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COUNTRY REPORT DATA SECURITY ENVIRONMENT MATERIALS HANDLING A multi-sector overview of the Safeguarding for mobile Taking a pan-African approach How automation technology is Nigerian economy P19 communications P25 to waste management P28 transforming operations P40
JULY 2020 African Review of Business and Technology
THE ROAD AHEAD P34
Ambitious road and bridge projects across Africa, plus the latest truck innovations
P44
July 2020 GENSET REVIEW Power solutions to keep vital projects moving Volume 56 Number 06
22 www.africanreview.com Image Credit: UNCTAD Image Credit:
YEARS Abduhamid Abu, general manager, 56 trade finance, International Islamic SERVING BUSINESS IN Trade Finance Corporation AFRICA SINCE 1964 S01 ATR July 2020 Start_ATR - New Master Template 2016 25/06/2020 07:08 Page 2 S01 ATR July 2020 Start_ATR - New Master Template 2016 02/07/2020 14:00 Page 3
Editor’s Note
trong transport infrastructure is the lifeblood of economies. For Africa, it means goods and people Scan move easily within countries and across borders and, as intra-continental trade becomes less bureaucratic, roads, bridges and the right vehicles will all play important roles. In this issue, as African countries simultaneously fight the COVID-19 pandemic, move towards more free trade and plan for economic recovery after a rocky first half of 2020, we look at some of the major road (page 34) and bridge (page 36) projects which are already making a difference. On page 38, we continue our focus on transport with an overview of new heavy vehicle technology which promises to make road transport cleaner and more efficient, as well as great things that are already happening in Africa, such as an innovative truck solution being used in Ghana and vibrant truck Cover picture: Adobe Stock manufacturing in Nigeria.
With Africa emerging from the pandemic with relatively lower COVID-19 caseloads, it is worth turning to page 18 for the wise words of four powerful African women, Graça Machel, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Editor: Samantha Payne Dr Vera Songwe and Maria Ramos. Their message is clear – now is the time to work towards more equal Email: [email protected] societies across Africa because of the great economic and social benefits this can bring. Editorial and Design team: Mariam Ahmad, Prashanth AP, Fyna Ashwath Miriam Brtkova, Praveen CP, Manojkumar K, Nonalynka Nongrum Abhishek Paul, Rahul Puthenveedu, Deblina Roy and Louise Waters Samantha Payne, Editor Managing editor: Georgia Lewis Contributing editor: Martin Clark Publisher: Nick Fordham Sales Manager: Richard Rozelaar Email: [email protected] Magazine Manager: Serenella Ferraro Tel: +44 207 834 7676 Fax: +44 207 973 0076 Email: [email protected] Contents India TANMAY MISHRA Tel: +91 98800 75908 Email: [email protected] P19 News Nigeria BOLA OLOWO 4 Updates from all corners of the continent, as well as Tel: +234 80 34349299 quotes from African leaders in the public and private Email: [email protected] sector, a round-up of the best content from the African UAE MURSHID MUSTAFA Review website and commentary from four African women Tel: +971 4 448 9260 Fax: +971 4 448 9261 Email: [email protected] who are leaders in their fields. UK RICHARD ROZELAAR Tel: +44 20 7834 7676 Fax: +44 20 7973 0076 Country report Email: [email protected] 19 An update on multiple sectors across Nigeria and how the USA MICHAEL TOMASHEFSKY country plans to bounce back from the pandemic. Tel: +1 203 226 2882 Fax: +1 203 226 7447
Email: [email protected] P25 Head Office: Alain Charles Publishing Ltd, University House, Investment 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX, United Kingdom 22 An exclusive interview with Abduhamid Abu, general Tel: +44 (0)20 7834 7676, Fax: +44 (0)20 7973 0076 manager, trade finance department, IFTC on Islamic Middle East Regional Office: Alain Charles Middle East FZ-LLC, finance funding for a range of projects. Office L2-112, Loft Office 2, Entrance B, PO Box 502207, Dubai Media City, UAE, Tel: +971 4 448 9260, Fax: +971 4 448 9261 Information technology and communications Production: Srinidhi Chikkars, Swati Gupta, Nelly Mendes and Arjun S 24 News from the IT and communications sector, plus data E-mail: [email protected] security for mobile technology and satellite innovations. Chairman: Derek Fordham Printed by: Buxton Press Water and waste management P36 Printed in: JUNE 2020 27 News and an update on pan-African waste management. ISSN: 0954 6782 Construction, road-building and transport SUBSCRIPTIONS: 30 Construction, transport and logistics news, plus special Rates for one year (11 issues): reports on important road- and bridge-building projects Europe €107, Kenya KSh3400, Nigeria N6600, South Africa R460, and the latest heavy vehicle technology, a logistics webinar United Kingdom £77, US$140 and materials handling advances. To subscribe: visit www.africanreview.com/subscribe For any other enquiry email [email protected] Power 42 Three pages of power industry news from across Africa and P38 a special review of gensets.
Mining 46 Mining industry news, latest products and solutions. Serving the world of business Energy case study 50 An ambitious project which is bringing electricity to thousands of businesses and homes in South Sudan. S02 ATR July 2020 News01_ATR - New Master Template 2016 25/06/2020 07:41 Page 4
NEWS | NORTH
Africa50 boosts Egypt’s solar power sector SUDAN JOINS “BETTER Africa50, an independent infrastructure fund THAN CASH ALLIANCE” focused on high-impact projects mostly in the energy and transport sectors, has invested in Egypt’s Sudan has joined the United Nations-based 37sq km US$4bn Benban photovoltaic solar park, “Better Than Cash Alliance” and announced which will be the largest in the world upon commitment to accelerate digital payments. completion. Moving from cash to responsible digital Image Credit: World Bank/Flickr World Image Credit: The Benban project will help Egypt to reach its payments is central to the government’s target of generating 20 per cent of its power from economic recovery and reform strategy. renewable sources by 2022, putting Egypt on the In particular, digital payments will be map as a major solar player in Africa. critical to the success of the Sudan Family Africa50, which was established by the African Support Program, which will provide Development Bank, is one of the largest monthly direct digital transfers to around contributors to the Benban park. In 2017, it joined World Bank Group president David Malpass tours the 80 per cent of Sudanese families. The investors Norfund and Scatec Solar to reach Benban Solar Park with representatives from TAQA Program seeks to spur economic growth, Arabia. financial close for six of the 32 utility scale solar reduce poverty, and improve food security power plants in the complex, totalling 390MW. With a 25 per cent stake, the investment platform and health throughout the country. contributed equity to fund construction, alongside Scatec Solar and Norfund, which helped leverage “Digital payments will improve financial total funding of around US$450mn from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development inclusion and transparency throughout (EBRD) and other funding agencies. Sudan’s vast territory, especially in conflict- “Benban is a good example of how we use early stage project development expertise and financing affected regions, help stem corruption, and to rapidly bring projects to financial close and then add equity to encourage broader financing,” said build a more direct link between citizens and Alain Ebobissé, Africa50 CEO.“Benban is also the first of our dozen active projects to become fully the state,” said Dr Ibrahim Elbadawi, operational and is now delivering clean energy to Egyptian people and businesses.” Minister of finance and economic planning. The plants are supported by 25-year power purchase agreements with the Egyptian Electricity “This digital transition will ensure equitable Transmission Company (EETC) under Egypt’s feed-in tariff programme. Access roads and access to resources and government services, interconnection facilities were funded collectively by the Benban project developers under a cost- and revitalise the private sector, which are sharing agreement with EETC and the New and Renewable Energy Agency. central to our efforts to achieve a just and Africa50’s six plants alone created around 1,000 construction jobs. In 2019, when the plants were lasting peace and revive the national operational, they started producing about 870 GW hours of power annually, providing clean energy for economy,” Dr Elbadawi added. more than 400,000 households and avoiding 350,000 tons of CO2 emissions. The move is in line with the Government The consortium is also pioneering the use of bifacial solar modules, capturing the sun from both of Sudan’s intention to establish the multi- sides of the panel to increase generation. ministerial Digital Transformation Agency, which will spearhead the modernisation of government services, including the Family Support Program. ALGERIA IMPROVES INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT “Over 30mn Sudanese men and women Algeria has abandoned the rule limiting foreign investment in an Algerian entity to 49 per cent, and will benefit from getting government put in place several incentive measures in the 2020 Additional Finance Act, aimed at boosting foreign assistance in a speedy, safe and transparent investments in the country. way, giving them new economic Foreign investors are now able to set up a 100 per cent foreign owned company in Algeria, except in opportunities. We celebrate the Government “purchase and resale activities” and five strategic sectors, where the 49 /51 per cent rule will continue to of Sudan’s membership to our Alliance apply. The five sectors are mining; upstream energy; military; railways, ports and airports; and the as a clear statement about their commitment pharmaceutical industry, although some uncertainties surround the regulations. to building a dynamic economy that Algeria is also offering incentives such as a two year exemption from customs duties and VAT on the will work for everyone,” said Dr Ruth import and purchase of certain components and raw materials, and tax exemptions for start-ups. Goodwin-Groen, managing director of the The 49/51 per cent rule was introduced in 2009, and resulted in a drastic decline in foreign investment. Better Than Cash Alliance.
BRIEFS
Algeria looks to solar power Moroccan business support
Algeria plans to build several photovoltaic solar Morocco’s Credit Agricole bank has announced plants with a total production capacity of 4,000 the launch of a special mechanism to support MW, at an estimated cost of US$3.2-3.6bn Morocco’s economy post-COVID-19. by assisting to meet growing domestic demand for electricity enterprises to resume or successfully continue Image Credit: Activ Solar/Flickr Image Credit:
and free up gas for export, the government has Bank/Flickr World Image Credit: their activities. It includes loans to finance working announced. Algeria has started talks with the capital needs of firms with a turnover of more than Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII) to launch solar MAD 10mn (US$1mn) and credit for small power projects. Gas is currently used to generate businesses and traders, craftsmen, cooperatives, 98 per cent of total electricity output, with solar and liberal professionals whose revenues do not Solar generates only two per cent The support includes credit for of total electricity. accounting for the remaining two per cent. small businesses. exceed MAD 10mn (US$1mn).
