Ian Cloke, COO of Afentra – one of Africa’s leading oil and gas independents – will speak on upstream opportunities within Africa’s growth markets at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2024 in Paris, as the company seeks to optimize, redevelop and extend the lifespan of mature assets.

In Angola, Afentra is currently expanding its non-operated interests in Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A and recently gained approval for the acquisition of Block 23, focusing on high-quality, long-life shallow water production assets with significant upside. The London-listed company is working to maximize production and reserves, in partnership with operator and national oil company Sonangol, while reducing emissions and fostering synergies across its assets through an innovation-led approach.

IAE 2024 (https://apo-opa.co/3UMOOtQ)  is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 14-15, 2024 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

In Angola and across the continent, shallow water assets represent a strategic point of entry for junior and independent explorers, as IOCs prioritize more capital-intensive developments and divest smaller assets to finance these operations. As a result, Africa’s oil and gas industry has seen a new wave of independents leading exploration in mature markets, including Afentra in Angola, Perenco in the Republic of Congo, BW Energy and VAALCO Energy in Gabon, and Africa Oil Corp. and Panoro Energy in Equatorial Guinea, among others.

“Afentra is leading the redevelopment of legacy assets in Angola, aiming to transition to operatorship and ultimately establish a balanced, pan-African project portfolio. Africa’s mature oil and gas markets present substantial opportunities for investors to optimize production and generate low-risk returns through EOR techniques and innovative technologies,” says Sandra Jeque, Event&Project Director of Energy Capital&Power, forum organizers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

IDEMIA Smart Identity (www.IDEMIA.com) has renewed its commitment to Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) by implementing an upgrade of the entire biometric identification system, which will accommodate 250 million records. This project, supported by the World Bank through its ID4D initiative, will ensure that each citizen’s identity in the civil database remains unique.

On February 28, 2024, IDEMIA Smart Identity and NIMC agreed to renew their long-standing collaboration and upgrade NIMC’s biometric system to become the most advanced biometric system in the world, comparable only with Aadhaar in India. The powerful biometric matching system will be able to handle 1 million 1:1 and 1:N identity verification searches per day.

The initial system was designed to support 100 million records but has already reached around 90 million records and requires this extension to address the whole Nigerian population. In context, NIMC is already positioned to achieve the sustainable development goals target set for 2030 by the United Nations, which calls for a legal identity for all by the year 2030.*

In addition, the system upgrade is going to allow NIMC to be compliant with OSIA, an open standard set of interfaces (APIs) that enables seamless connectivity between all components of the identity management ecosystem.

“We are very proud to continue our long-standing collaboration with NIMC for the greater good of Nigeria’s growing population. The new powerful system is future-proof and will ensure that all Nigerians have access to a secured, trusted identity, enabling them to exercise their rights and responsibilities as a citizen. Moreover, this contract, in the most populous country in Africa, demonstrates IDEMIA’s capability to deploy its technologies on a very large scale,” explains Olivier Charlanes, Senior Vice President of Middle East and Africa at IDEMIA Smart Identity.

“Taking this next step in the enhancement of our system with IDEMIA Smart Identity was a natural choice for us. We wanted to ensure that we deliver the best-in-class solution to our fellow Nigerians, and the pure power of the biometric matching we will receive ensures that the solution is future-proof for our growing population,” explains Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, CEO, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and Chairman of the OSIA Advisory Committee.

*United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 16.9: “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of IDEMIA Smart Identity.

Press contacts:
Sandra Valerii
sandra.valerii@idemia.com
Press office
idemia@havas.com

About IDEMIA Group:
IDEMIA Group unlocks simpler and safer ways to pay, connect, access, identify, travel, and protect public places. With its long-standing expertise in biometrics and cryptography, IDEMIA develops technologies of excellence with an impactful, ethical, and socially responsible approach. Every day, IDEMIA secures billions of interactions in the physical and digital worlds. IDEMIA Group brings together three market-leading businesses that enable mission-critical solutions:

IDEMIA Secure Transactions is the leading technology provider who unlocks safer and easier ways to pay and connect.
IDEMIA Public Security is a leading global provider of biometric solutions that unlock convenient and secure travel, access, and protection.
IDEMIA Smart Identity leverages the power of cryptographic and biometric technologies to unlock a single trusted identity for all.

With a global team of nearly 15,000 employees, IDEMIA Group is trusted by over 600 governmental organizations and more than 2,400 enterprises in over 180 countries.

For more information, visit www.IDEMIA.com and follow @IDEMIAGroup on X.

Yesterday, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, concluded his trip to Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. During his trip, he reaffirmed Canada’s engagement in Africa, particularly in support of empowering women and girls, increasing green economic growth and ensuring a more prosperous world for all.  

In Benin, Minister Hussen, with Kouaro Yves Chabi, Minister of Secondary and Technical Education and Vocational Training, visited a vocational centre supported by My Training, My Job, My Future, a project implemented by Éducation Internationale [international education], a Canadian partner. At the centre, he met project beneficiaries and learned about the challenges of vocational training and socio-professional integration.  

Minister Hussen also visited the Canada-funded Centre for the Integrated Care of Victims of Gender-Based Violence, which is supported by UNICEF as part of its project Accelerating the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence Against Girls and Adolescent in Benin, and discussed the challenges of eliminating gender-based violence, a shared priority for Benin and Canada.

He concluded his visit to Benin by meeting Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance, Senior Minister also responsible for Cooperation, and Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on bilateral and multilateral trade and development issues. He also met with representatives of the UN, World Bank and African Development Bank to exchange views on key development issues and with representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) to discuss advancing human dignity, equality, and inclusion. Finally, Minister Hussen had meetings with Médessè Véronique Tognifode Mewanou, Minister of Social Affairs and Microfinance, and Benjamin Hounkpatin, Minister of Health, to discuss Benin’s key challenges and needs in these sectors.

In the DRC, Minister Hussen began in the capital Kinshasa, visiting the project Talents Pluriels [plural talents], a project implemented by Cuso International that demonstrates how Canada’s investments are supporting the DRC’s most vulnerable youths in improving their livelihoods through employment and entrepreneurship. He also met with women electoral candidates supported by Women’s Voice and Leadership, a project implemented by The Carter Center.  

He visited the Community Learning Centers for Women and Girls project, in the Kongo Central province, where he met young women and girls receiving literacy and vocational training. Susila Dharma Canada and Susila Dharma Congo are implementing this project.  

Minister Hussen also met with Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC, to discuss the security and humanitarian situation in the country. Finally, during meetings with Félix Tshisekedi, President of the DRC, and Christophe Lutundula Apala, the DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Hussen discussed opportunities for collaboration between Canada and the DRC.   

He concluded his trip in Kigali, Rwanda, where he attended the 30th commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi. He grieved for all the lives lost, reflected on the bravery of all those who risked their lives to save others during this dark time and found inspiration in the resilient spirit of those who have survived and persevered.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of Canada.

High Commissioner of Malaysia Rus Shazila Osman had fruitful discussions with the Minister of Public Enterprises of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Pravin Gordhan on 8 April 2024 on matters of mutual interest.

Also present were DENEL Group CEO, Mr. Tsepo Monaheng and Department of Public Enterprises Director General, Ms. Jacky Molisane. From the High Commission were Defence Advisor Col. Ishak Ujang and Minister Counsellor Yap Wei Sin.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia.