

Droughts Raise Doubts over Hydro’s Future Role in Africa

Uncertainties surround the outlook for hydropower in Africa, but new projects of varying sizes continue to gain access to financing across the continent, reports Ben Payton In Zambia and Zimbabwe, electricity has become a precious commodity over the past few months. The two countries have been enduring severe power cuts since late last year. In […]
Southern Africa

Access To Reliable And Affordable Off-Grid Energy To Be Transformed Across Benin Under New Eib – Engie Energy Access Initiative

Households, smallholders and entrepreneurs in remote locations across Benin will be able to access reliable and cheap electricity for the first time under a new off-grid solar scheme agreed between leading solar energy company ENGIE Energy Access and the European Investment Bank, one of the world’s largest financiers of renewable energy.   The European Investment […]
Southern Africa

Financing Challenges and Opportunities in Africa

Lion’s Head Global Partners Managing Director James Doree speaks to Bill Lumley about progress in funding Africa’s energy transition. How do Lion’s Head funds play a role in Africa’s energy transition? It comes down partly to what we mean by energy transition. Our funds all have the ethos of targeting an issue and being able […]
Southern Africa

Going Private

IPPs across Africa are growing in size and scale, thanks to their ability to attract a more diverse array of financing. James Gavin reports. Over time, independent power projects (IPPs) have emerged as Africa’s fastest growing energy sector structures, spreading in popularity across borders and meeting with a surfeit of investment as private sector backers […]
Southern Africa

Expand And Diversify: Aiim Invests In Starsight’s Distributed Generation Solutions

AFRICAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT MANAGERS (AIIM) DEVELOPS AND MANAGES PRIVATE EQUITY INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS DESIGNED TO INVEST LONGTERM INSTITUTIONAL UNLISTED EQUITY IN AFRICAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. Interview with Damilola Agbaje – AIIM Investment Director. AIIM actively manages investments in East, West and Southern Africa and has equity under management of USD 2.0 billion with a track record extending […]
Southern Africa

Africa’s Energy Transition — Aspirations Versus Reality

AFRICA FACES A PARALLEL IMPERATIVE OF PROVIDING ELECTRICITY ACCESS TO MILLIONS OF CITIZENS CURRENTLY DEPRIVED OF IT, AND ALSO TO ALIGN WITH THE GLOBAL TRANSITION TO A NET ZERO FUTURE – AN ARTICLE BY PATRICIA TILLER, PARTNER AT HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH Africa is home to one-sixth of the global population, yet the continent accounts for […]
Southern Africa

MCB Ltd supported Infinity Renewable Energy BV’s acquisition financing for Lekela Power

(24 March 2023) The Mauritius Commercial Bank Limited (“MCB”) is pleased to announce that it has acted as joint Mandated Lead Arranger (MLA) in relation to an initial senior loan facility to support Infinity Power on its acquisition of Lekela Power. Infinity Power is a joint venture between Egypt’s Infinity and UAE’s Masdar. The transaction […]

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