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NEWS | EAST
Kenyan companies get behind sanitation SOMALIA ACCELERATING project to fight COVID-19 ITS NATIONAL An alliance of Kenyan companies and DEVELOPMENT AGENDA community organisations have joined forces to roll out an extensive sanitation programme In early 2020, Somalia, with support from aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 the United Kingdom government and the
across the country. Safe Hands Image Credit: European Union, settled its arrears to the Over the past two months, 1.25mn people African Development Bank (AfDB), paving have been reached months in Nairobi and the way for the lifting of 30-year old the alliance reached 2mn people by the end sanctions imposed by the bank and the of June with the Safe Hands programme. The resumption of full engagement with the emphasis is on using products from Kenyan fragile East African country. comapnies with 87 tonnes of locally produced A US$122.55mn grant agreement signed in soap and 1,500 locally manufactured March, between the AfDB’s vice-president for handwashing stations rolled out in two regional development, integration and months, while 500,000 locally manufactured business delivery Khaled Sherif and Somali masks are being distributed. The programme The Safe Hands project is reaching millions of Kenyans and finance minister Abdirahman Beileh, marked it has the backing of multiple businesses. has acted as a catalyst for job creation and a milestone on a tough but necessary process training, as well as proving to be a boost to a range of Kenyan businesses. of rehabilitation which began in 2014. Safe Hands Kenya is composed of more than 30 private sector and community actors with strong The shift to a new and more hopeful established networks, credibility and trust within the target communities. Founding coalition members phase in which Somalia, with assistance from Dalberg and KOKO Networks have been instrumental in catalysing and driving Safe Hands Kenya the AfDB and other development partners, activities, donating substantial time and resources to launching the effort. can accelerate its national development Andrew Waititu, CEO of Safe Hands Kenya commented, “The actions up and down the Safe Hands agenda of consolidating peace, fighting Kenya supply chain are spurring economic activity and acting as a vital stimulus for Kenyan families poverty and ensuring inclusive growth “is a working within local manufacturing and supply chains. The Dandora public spaces disinfectant new beginning” for the country. campaign has created 300 temporary jobs, the Mega Apparel factory is engaging 140 people to make The reforms, driven by IMF Staff masks and we have engaged local artisans and tradespeople to assist in the manufacture of Monitored Programmes (SMPs), restored the handwashing stations. It is critical to keep as many people in work as possible and to enable skills confidence of international finance development and training.” institutions and led the UK and the EU to provide the funding to support the clearance of Somalia’s loan arrears to the bank group. Although Somalia had been under the GE COMPLETES WORK ON KIPETO WIND POWER bank’s sanctions since 1990 when the PROJECT IN SOUTH-WESTERN KENYA government of Siad Barre fell, the institution continued to provide technical and GE has announced the completion of the construction activities of Kipeto wind farm project, located in governance support to the country through Kajiado county in south-western Kenya. the African Development Fund, Transition The Kipeto wind farm aims to have a capacity of 100MW and will be the second largest of its kind in Support Facility, and other special funds Kenya after the Turkana Wind Power project. including Special Relief Funds, Africa Legal For this project, GE Renewable Energy supplied and installed 60 wind turbines. The contract, signed in Support Facility Green Environment Fund, 2019, provided for a 220 kV high-voltage line for the transportation of electricity from the project site to the African Water Facility, RWSSI and the Multi- Isinya substation in Kajiado county. Partner Somalia Infrastructure Fund. As per a 20 year power purchase agreement signed in 2015, the produced electricity at the Kipeto wind Somalia benefitted from the bank’s drought- farm will be sold to the Kenya Power (KPLC) and is expected to provide clean energy access to around related assistance channelled through the 40,000 Kenyan households. Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
BRIEFS
New World Bank financing to boost Djibouti's UIA predicts investment decline in Uganda inclusive economic growth The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) has The World Bank has approved two projects forecast a decline in foreign direct investment worth US$25mn to help Djibouti achieve (FDI) and domestic direct investment (DDI). inclusive economic growth. The project has The decline has been predicted in sectors such been set up to support the Djibouti government as tourism, transportation and construction, to fill data gaps, improve the quality of crucial mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic scenario. statistical products and processes and According to the UIA, the investment is projected contribute to boosting the capacity and to decrease in 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial The financing will be
Image Credit: Reidar Johannessen/Adobe Stock Reidar Johannessen/Adobe Image Credit: years. A rebound can be observed in 2021/22 Image Credit: Hiren Ranpara/Adobe Stock Ranpara/Adobe Hiren Image Credit: helpful to measure progress infrastructure of the National Institute of A rebound can be observed in in growing economy. Statistics of Djibouti (INSD). 2021/22 financial year. financial year.
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EAST | NEWS
Private sector enhances energy and healthcare in rural Ethiopia Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
The private sector has an increased role to play in developing rural Ethiopia.
InfraCo Africa, with funding from the Private Infrastructure Development Group Technical Assistance (PIDG TA), is upgrading medical facilities near the company’s Corbetti Geothermal project site in rural Ethiopia to enhance preparedness for managing COVID-19 and for meeting the area’s longterm healthcare challenges. Working with the team at Corbetti Geothermal in Addis Ababa and Awassa, the funding will support the training of local people to provide public health and awareness training in communities near the project site. The funding will enable the installation of solar PV systems with battery back-up to provide light and power to clinics in Corbetti village and Shala district. Once power is installed, the initiative will supply medical refrigeration equipment to keep vaccines and other medicines cool. The Corbetti Geothermal project continues to explore options to address the quality and availability of water in the area in the mid to longer term, and indeed to support local communities in developing healthcare, education and transportation solutions. Cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia have, to date, been limited and largely confined to urban areas; providing an opportunity to upgrade medical facilities in rural areas. InfraCo Africa’s CEO, Gilles Vaes said, “Working with PIDG TA, we are pleased to be able to support the efforts of our local colleagues and communities to prepare for the challenge of COVID-19 and to deliver initiatives in and around the Corbetti project area which will support the health of these communities in the longer term.”
IMPROVED BANKING IN TANZANIA The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) and the Tanzania Institute of Bankers (TIOB) have signed an MoU with the aim of advancing professional standards in the Tanzanian banking sector. The collaboration has been set up to ensure that the following CISI qualifications will be offered to TIOB students and members: International Certificate in Wealth & Investment Management; Global Financial Compliance; Risk in Financial Services; Operational Risk; and Managing Operational Risk in Financial Institutions. Damas Mugashe TIOB Director of Finance and Business Development said, “TIOB believes that its members, having acquired those qualifications will enhance their professional careers and better serve the financial sector in Tanzania, and will be part of the larger international network of professionals. Moreover, TIOB believes that this partnership will contribute to accelerate its transformation agenda and will enhance cooperation between the two entities”.
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NEWS | SOUTH
WorldRemit, Mukuru expand cash pick up CSIR, DBSA TO SUPPORT network in Zimbabwe SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WorldRemit, an online money transfer service, has announced a partnership The Development Bank of Southern with Mukuru, one of the largest Africa (DBSA) and the Council for Scientific remittance providers in Africa, to broaden and Industrial Research (CSIR) are set to cash pick-up options in Zimbabwe. work together to develop technologies The partnership will play an important and infrastructure to support socio- role in bringing financial services to economic development in South Africa Zimbabweans and generating new and Southern Africa.
synergies for financial inclusion in Africa. Paz / WorldRemit Ramirez Pedro Image Credit: Recently, the parties signed a framework Pardon Mujakachi, head of sub agreement to collaborate on projects of Saharan Africa and country director for mutual interest in areas such as water, Zimbabwe at WorldRemit, said, “We have The money transfer service operates six days a week, and energy including bioethanol production, provides cash in US dollars. witnessed an increasing demand as more development of infrastructure, emerging and Zimbabweans are using our digital app to send money to their loved ones. small-scale support, and DBSA’s “Through this partnership we are able to drive our service further and wider, providing access to Development Labs, known as D-Labs. remittances even in small towns and growth points across the country. We want to ensure that D-Labs are development precincts everyone, everywhere has access to our service which offers a fast and convenient user experience, designed to create economic development affordability and easy access to cash.” spaces within communities where all local Andy Jury, CEO at Mukuru commented, “These types of synergies bring immediate value to our participants are connected and have access customers, and alleviate their day-to-day challenges with user-friendly solutions.” to digital presence, technologies and With many families in dire need of financial resources during the coronavirus pandemic, the information. partnership enables WorldRemit customers in more than 50 countries including the UK, US, Australia, It is expected that the partnership will New Zealand, Canada and Europe to send money to their loved ones in Zimbabwe. pave the way for the commercialisation of Recipients can now collect their WorldRemit remittance at any of Mukuru’s 120 orange booths and CSIR technologies in an effort to boost the branches, located across the country in both rural and peri-urban areas. The money transfer service competitiveness of local industries and operates six days a week, and provides cash in US dollars. regional economies. This is consistent with “WorldRemit is 25 per cent more affordable than the traditional players and banks. Our extensive cash the strategy of the CSIR, which aims to use collection network, flexible cash collection hours and lower fees, offer value for money to our customers. science, technology, and innovation to This proves us to be the most affordable means of sending money to Zimbabwe,” concluded Mujakachi. reinforce industrial development and to create a capable state. The DBSA plays a critical role in supporting ZAMBIA’S ZESCO, POWER CHINA SIGN SOLAR the government to leverage skills and capabilities to accelerate the implementation POWER PLANT CONTRACTS of infrastructure programmes in the major ZESCO, a state-owned power company in Zambia, and Power China have signed three contracts worth priority sectors of the economy, such as US$548mn to develop 600MW (AC) grid connected Solar PV Power Plants to be located in Chibombo, energy, information and communication Chirundu, and Siavonga Districts. technology, water and sanitation, education The three-grid connected solar PV projects will have a capacity of 200MW each. The signing of the three and health, as well as various municipal contracts is historic for ZESCO and Zambia as a whole, as it is a significant step towards diversifying infrastructure programmes. renewable energy development in power generation. Victor Mulenga Mundende, ZESCO managing director, CSIR CEO Dr Thulani Dlamini said, “This said that the project will greatly profit the over one million current and potential customers by increasing partnership brings together complimentary access to reliable electricity, enhance industrial development and create employment opportunities for local capabilities in innovation and development people. Mundende urged Power China to ensure that the plant technology takes advantage of the which could see us make a significant impact tremendous technologies that are continually improving on the market. in South Africa and also the region.”
BRIEFS
Zambia records drop in trade flows: Report CASE CE delivers equipment to Angola
According to the latest COMESA Statistics report CASE Construction Equipment, with an order for on ‘COVID 19 Impacts on Trade’, Zambia recorded 125 units from the Angolan Ministry of Transport, reduced trade flows in March and April. The main has recorded one of its largest deliveries for declines were recorded at Kazungula border with 2020. The result of a tender won by the country’s Botswana and Zimbabwe and the Nakonde border CASE partner Redondo y García SA, the order with Tanzania. Volumes of import traffic declined consists of a mix of Backhoe Loaders, Crawler overall by 25 per cent between March and April, Excavators, Dozers and Graders. Aftermarket Image Credit: Chuttersnap/Unsplash Image Credit: mainly due to a decline of 83 per cent in volumes services tied to this delivery are being supported
recorded at Kazungula, and a 42 per cent decline CASE Construction Equipment Image Credit: by local CASE dealer Ivecar SA. Despite COVID- Export traffic volumes also The delivery was concluded declined by three per cent. recorded at the Nakonde border. successfully, despite COVID-19. 19, the delivery has been successfully concluded.
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SOUTH | NEWS
South Africa’s upstream petroleum GALANE GOLD OPTIMISTIC resources bill in the spotlight at webinar WITH Q1 RESULTS Progress on the South African Upstream Petroleum Galane Gold, an un-hedged gold producer Resources Bill was discussed by a webinar panel operating in Botswana and South Africa, has on South Africa’s oil and gas future, which released Q1 results which the mining included the new CEO of the South African Oil & company CEO Nick Brodie has welcomed Gas Alliance, Total E&P South Africa, the despite the challenges of COVID-19.
independent view from Impact Oil & Gas and Adobe Stock Image Credit: Highlights of the report included: the Africa Energy and the Petroleum Agency SA production of 6,818 ounces of gold at the represented by Lindiwe Mekwe, general manager: Mupane mine, located in north-eastern Regulation Division and former acting CEO. The Botswana; and the company selling its panel was hosted by Frontier. gold at an average sales price of US$1,552 The panellists urged the South African per ounce. Earnings for the first quarter of government to prioritise passage of the bill, which South Africa is hoping for more offshore opportunities 2020 were US$1,659,756. Positive cash flows in the oil and gas sector in the coming months. will be put before Parliament in the coming from operating activities, before working months. Attractive fiscal terms and state investment in energy infrastructure are the main focuses of capital, came in at US1,449,765. the bill. Galane Gold produced 952 ounces of Lindiwe Mekwe gave an overview of oil and gas exploration and highlighted the importance of contained gold in concentrate at its Galaxy consultation between government and industry. She anticipates the bill will become law by 2021. operations, which are located 8 km west of Adewale Fayemi, managing director, Total E&P South Africa talked about the success at Brulpadda, the town of Barberton and 45km west of the the follow-on field development and other prospects that Total are exploring in the region. Impact’s provincial capital of Nelspruit in the exploration director, Philip Birch, meanwhile, stressed the importance of the Venus well in Namibia, Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. which Total will drill with its partners this year. Mr Brodie commented: “A good result Jan Maier, vice-president - exploration, Africa Energy said the company was hopeful for the despite the restrictions we encountered at Gazania-1 well, which they are working on in partnership with Azinam Limited and Panoro Energy the quarter end due to COVID-19. At the subject to approval by the South African government. He said they are expected to spud by the end of quarter end we had 1,335 ounces of gold 2020. He spoke of the importance of South Africa’s attractiveness versus other more established unsold due to transportation constraints hydrocarbon opportunities such as Angola as investors look for exploration opportunities in the related to COVID-19. This gold has now been southern part of the African continent. sold and if it had been sold in the normal Adrian Strydom, CEO, South African Oil & Gas Alliance said that South Africa is ready to grow the course our earnings would have improved by upstream sector and emphasised the world class skills, research and opportunities the country had to a further US$1.2 million and positive cash offer, in return for jobs and investment. flows increased by US$2.3 million.” “While we continue to face challenges related to COVID-19 restrictions, we are confident that we have put in place sufficient SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS DRAFTS RESCUE PLAN procedures and policies to continue to South African Airways (SAA) has appointed two business rescue practitioners (BRPs), Siviwe Dongwana operate safely in both Botswana and South and Les Matuson, to issue a draft business rescue plan for comment and consultation. However, the draft Africa and continue advancing our report was leaked to media outlets last month and included plans to retain 1,000 jobs from a staff of around operations. We believe that decisions made 4,700, with contracts being revised before renewal, and for SAA to gradually build up to a fleet of 26 by the company during the years of lower aircraft, a 40 per cent reduction on fleet numbers from December 19. The draft plan proposed seven long- gold prices to utilise debt where we could haul jets, nine narrow bodies and 10 smaller aircraft with the fleet being rebuilt in the period to January advance our operations and minimise 2021. In the wake of the leaks to the media, the airline issued a statement saying that it is irresponsible to dilution of our equity are now proving to be comment on the draft version of the rescue plan and that the BRPs “will endeavour to publish the final sound as we see the benefits of higher gold business rescue plan as soon as they are in the position to do so and will update creditors on the process of prices just as our production profile is the development of the plan.” increasing,” he added.
BRIEFS
Partnership for digital skills in South Africa Rwanda cereal crop drop
Simplilearn, a digital skills training provider, has announced its partnership with The second cereal crop harvest for 2020 in Deviare, a South Africa-based digital and IT solutions platform. Simplilearn will be Rwanda is expected to be lower than the offering African market learners and average for the past five years because of poor corporations digital skills programmes in late season rains in central areas of the country. the fields of data science, cybersecurity, However, the first cereal crop yield for Rwanda and cloud programming. Deviare will take was above average, which should provide some
Simplilearn's digital training programmes Adobe Stock Image Credit: relief. Torrential rain in March and April did not
Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit: to the region as an authorised partner, have a negative impact on crops overall, but enabling learners to gain from the high- below-average rainfaill for May is expected to Online training grows in Africa. touch learning platform of the company. Maize is among affected crops. hinder the second harvest for 2020.
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NEWS | WEST
LiuGong expands dealer network in West Africa DANGOTE TO BOOST ECONOMIC LiuGong Machinery is looking for exclusive DIVERSIFICATION THROUGH distributors to represent the brand for sales, parts MAIDEN CLINKER SHIPMENT and integrated aftersales organisation. “In order to be at the forefront of continued growing demand The exportation of 27,800 mt clinker from the
and interest from customers in the West African Liugong Image Credit: Dangote Cement Export Terminal in Apapa region, LiuGong is looking for new distributors to Port, Lagos, is set to place Nigeria as one of expand its operations. We will continue to build a the leading clinker exporters in the world. strong team and culture together with our dealers “This vessel, being the maiden ship is and stakeholders, for a better future in Africa,” exporting to Senegal and is just the tip of the announced Li Yi, the general manager of LiuGong’s iceberg. We have plans to send clinker from sub-Saharan Africa subsidiary. Nigeria to Ivory Coast, Cameroon and LiuGong opened its liaison office in Nigeria to Ghana," said the group executive director facilitate the functioning of its dealer network in the Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki. region. Wu Kaimeng, sales manager of LiuGong West He recalled that only a few years ago, Africa, who coordinates the network expansion, Nigeria was one of the world's largest bulk stated that the company will focus on quality and LiuGong’s sales team works towards implementing the importers of cement. "Dangote has gradually global strategies of the company. look at partnering with distributors possessing made Nigeria self-sufficient in cement extensive knowledge as well as a wide network within one or more of the countries in West Africa. production as well as an exporter of clinker LiuGong is one of the top selling brands in the region, especially, its H series of wheel loaders and to other countries," he commented during the E series of excavators. All types of road construction, compact, forklift and concrete products are the departure of the ship conveying clinker. widely sold and supported in sub-Saharan Africa, he added. He disclosed that the company would also “The aftersales and parts departments provide the availability of main components, engines and a be launching its export terminal in Onne in variety of other parts, over the SAP system, to professionally support the distributors in sub-Saharan the next few days, adding that it would Africa for providing maximum customer satisfaction,” said Kaimeng. enable it to export clinker, initially to its LiuGong’s sales team coordinates closely with the head office to implement the global strategies of the grinding facility in Cameroon and then to company, aimed towards boosting sales and marketing of its products across Africa. new grinding plants the company is building LiuGong South Africa, in cooperation with the Nigeria office, carries out marketing and branding across West Africa. activities throughout its dealer network in West Africa. “We choose our target markets carefully and "This terminal will assist Dangote to prepare tailored marketing programmes together with our dealers. Marketing programmes and sales actualise the full potential of the campaigns go well beyond promotion, with better understanding of our customer needs and forming a company’s investment in cement. This feat unique strategy with our dealers,” said Kivanc Eren, marketing and branding director of LiuGong in Africa. by Dangote is going to generate a lot of jobs because the export terminal has already created jobs for many Nigerians. As of now, IFC INVESTS IN NIGERIA’S ZENITH BANK TO the numbers of employed Nigerians at the terminal have reached 100. We are SUPPORT SMEs targeting around 200 to 300 workers in IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has announced an investment of up to US$100mn in Nigeria’s Lagos Terminal alone.” Zenith Bank Plc to help it increase support to clients and companies whose cash flows have been disrupted "Apart from job creation opportunities, by challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. the exportation of clinker by Dangote will Ebenezer Onyeagwu, group managing director and CEO of Zenith Bank, said, “IFC’s support is essential position the country to participate fully in and will help us respond to challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. It will allow us to support the Africa Free Trade Liberalisation compelling export initiatives and trade financing for critical goods and materials, especially for the medical Agreement when it comes into being, so that and pharmaceuticals sectors. Our partnership with IFC is strong and we are committed to its environmental, Nigeria will be protected against foreign social, and governance (ESG) requirements.” products. It will also help it to compete “IFC’s support for Nigeria’s banking sector will help keep the wheels of Nigeria’s economy turning at a effectively with every country in the business time of a major challenge due to COVID-19,” said Eme Essien Lore, IFC country manager in Nigeria. of exportation of clinker,”said Ladan-Baki.
BRIEFS
Beat Drone deploys drones to disinfect communities Faymonville delivers MAX Trailer low loader to Ghana
Nigerian startup Beat Drone is providing its Faymonville Distribution Ag has announced the drones to the Ondo state government to aid in delivery of a five-axle MAX410 platform trailer disinfecting neighbourhoods faster and with and eight-axle MultiMAX semi-trailer in Ghana. better accuracy. The MAX410 was delivered to Mobicrane, and “Our experience in spraying farmlands all over aims to fulfil the requirements for a safe, Nigeria is coming into play here, we have Faymonville Image Credit: manoeuvrable and efficient tool to transport Image Credit: IgorZH/adobe Stock IgorZH/adobe Image Credit: recorded more than 20,000 hours cumulatively counterweights and crane elements. The Nigerian government will be spraying farmlands of over 30,000 hectares. We The MultiMAX semi-trailer is the first championing the setting up of a drone assembly plant in Akure, knew that we are the most experienced to engage Faymonville trailer for Baj Freight Limited, a Ondo state. the Nigerian government,” stated the company. The MAX410 was delivered to Mobicrane. freight and logistics company in West Africa.
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WEST | NEWS
African equity capital markets see a drop DHL EYES AMBITIOUS WEST but domestic investment rises: PwC Nigeria AFRICA EXPANSION The Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A) DHL Global Forwarding has strengthened its partnership and PwC Nigeria co-hosted a webinar to leadership teams in Burkina Faso, Cote explore the impact of COVID-19 on African capital d’Ivoire, Senegal and Morocco with new markets. Data presented from the country manager appointments.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria 2019 African Adobe Stock Image Credit: In the West Africa region, Gisele Bambara Capital Market Watch, which reviewed the performance leads a team made up of almost 80 per cent of Africa’s capital markets between 2010 and the women in Burkina Faso, where they have first quarter of 2020, shows that African equity capital grown the business exponentially in the past market activity has seen a downward trajectory over 14 months to establish DHL Global the past three years as major economies on the Forwarding as the preferred logistics Domestic investment in Ghana has remained robust continent are faced with fiscal challenges due to despite challenging economic times this year. provider of choice among its customers. growing debt levels and slow economic growth. Lamine Junior Cisse will assume the dual Capital market value in 2019 was the lowest seen over the past decade, with the volume of deals role of country manager for Senegal as well lower only in 2012. African economies now face the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 as the region’s Industrial Projects pandemic, which has severely impacted global financial markets, according to Andrew Nevin, PwC commercial manager. He joins DHL from an Nigeria’s chief economist, and Alice Tomdio, the firm’s director capital markets, who presented the international energy firm and takes over the data. Commenting on the data and the potential impact of the COVID pandemic, Geoffrey Odundo, CEO country manager position from Elhadji of the Nairobi Securities Exchange said: “Capital markets in East Africa have taken a hit, with a 20 per Galaye Ndaw. Ndaw has been tapped for his cent decrease in trading volume since the beginning of COVID-19.” expertise in business development, sales and On the positive side, there was increased activity from domestic investors, he added. marketing to advance the business in Côte Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, director-general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ghana, said d’Ivoire for the company. All three executives that market activity on the Ghana stock market had remained robust, with an almost threefold will report directly to Serigne Ndanck Mbaye, increase in trading volumes between January and April 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. CEO, DHL Global Forwarding, West Africa. Again, a good proportion of these trades originated from domestic investors. Speakers stressed the “The economic outlook for West Africa importance of African capital markets in supporting post-COVID recovery. For this to happen, African remains positive, and we are especially markets need to be deepened and provide avenues for investment of the significant pools of local upbeat about the opportunities present in capital currently tied up in “dead” assets. Expanding the range of available asset classes should include these three countries, which are among the measures to attract and support new listings. The panel agreed that the increased engagement of local continent’s top ten economies. With these investors was a positive sign, and that developing a deep pool of domestic investors is essential for new country heads, I am convinced that we African capital markets to play their full role in supporting the post-COVID economic recovery. are now better equipped to advance our market leading position in the forwarding business,” said Mr Mbaye of the new appointments for the region. WORLD BANK INVESTS US$68MN IN MAURITANIA In North Africa, meanwhile, DHL has In response to the influx of Malian refugees into Mauritania, the World Bank mobilised a total of US$68mn appointed Tina Manoukian, an industry from the dedicated window for Refugees and Host Communities financed under the 18th replenishment of veteran who has been with the company for the International Development Association (IDA18), to help improve access to basic infrastructure and 22 years, to manage the growing presence in services for poor and vulnerable communities, including the 60,000 refugees in the Hodh Ech Chargui. Morocco, reporting directly to Pramod "The financing provided by the Refugee Sub-Window is complementing the humanitarian work of UNHCR Bagalwadi, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding, which focuses on the most fragile areas of the country where climate change, poverty and growing Sub-Saharan Africa. insecurity are affecting the daily lives of people," said World Bank country manager, Laurent Msellati. DHL has been expanding its automotive According to the World Bank, long-term investments are needed, as well as short-term aid for immediate portfolio in the past few years as Morocco relief, to ensure that local host communities that are receiving refugees become self-reliant and do not emerges as one of the continent’s largest remain dependent on assistance for extended periods of time. motor industries.
BRIEFS
Senegal supported by SEED Private sector healthcare help
Five hundred low-income households in Senegal Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, founder of Access Bank,
Image Credit: SEED Image Credit: have received essential food and household items, in collaboration with the Private Sector Health as the SEED Project concluded the first phase of Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) have unveiled a new its COVID-19 campaign providing temporary relief initiative geared towards significantly improving Image Credit: Dangote Group Dangote Image Credit: to families with children. “With schools now closed Nigeria’s healthcare system at the grassroots level. in Senegal and livelihoods being compromised, The innovative strategy, in furtherance of a vision SEED Project is conscious of a double negative from an earlier stakeholders' roundtable, entails impact the COVID-19 crisis has on vulnerable delivering one primary healthcare centre (PHC) in populations concerning access to food,” stated each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas Families receive urgent relief. SEED Project president Joseph Lopez. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (LGAs) at global standards.
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EVENTS | CALENDAR
Upcoming Events Calender 2020
20 - 22 SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 8 - 9 AFRICA ENERGY FORUM Amsterdam, The Netherlands 3 - 6 INFRASTRUCTURE AFRICA www.africa-energy-forum.com ECOMONDO Cape Town, South Africa Rimini, Italy www.infrastructure-africa.com www.ecomondo.com 14 - 18 4 - 5 POWER WEEK AFRICA Johannesburg, South Africa POWER & ELECTRICITY WORLD www.power-week.com/africa AFRICA Johannesburg, South Africa 30 September - 1 Oct www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/power-electricity- world-africa/index.stm AFRICA PROPERTY INVESTMENT SUMMIT (API) 4 - 6 Johannesburg, South Africa www.apisummit.co.za THE BIG 5 CONSTRUCT KENYA Nairobi, Kenya www.thebig5constructkenya.com OCTOBER 11 - 12 24 - 26
FT AFRICA SUMMIT aef Image Credit: AFRICAN UTILITY WEEK AND London The Africa Energy Forum (aef) is the global POWERGEN AFRICA live.ft.com/Events/2020/FT-Africa-Summit investment conference & exhibition for Africa’s Cape Town, South Africa energy, infrastructure & industrial sectors. www.african-utility-week.com
Building material, mining machines and construction machinery technology in focus at Buildexpo Africa
The 23rd Buildexpo Africa 2021 will be held from 24-26 June 2021 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, focusing on a The event will showcase wide range of the technology in building cutting-edge technology in materials, mining machines, construction the building and machinery and heavy equipment. construction sector. Exhibitors from more than 40 countries are expected to attend the 2021 event. According to the World Bank, infrastructure is crucial to Africa's economic turnaround and will play an even greater role in the continent's continued development. Kenya, in particular, is making giant strides in infrastructure and urbanisation, with demarcated economic zones, commercial and residential buildings and resorts for tourists. Expogroup Image Credit: The country's infrastructure and construction industry value is expected to double between 2019 Turkey, China, Italy, Malaysia and Germany. consultants and engineers; airport sector; and 2020. There has already been a spike in the The 22nd edition of Buildexpo Africa hosted aluminium industry (including equipment, demand for building materials and machinery. various dignitaries including ambassadors, high technology, foundry and suppliers); building Organised by Expogroup, this mega expo is commissioners and trade representatives from materials industry; contractors; construction the ideal forum for international players to more than 14 countries namely India, Egypt, equipment and machinery manufacturers, showcase their products and services to the huge Pakistan, Malawi, Angola, Colombia, Sierra traders and service providers; cement market in Africa. The three-day event is set to Leone, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Sudan, Ukraine, manufacturers, distributors, importers and unveil around 14.3mn business prospects, with Estonia, South Africa and Congo. exporters; ceramic and tile manufacturers, more than 10,000 products, equipment and The visitor profiles include importers, distributors, importers and exporters; electricals, machinery on display. Last year's event witnessed distributors and retailers; manufacturers and power transmission and cables; wholesalers and international pavilion participation from India, exporters; miners and contractors; architects, retailers; escalators and elevators and others.
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QUOTES
We are in this together with LNG demand was up 8.5 per Africa tourism’s sector has our communities. Going cent year-on-year globally. proven its capacity to forward,“ supporting micro and That“ is feeding through to Africa. bounce“ back and multiply recovery small businesses who are the For an African project [Total’s to other sectors. We must jointly fabric of our communities and the Mozambique LNG] to raise $15 implement recovery plan and backbone to Africa’s resilience, will billion in debt financing in the build a roadmap towards a be a key priority for us.” middle of COVID-19 is an sustainable, innovative and BRUNO PIETRACCI astonishing achievement. With no resilient African tourism.” President of Africa and Middle East, The material second wave occurring Coca-Cola Company and, from an energy perspective, the world could be right side by the Our industry has been end of the year. Hopefully 2021 will devastated by the impact of be Africa’s 2020.” COVID-19, possibly more so than PAUL EARDLEY-TAYLOR “ Oil and gas coverage, Southern Africa, most other economic sectors, mainly because of the almost total Standard Bank shutdown of borders and of the aviation sector – no flights means In this time of worldwide no guests.” uncertainty, it is even more important“ to support people living with chronic conditions like sickle cell disease. We are excited to join forces with the Ministries of Health of Uganda and Tanzania and DR AMANI ABOU-ZEID Commissioner for Infrastructure and local partners to reimagine Energy, African Union treatment and care for people with sickle cell disease.” We don’t want to stop at DR PATRICE MATCHABA meeting the needs of today’s Group head of global health and farmers; we must support future corporate responsibility, Novartis “ generations. We need to continuously bring to market high- Digital payments will improve tech solutions to support farmers financial inclusion and in producing nutritious food while TREVOR WARD transparency throughout Sudan’s reducing resource and Managing director, W Hospitality Group “ vast territory, especially in conflict- environmental impacts.” affected regions, help stem ERIC HANSOTIA Africa remains largely a corruption, and build a more direct Chief operating officer, AGCO Corporation commodity-based link between citizens and the state. economy, and raw materials make Joining the digital economy is the “ natural progression for Sudan, Up to 60 to 70 per cent up one-third of the continent’s export income. The road to whose young men and women of health services are recovery will be extremely slow innovatively used technology delivered“ by the private sector, and arduous. The full effect of during the December Revolution so we know that the private sector COVID-19 on our economies is not to usher in a new era in our has to be included in this response fully recognised yet.” nation’s history.” system [to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria].” MARCIA ASHONG DR IBRAHIM ELBADAWI Founder and executive director, Minister of Finance and Economic DR OSAGIE EHANIRE TheBoardroom Africa and Brace Energy Planning, Sudan Minister of Health, Nigeria
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QUOTES
Having issues of cash flow More than ever, this highlights On the renewable energy front and centre forces the the need for resilient and local sector, we have been able to cost“ of talent into the limelight – practices“ in agriculture, such as agro- introduce“ some reforms that have but it doesn’t mean putting profit ecology. These practices can act as a made it possible for independent before people. Relooking at their safety net in terms of food security, power producers to come into the relationship, this is where the CFO communities’ living conditions and sector and produce clean energy, and HR team need to come overall resilience to climate change.” especially through solar and wind.” together, working more closely HIND AISSAOUI than ever before. Together, the CFO Regional migration specialist, IOM on and HR need to evaluate skills and programmes to help displaced people in resources, minimise temporary rural Africa return to farms and long-term loss of staff, and look after their people. All of these If tourism’s restart is will build a resilient business.” managed in a responsible and“ coordinated manner, harnessing the power of innovation and entrepreneurship, then it can transform millions of lives and help protect and preserve Africa’s rich cultural and natural heritage." ZURAB POLOLIKASHVILI Secretary-General, UNWTO TOM ALWEENDO Minister of Mines and Energy, Namibia Despite challenges, I believe in the power of trade to Berlin has established itself change lives and the WTO has a “ as a hub for medical science vital role to play ... The WTO must be throughout Europe in recent years reformed to work for the benefit of “ and so it is only right that we take all its members. ” part in this effort to tackle this disease. We’re looking forward to working closely with our partners TAMER FAROUK to find innovative solutions to Oracle South Africa prevent and treat malaria (in Africa) in the future.” Depending on how the DR JÜRGEN ALLERKAMP pandemic evolves, Chairman of the board, knowledge of the virus deepens, or “ Investitionsbank Berlin science improves, industry and governments will be better Nuclear is a serious option to prepared for a globally coordinated be considered in terms of response. That includes the energy transition. Smaller modular potential removal of measures “ reactor designs, which will come when it is safe. That will give DR NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA online in the next few years, are airlines some breathing room to Board chair, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, economically competitive with rebuild demand and repair and African Union Special Envoy to combined cycle natural gas plants.” damaged balance sheets.” Mobilize International Economic Support for the Fight Against COVID-19 tweets on SUZANNE JAWOROWSKI ALEXANDRE DE JUNIAC her candidacy for the World Trade Chief of staff and senior advisor, Director-general and CEO, IATA Organization director-general position US Office of Nuclear Energy
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QUOTES
The economic outlook for West Africa remains We expect to see explosive growth at the positive, and we are especially upbeat about the intersection of online media and casual games “opportunities present in these three countries, which across“ Africa, which could ignite more activity among are among the continent’s top 10 economies. With these everyone from mobile operators to handset manufacturers.” new country heads, I am convinced that we are now DERRICK HORNER better equipped to advance our market leading position Chief strategy officer and co-founder, Pulse Games in the forwarding business.” No country has been spared from the economic ravages of COVID-19, with an unprecedented increase“ in unemployment and severe impacts falling on the poorest and most vulnerable. The pandemic has exacerbated inequalities which the SDGs are meant to address, and threatens to set back decades of progress.” LEILA FOURIE CEO, Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Investing in sustainable and resilient infrastructure is an investment in human capital and“ the productivity of our nation.” SERIGNE NDANCK MBAYE DR RANIA AL MASHAT CEO, DHL Global Forwarding, West Africa Minister of International Cooperation, Egypt
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WEB SELECTION
AFRICAN REVIEW / ON THE WEB A selection of product innovations and recent service developments for African business Full information can be found on www.africanreview.com
UKEF PROVIDES LOAN FOR landlocked African countries to the ALYI's overall US$300mn electric BENIN’S ROAD PROJECT north, helping to transform the mobility project in Africa. country’s trading potential and allow ALYI is well on track with its funding the free flow of commercial traffic in partner for the African electric mobility the region.In addition to this road project. A cryptocurrency has already project, Sogea Sotum UK is also been partitioned on the Ethereum Image Credit: UKEF Image Credit: responsible for managing other large- Blockchain. A pre ICO funding round is scale projects in Benin. These include ready to launch and ICO details are
civil works, construction of buildings, being finalised. Bank Photo Collection/Flickr World Image Credit:
refurbishment and development of Uber Africa has launched Uber Cash The operation will provide funding for the roads and construction of marine with Flutterwave and explores EVs. project which will also boost resilience of infrastructure. Sogea Sotum UK is Regarding this news, ALYI vulnerable communities. strengthening its relationships with UK management was subsequently Nations High Commission for suppliers to contribute to its project contacted by investors that have Refugees (UNHCR) will provide Sogea-Satom UK will source goods and pipeline in the region. already expressed interest in operational support for the project. services from the UK supply chain and potentially underwriting the planned “This operation will complement the boost UK exports to the region. ALTERNET SYSTEMS EARNS ICO. As a result, ALYI management development and humanitarian The UK Export Finance (UKEF) has INVESTMENT INTEREST AS will be presenting a detailed update to actions of the huge partnership of the provided more than US$123.91mn UBER FEATURES AFRICAN the investors next Wednesday, June Sahel Alliance Initiative and will loan to the government of Benin ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE 17th, aimed at accelerating and support the most vulnerable,” said in support of a UK contract for MARKET increasing the pre ICO funding round Yero Baldeh, director, Transitions construction firm Sogea-Satom, in order to likewise accelerate the States Coordination Office. to redevelop the major interstate manufacturing launch of the ReVolt This extension of grant funding to road, securing business for the UK Electric Motorcycle. the G5 Sahel zone countries falls supply chain. under the framework of the Bank’s The agreement follows six months AFDB APPROVES US$20MN COVID-19 response facility of up to on from the Africa Investment Summit TO CONTAIN SPREAD OF US$10bn, which is the institution’s Image Credit: Alternet Systems Image Credit: that took place in January of this year COVID-19 IN G5 SAHEL main channel to provide assistance to where the UK committed to being the NATIONS African countries to cushion the ‘partner of choice’ for African nations. Uber Africa launches Uber Cash with The African Development Bank (AfDB) economic and health impacts from the Total UK exports to Benin were worth Flutterwave and explores EVs. has approved US$20mn in grant crisis. Recent CRF assistance US$35.93mn in 2019 and this deal is Alternet Systems has announced that funding from the African Development packages have been directed to a set to significantly increase that figure the interest expressed by UBER in the Fund, to build capacity to curb and group of Economic Community of West during the two years of the road’s African electric motorcycle market has stop the spread of the COVID-19 African states as well as to countries development. spurred new investment interest in pandemic in Mauritania, Mali, Burkina in the Economic and Monetary Graham Stuart MP, minister for ALYI's ongoing US$300mn electric Faso, Niger and Chad. Community of Central Africa zone and exports, said, “This deal will bring mobility project in Africa centred on The operation will provide funding for the Democratic Republic of Congo. significant benefits to UK construction the commercial manufacturing launch the project which will also boost exporters and suppliers at a time of ALYI's ReVolt Electric Motorcycle. resilience of vulnerable communities, NEW PARTNERSHIP TO when we need to keep trade flowing. ALYI has an overall comprehensive including internally displaced persons, BRING MODULAR NUCLEAR It shows that UK businesses, with the electric vehicle strategy in Africa refugees and their host communities, POWER TO REMOTE right support from government, can founded on initially launching the in the countries, also known as the LOCATIONS continue to export anywhere in the commercial production of the Sahel zone’s Group of 5 (G5). Capital advisory firm RWT Growth Inc. world.” company's own ReVolt Electric The project will support and StarCore Nuclear Canada have Construction company Sogea- Motorcycle. The ReVolt Electric epidemiological surveillance and case announced a partnership to bring Satom UK, part of one of the world’s Motorcycle pilot passed initial design management capacity; make available cleaner nuclear energy to remote largest construction group VINCI, requirements and ongoing pilot design medical products for COVID-19 locations and industries which rely on will undertake the works on the road refinements are expected to soon prevention, control and treatment; traditional sources of power such as between Bohicon and Parakou deliver a reduced overall weight and ensure the deployment of social diesel generators. to better connect Benin to improved cruising range. protection measures in targeted StarCore Nuclear Canada utilises neighbouring Niger. ALYI has partnered with an communities, especially, internally similar technology to that which has The rehabilitated road provides independent firm founded specifically displaced persons, refugees and their long been used aboard nuclear essential infrastructure for businesses for launching an initial crypto currency host communities; and strengthen submarines or large warships and, in Benin. It will improve access to offering (ICO) dedicated to funding food and nutrition systems. The United in 50 years, has seen no major
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WEB SELECTION
AFRICAN REVIEW / ON THE WEB A selection of product innovations and recent service developments for African business Full information can be found on www.africanreview.com
incidents, making it a safe choice can significantly reduce the reliance AFRICAN GOLD GROUP Callow, currently serving as chief of clean-tech. When applying this on diesel to produce power and by ANNOUNCES BOARD AND operating officer of the company, is innovation to remote towns, such as doing so reduce greenhouse gases MANAGEMENT an experienced mining engineer from those in Canada currently relying on and lower the cost of energy RESTRUCTURING the Camborne School of Mines with diesel generators to power production, which is critical for remote an MBA from the Henley Management their communities, this can be a communities, mines, island College, UK. Eldridge has served as highly beneficial, more sustainable communities and large industry. vice-president finance and CFO of technology for energy access. StarCore’s reactors involve a Amarillo Gold Corp, President and CEO StarCore is the only nuclear considerably lower cost compared to of Arctic Star Exploration Corp and is technology manufacturer whose plant traditional reactors and only need a few CEO of Canarc Resource Corp. qualifies for remote and off-grid members of staff to maintain them. “We are very pleased to be locations. StarCore Nuclear Canada is StarCore Nuclear Canada has announcing the restructuring of AGG
engaged RWT Growth. as the Stock spiritofamerica/Adobe Image Credit: at a time when we are ready to move exclusive corporate and capital The company is set to position itself to be to the construction phase of our advisor for its global operations and the next multi-asset gold producer in Africa. flagship Kobada Gold Project,” StarCore’s forthcoming small modular African Gold Group Inc has announced commented Stan Bharti, outgoing nuclear reactor power projects in structural changes to the board of chairman and CEO of AGG. Canada. RWT Growth. is a boutique directors and management of the “We are positioning AGG to be the corporate advisory and investment company as it moves towards next multi-asset gold producer in banking advisory banking firm with construction and first gold at its Africa, and have the benefit of this Image Credit: homocosmicos/Adobe Stock homocosmicos/Adobe Image Credit: offices in Canada and London. flagship Kobada Gold Project in new Board’s vast experience to take The technology aims to change the way we provide power to some of the world’s most Reece Tomlinson, CEO of RWT southern Mali. this Company into production. We now remote locations and provide economic power Growth, commented, “StarCore Danny Callow appointed is the have a top-class operating team led solutions while dramatically lowering CO2. represents a technology that can president and CEO; Scott Eldridge is by Danny Callow who has built and a Generation IV High Temperature Gas change the way we provide power to non-executive chairman of the operated a number of mines in Africa Reactor technology that has been some of the world’s most remote Board; Jan-Erik Back is vice- over the past 28 years, most recently designed, optimised and patented for locations and provide economic power chairman, strategy of the Board; running Glencore’s African Copper and the purpose of providing small-scale, solutions while dramatically lowering John Begeman is lead independent Cobalt division, and who has fast- safe, low-cost and low CO2 power CO2. We are pleased and excited to be director of the board. tracked Kobada into being production in remote locations. working with such a great company The proposed change of the construction ready in a few short The StarCore nuclear technology on such an important technology.” company’s name is Avion2 Gold Inc. months,” he added.
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COMMENTARY | ECONOMY
Access to education is vital for the economic success of African women. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit: Empowering women as Africa rebuilds Graça Machel, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr Vera Songwe and Maria Ramos have joined forces to call for Africa to use this time of crisis as a period of economic and social opportunity, especially for girls and women.
OVID-19 has unearthed forced into early marriages, and the diversion COVID 19 is causing, Response resources should target massive inequalities within number of child marriages and early resulting in an anticipated surge in female SMEs and rural women Cour societies and brought to pregnancy may increase as girls are child and maternal mortality. associations to increase productivity glaring light the unique burdens turned into a source of quick Domestic violence has risen by in formal and informal economies, which women carry the world over. income for families. It is no surprise upwards of 25 per cent in some eradicate hunger and malnutrition, Allocation of response resources that our food systems will be dealt a countries in lockdown. Victims face boost local food production and should be targeted towards the significant blow resulting in the limited access to protective services confront the indignity of Africa immediate needs of managing the exacerbation of food insecurity and during quarantine. importing its food. Food security is a virus as well as future-looking to nearly doubling levels of hunger. Women should be at the heart of fundamental investment. simultaneously dismantle the COVID 19 has disrupted supply the COVID-19 response. An Narrowing gender-based structural, systemic barriers which chains and thrown the global food intentional focus on the lives and education gaps are needed, such as reinforce inequality and economy into disarray. As border futures of women and girls is an building ICT infrastructure for online disenfranchisement. We have been closures, production stoppages, and essential part of breaking structural learning and retrain teachers on presented the opportunity to export restrictions limit supply, practices which marginalise them. A virtual curriculum so every African reimagine and redesign our society demand has surged, inflating prices system for collecting and child can access education. into a vibrant and equitable one. We and impacting the world’s poorest disaggregating data needs to be Protecting girls from child marriage must place women and women’s and most marginalised people. place to ensure that the impact of and early pregnancy, and safety net leadership at the core of the Women are central in the food the crisis on women is informing the resources for households to keep response and beyond. COVID-19 has chain and agricultural output in redesign of fragile and inequitable girls in school are needed. caused massive shocks to informal Africa. Half of the agricultural socio-economic and health systems Comprehensively strengthening and formal economies in Africa. activity on the continent performed into fully inclusive, equitable ones. the criminal justice system and World Bank estimates that the Sub- by women, who produce about It is important to implement equal increasing efforts around survivor Saharan Africa region will see 60-70 per cent of the food in Sub- rights in the workplace, providing support amust be deemed as economic decline, and plunge to - Saharan Africa. Studies reveal that equal pay for equal work. essential services with mass media 5.1 per cent this year. Women have the cost of malnutrition has an Governments should give women efforts to spur a fundamental been hit particularly hard by this impact on a country’s economic and female businesses direct access change of mindset whereby gender- downturn. Emerging evidence from growth. A lack of adequate nutrition credit, loans, tax and social security based violence is deemed socially the ILO on the impact of COVID-19 is a contributor to high levels of payment deferrals and exemptions, unacceptable and intolerable. suggests that women’s economic maternal and child mortality as well and preferential procurement. COVID-19 presents us with and productive lives will be affected as stunting, and therefore to the loss Structural barriers to access to unprecedented opportunities for the disproportionately. They have less of human capital for economic, finance, inheritance, and land rights regeneration of the African socio- access to social protections and their social and political development. must be removed. Create and economic landscape and the capacity to absorb economic shocks The fragility of African health support the enabling environment movement towards a just, equitable is low. As the economic toll of the systems is revealing itself and for ICT infrastructure so rural and and sustainably prosperous crisis is felt, there is an increased women and children are most urban women are able to contribute continent. Let us dare not squander risk that female children will be vulnerable to the lack of services the to the digital economy. this opportunity for a rebirth. ■
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COUNTRY REPORT | NIGERIA Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
Will the COVID-19 pandemic lead to a new dawn for the Nigerian economy? Nigeria: Diversifying on the road ahead With a relatively low COVID-19 caseload, Nigeria is looking forward to opening borders and getting back to business across a range of industries. Report by Bola Olowo and Georgia Lewis.
t the time of publication, the steel industry with a Presidential Mr Mustapha said, “The Ajaokuta Export Centre, with the Russian Nigeria had 18,480 confirmed Project Implementation Team set up Steel plant has languished in government and Afreximbank Acases of COVID-19 and 475 in May for the Ajaokuta Steel Mill. economic unproductivity for about providing up to US$1.46bn to fund deaths from a population of 206mn. Nigeria’s largest steel mill, a four decades and previous efforts at the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta With this relatively low caseload in government-owned facility, has reviving it had proved abortive … Steel Company. In meetings mind, the Nigerian economy is gulped millions of dollars but [the team is] meant to kickstart the between Nigerian and Russian taking bold steps to reopen across remained moribund 40 years after it process of re-directing the activities Presidents in October last year, it multiple industries. While oil and was set up. Located in Ajaokuta, in of the steel plant with the aim of was agreed that the Ajaokuta Steel gas remains important to the Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, bringing the steel project back to Project will be resuscitated on the country, other economic sectors are Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASCL) is life for the growth and economic basis of a government-to- keen to make progress. built on a 24,000-ha plot. The development of our dear nation.” government agreement through a Godwin Emefiele, governor of the government had maintained that He added that the non- technical audit, upgrade, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said the mill was 95 per cent completed, completion of the mill had resulted completion and operation. The new that the drop in oil revenue but the sprawling complex lay in avoidable massive foreign team is expected to prepare and presented Nigeria with an abandoned and only the light mills exchange losses and intolerable submit a periodic work plan along opportunity to diversify the have been put into operation for opportunity cost to the count and “a with quarterly progress reports on economy. He said the time has come small-scale fabrication and the pressing need to redress these assignment activities, end-of- for Nigeria to produce what it can production of iron rods. avoidable challenges has assignment report and develop consume via local production. The implementation team tasked necessitated this presidential concession contract terms. “COVID-19 presents Nigeria with with reviving the mill is chaired by intervention at this time.” an opportunity to reset the Mr Boss Mustapha, the secretary to The Ajaokuta Project was Road infrastructure economy, a need for the country to the Nigerian government with Mr undertaken by the former Soviet Across Africa, ambitious road- prepare itself to get the Ucheckukwu Ogah, junior minister, Union under a cooperation building projects are taking place manufacturing sector working, while mines and steel as the alternate agreement with Nigeria in 1967 and (see page 34) and Nigeria is no the banking sector supports the chairman, with other, members after other attempts to complete the exception. The Nigerian economy. With the revenue drop mainly experts and technocrats mill, the Nigerian government had government, via the Debt from sale of crude, Nigeria has no drawn from the ministries of mines turned again to the Soviet Union. Mr Management Office, has choice but to diversify its economic and steel, finance and justice, as Mustapha said the mill would be commenced the third tranche sale base,” Mr Emefiele said. well as Ajaokuta Steel Mill, National resuscitated on the basis of a of N150bn seven-year Islamic sukuk Iron Ore company and the government-to-government bond offer, an Islamic financial Steel Infrastructure Concession Regulatory agreement with funding from the bond. It closed last month. Offered The government is hoping to revive Commission. Afrexim bank and the Russian in a units of N1,000 per unit subject
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NIGERIA | COUNTRY REPORT
to a minimum of N10,000 and in economy, requiring “a full and total and the larger manufacturing sector, the Nigerian government focusing multiple of N1,000 thereafter, the deregulation with appropriate he said the challenge posed by the policies on agricultural seven-year sukuk with a rental rate standards and regulation in terms of pandemic required that the fiscal development. of 11.2 per cent per annum, has a consumer protection”. and monetary authorities work “The domestic fertiliser market is half-yearly payment and full Mr Oyebanji said, “We are all together to moderate the health and yet to reach its full potential as the payment on the day of maturity. interested in the future of the economic impact of COVID-19. consumption of fertiliser per hectare Proceeds will be used for the country as stakeholders. But we of arable land in Nigeria is still far construction and rehabilitation of need to make the right policy Agriculture below the 200kg per hectare vital roads across the six geopolitical decisions at the appropriate time. Notore Chemical Industries, a recommended by Food and zones of the country. In 2017, the Nigeria cannot, as we know, Nigerian agricultural chemicals Agriculture Organization. The impact Nigerian government had raised a continue to subsidise fuel. Over the company, has released its half- of the pandemic on the fertiliser N100bn seven-year sukuk bond for last 15 years, we have spent close to yearly report up to March 2020 with market and Notore in particular, the financing of 25 road projects N10tn subsidising fuel. This is just much optimism. The Rivers State remains minimal, as it operates in across the country and another unsustainable in this environment, company reported N13.12bn of the essential goods industry," the N100bn in 2018. and I think posterity will not judge gross revenue, a three per cent report said, adding that once the us properly if we don’t take the right increase compared to the N12.68 bn TAM programme is completed by the Oil and gas decisions.” in the same period in 2019, an end of 2020, Notore is looking to The pandemic has not silenced calls The fall in oil prices has led to operating income of N2.7bn ,and a return to profitability. for greater deregulation and private Godwin Emefiele, governor of the net loss before tax of 5.7bn. As Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine sector participation in the oil and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Operating expenses increased by 29 Services (NAQS) resumed export gas industry. Private stakeholders in offering reassurance in regard to per cent to N10.43bn during the certification activities at the country’s the Nigerian downstream sector security of investments and period from N8.05bn for the ports, a statement from the agency have urged the government to repatriation of funds, even if revenue corresponding period last year, due reflects the optimism expressed by completely deregulate that end of from oil has dwindled during the first mainly to a combination of Notore. A statement from the agency the business. Stakeholders such as half of 2020. Mr Emefiele said increases in production activities, said export of agricultural produce, Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria measures had been put in place to plant repair and maintenance which had crawled to a halt during (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum ensure an orderly transfer of funds, expenses and the impact of naira lockdown, will soon pick up pace. Products Marketers Association of pointing out that when a similar devaluation. The statement went on to say that Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and Petroleum shortage of foreign exchange Onajite Okoloko, group CEO, with the oil price drop, Nigeria is Products Retail Outlets Owners occurred in 2015, the CBN was able said, “The modest growth in revenue looking at agriculture to fill in the Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) to settle all commitments in an is attributable to some gap in the economy. have joined forced to ask the orderly manner. He added that the improvements in plant reliability “[Nigeria is] up to the task and government to draw up a pricing CBN is collaborating with the Ministry derived from the on-going Turn creatively adapted to the challenge plan formula to usher in a seamless, of Industry, Trade and Investment to Around Maintenance (TAM) of the current context and will market-determined price for galvanise the manufacturing sector in programme, which has begun to balance the consideration of premium motor spirit. a bid to reset the economy, and that impact positively on plant professional protocols and Oyetunji Oyebanji, president of the foreign exchange available operations and resulting in some adherence to all recommended MOMAN, said the downstream sector would be devoted to strategic marginal increases in production COVID-19 safety precautions in the requires significant investment to importation or service obligations volume during the period.” discharge of its statutory mandate improve service delivery and to that are of priority. In regard to his Mr Okoloko added that Nigerian of inspection and certification of generate employment, help in meetings with the banks, fertiliser demand is “quite robust” agricultural products," the expanding and growing the manufacturers in the health sector and expected to grow in line with statement said. ■
There is hope for growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector as the country seeks to produce more of its own food. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
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TRADE FINANCE | INTERVIEW
Diversifying vital investment across Africa Abduhamid Abu, general manager, trade finance, for International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation talks exclusively to African Review about the impact investing across a range of sectors is making in multiple countries.
bduhamid Abu explains how the International Islamic Abduhamid Abu is optimistic about African development. ATrade Finance Corporation (ITFC), an an autonomous entity of the Islamic Development Bank Group, makes a difference in Africa.
How long has ITFC been working in African markets? Driving intra-OIC trade, particularly between the African member countries and the Member Countries of the OIC is one of ITFC’s strategic focus areas. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is facing developmental challenges, but with tremendous potential and opportunities. The region is vitally dependent upon trade to fuel its economic development and alleviate poverty, yet it is lacking the financial and economic infrastructure to optimise trade potential. Since 2008, ITFC has provided US$19bn to 28 OIC member countries in Africa, to drive growth across multiple sectors, including high-growth import-export ITFC Image Credit: industries such as agri-foods and critical industries such as energy and the populations in many of the agricultural products, the import of resources of up to US$600 million power generation. exporting countries in West Africa, agricultural inputs and foodstuffs over three years for Djibouti. These and boosting economic activities and the import of basic energy include the import of energy Which African markets are the and foreign currency earnings. products such as petroleum and commodities such as petroleum busiest for ITFC? ITFC’s financing efforts in cotton electricity. Since 2008, ITFC has products; and the development of ITFC supports all 28 African OIC sector are over US$1.65bn, with 21 approved trade financing worth the private sector through member countries with a wide range operations in Benin, Burkina Faso, US$700mn for Senegal, focusing on partnerships with local financial of trade interventions to develop Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali. these critical sectors of agriculture, institutions to support SMEs. sectors in line with each country’s In Burkina Faso and Cameroon, energy, and SMEs. development goals. Working closely since 2008, ITFC disbursed over In the Gambia, ITFC approved, What have been some of the with public and private sector US$840mn to purchase fertilisers since 2008, a total of US$544 million major projects for ITFC in Africa? stakeholders and partners, in 2019 and provide early payments to in support of the country’s A fundamental part of ITFC’s alone, ITFC disbursed US$2.9bn to cotton producers. ITFC is known as development efforts. Almost 70 per strategy is to align its financing African countries. The main “the Cotton Bank of Africa.” cent of the approved financing went efforts with the national beneficiaries were Burkina Faso, Senegal is amongst the steadily towards the energy sector for the development strategies of its Cameroon, Egypt, and Senegal. growing nations in West Africa and importation of petroleum products member countries, with strategic In SSA, ITFC has played a catalyst growth has been high at over 6 per and over 30 per cent towards the sectors such agriculture and energy. role in the cotton sector bringing cent since 2014. In 2019, ITFC signed agricultural sector for pre-export In line with a commitment to badly needed funding to support a US$1.5bn multi-year Framework financing of groundnuts, one of the support SDG2, Zero Hunger, ITFC has exporters. The product is a vital Agreement to support the priority country’s primary export. been actively working towards export crop, providing employment sectors of Energy, Agriculture and In 2019, ITFC signed a major increasing the participation of and livelihood to large segments of SMEs. Projects include the export of agreement to mobilise financial African agriculture producers and
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INTERVIEW | TRADE FINANCE
smallholder farmers to global agri- added sectors continue to trade. (IsDB) pledged US$2.3 billion for the requisite to achieve the 2030 food value chains. The focus has Since 2017, ITFC has been Group’s Strategic Preparedness and Development Agenda. been on improving their access to working towards strengthening Response Programme for COVID-19 In 2019, ITFC extended US$3.9bn knowledge and inputs, assisting trade integration between the pandemic. Each component focuses of financing to support Intra-OIC them in meeting increasingly African and Arab regions through on Respond, Restore and Restart. trade. Amongst the key initiatives stringent international standards, its flagship initiative of The Arab- ITFC was appointed by IsDB to was a US$500mn joint agreement and providing them with timely Africa Trade Bridges Program execute the trade finance operations with Afreximbank to create the Arab payment. Since its inception, ITFC (AATB). It is a program by ITFC and in the Respond phase supporting Africa Trade Finance and Promotion has provided about US$5.6bn of its strategic partners, including the the prevention, containment, and Programme (AATFPP) under the financing towards food and Arab Bank for Economic mitigation of the pandemic. umbrella of AATB. This milestone agriculture in Africa. Development in Africa (BADEA), the ITFC’s Rapid Response Initiative was further complemented by ITFC’s Since 2008, around US$13bn of African Import Export Bank (RRI), intends to sustain supply MoU with the African Union (AU) in financing has been extended to (Afreximbank), IsDB and ICIEC. chains and enable the revival of February 2020, to partner on joint support a sustainable supply of AATB has the mandate of driving trade. A US$300 million package has activities to boost inter-regional energy inputs in OIC member regional economic integration been allocated to member countries trade between African and Arab countries. In 2019 alone, ITFC between the African and Arab for the purchase of emergency OIC member countries and help has provided US$1.8bn (US$700mn regions and strengthening trade medical equipment and supplies, as enterprises tap into large-scale in SSA). This has provided an related cooperation. With the well as for strategic commodities, opportunities across the two estimated 13mn people with COVID-19 crisis, AATB partners have such as staple food. The Recovery regions. ITFC will continue to access to electricity. realigned all existing financing Response Program (RRP), earmarks leverage these important Another important sector is the engagements towards a range of another US$550mn for deployment foundations to help OIC member SMEs, which represent 90 per cent of interim and medium-term measures over the next two years. This aims to countries to withstand the businesses in West Africa and that respond directly to the needs of fixing the socio-economic damage economic fallout from the provide 80 per cent of private sector both regions. Initiatives focusing on which is expected to last longer than COVID-19 pandemic. jobs, but the sector faces major pharmaceuticals and healthcare, as immediate impact of the virus. Emphasis will be placed on global financing gaps. This led to ITFC well as agriculture and textiles have Since the crisis hit, ITFC has agri-food value chains and launching its flagship West Africa been identified as priorities. approved US$442mn trade financing improving market access for SME programme, worth US$18mn. It In the pre-COVID economy, the to 3 OIC member countries from smallholder farmers through is being implemented in phases, AATB program had successfully Africa and a regional financial initiatives that contribute to better provides financing lines, capacity implemented a series of business institution. This includes fresh quality agri-food output, transport, building and advisory services to matching events for buyers and allocations as well as repurposing of and storage. These initiatives partner banks and SMEs within the sellers in the agri-foods and previously approved facilities. The include the training of farmers on WAEMU zone, including Burkina pharmaceutical sectors in the financing supports the funding of improved agricultural techniques. Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal African and Arab regions. These imports of medical supplies, food On the SME front, ITFC’s priorities and Togo. The programme was efforts led to US$150mn security items, and funding support include an ongoing assessment of piloted in 2018 in Burkina Faso and pharmaceutical and US$30mn agri- to the private sector and SMEs. OIC member states’ emergency resulted in a 23 per cent increase in food deals. With the crisis, these On the trade development front, commodity needs and the provision loan application approvals with over platforms will play an even more ITFC has been actively supporting of capacity development for SMEs, in $US1mn in financing granted to important role in terms of the enhancement of capacity and addition to access to capital. Just local SMEs. The second pilot in continuing to engage B2B knowhow for medical preparedness recently, ITFC approved a 8mn euro Senegal, rolled out in November companies in the two regions to to effectively withstand the impact financing facility for the Senegalese 2019 for around 200 multi-sector become part of the crisis solution. of COVID-19 in Africa. bank, Banque Islamique du Sénégal SMEs, 20 per cent of which is The 4th AATB Executive Committee (BIS), to support private sector reserved for women-led enterprises. meeting approved an AATB What is the outlook for project development. With around 300,000 In 2019, US$367.9mn channelled Response to COVID-19 Crisis. financing in Africa – and where SMEs and microenterprises towards SMEs funding with The planned enactment of the do you think the opportunities accounting for 90 per cent of disbursements benefitting an African Continental Free Trade Area will be in the coming years? businesses in Senegal, the financing estimated 120 corporations and (AfCFTA) represents a real ITFC’s overarching goals are aligned is aimed at supporting the country’s sustaining 45,000 jobs. opportunity for the Africa to with the UN SDGs. Our mandate is to efforts to drive economic inclusion mitigate the economic impact of the advance trade and improve lives in and ensure the continuity of intra- What sectors are looking the most crisis. Despite talks of delays in all OIC member nations and this will OIC trade. The facility is expected to promising in Africa? implementation given the current continue throughout and after the support around 1,000 jobs in the One of the key priorities for the crisis, ITFC remains fully supportive pandemic. COVID-19 highlights the private sector, including companies continent is the continuity of trade of the AfCFTA because it is crucial positioning of SDG 3 - Good Health in food and distribution. There will and availability of trade finance to for the continuity of trade in Africa. and Wellbeing - and its interlinkages also be a continued focus on the promote the flow of goods and with other SDGs. Strengthening the training of partner banks and other continued economic activity. There How has COVID-19 affected the capacity of members for early financial institutions to promote is a need to ensure that buyers and work in project finance? warning, risk reduction and Islamic finance across OIC member sellers in the critical and value- The Islamic Development Bank management of health risks is a pre- countries to fuel intra-OIC trade. ■
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NEWS | IT & COMMUNICATIONS
RCS and SES Networks partner up with an HELP FOR START-UPS IN upgraded SD-WAN service for South Sudan FRANCOPHONE W.AFRICA RCS Communication, an ICT company in South Suguba, in partnership with Mercy Corps and Sudan, has adopted a Software-Defined Wide the French Development Agency AFD, is Area Network (SD-WAN) built upon SES organising their second six-month Networks’ SD-WAN service that will enable RCS investment readiness program to support the to deliver an improved user experience while eight most promising startups in the digital optimising resiliency and bandwidth usage. Networks SES Image Credit: sector in Francophone West Africa. RCS has been using SES’s low-latency MEO L’Afrique Excelle, the Francophone solution since 2014 to provide reliable and adaptation of the World Bank’s XL Africa tech uninterrupted Enterprise connectivity services accelerator, was Suguba’s first acceleration to NGOs, embassies and a wide range of program. The programme which operated in businesses operating in Juba, the capital of 2018 and 2019 aimed to connect South Sudan. francophone startups across the continent
With the recent availability of fibre networks John-Paul Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks. with mentors and investors. Afrique Excelle in the country, RCS began seeking services that had enabled 18 of the top 20 startups in would enable them to bring resiliency and intelligence to the edge and pass end-to-end traffic securely French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa to raise over different available WAN links based on application-aware steering. funds of approximately US$10mn dollars. Through SES Networks’ SD-WAN service, RCS is promising to dynamically and intelligently prioritise Afrikhaliss is aimed at digital startups with and route application traffic between its MEO satellite and fibre links, resulting in improved up-time. impactful solutions for local and regional Always-on network performance monitoring and analytics provides RCS with high visibility and insights value chains. The programme targets on which to base informed decisions. companies that already have a product or “Having been a long-time customer of SES Networks, RCS is pleased to expand the partnership service on the market and are generating through SES Networks’ fully managed end-to-end SD-WAN service,” said Flippie Odendal, managing revenues. However, applications from director of RCS. “SES Networks’ SD-WAN service has met RCS’s requirements and direction of moving companies not yet generating revenue will towards intelligent, software-defined services that will enable us to dynamically react to evolving be considered. Eligible companies are based market conditions and scale whenever needed.” or generate at least 75 per cent of their “We developed SES Networks’ SD-WAN service to bring to our customers intelligent, application- turnover in one or more of the following aware resiliency, efficiency, visibility and control. In today’s cloud-scale world, we believe it is essential markets in Francophone West Africa: Benin, that our satellite network services are a seamless, integrated extension to our customers’ networks. Our Togo, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Côte SD-WAN service is another step towards enabling our customers to grow their business with more d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Senegal. intelligent and resilient, cloud-optimised services,” said John-Paul Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks. Entrepreneurs will be mentored by international and local experts, trained through a tailor-made programme, increase their brand visibility and have access to FACEBOOK IN DIGITAL LITERACY DRIVE FOR AFRICA potential partners and investors. Through its Facebook announced the launch of “My Digital World,” a programme designed to equip the youth and collaboration with leading investors with a general public across sub-Saharan Africa with skills needed to navigate the digital world. My Digital World focus on Francophone Africa, Afrikhaliss will is a consolidation of all Facebook digital literacy programmes including Safe Online with Facebook, Ilizwe help the selected start-ups attract capital. Lam, and eZibo and will be offered virtually this year to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the This year's programme will take place in social media giant is preparing to train close to 20,000 participants across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, two virtual or physical residences, in Senegal, Zambia, Senegal, Cote D'Ivoire and Ethiopia on how to use the digital platforms. depending on the evolution of the health Commenting on the announcement, Phil Oduor, policy programme manager for economic impact and situation, and in Côte d'Ivoire. digital literacy, Facebook, said, “We remain committed to equipping young people and the general public The programme has as partners leading across Sub-Saharan Africa with the vital digital skills needed to navigate the digital world, especially during investment funds and business angels which these challenging times of COVID-19.” are active in Francophone Africa.
BRIEFS
Boost for Burkino Faso UN meets on e-commerce
MainOne has been contracted by Burkina Faso, The International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership backed by the World Bank, to provide bulk with the United Nations Economic Commission for connectivity services to a consortium of operators Africa (ECA) held its first ecomConnect Day on the through the PAV-Burkina Cooperative, for the next Adobe Stock Image Credit: future of e-commerce. The online event focused
Image Credit: Guilhem Vellut/Flickr Image Credit: three years. Following an international bid to select on how e-commerce can help Africa’s businesses a preferred operator, MainOne was chosen by the survive in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Burkinabe Government, withthe financial backing The day brought together policymakers, industry of the World Bank, to provide PAV-Burkina with leaders, and experts to explore what opportunities bulk capacity to nodes in Ouagadougou and Bobo e-commerce can bring to Africa as part of ITC and Ouagadougou will gain capacity. Dioulasso. E-commerce is booming in Africa. ECA’s contribution to AfCFTA implementation.
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | SECURITY
Protecting information, fighting fraudsters The open system on Android smartphones can be exploited by fraudsters. Geoffrey Cleaves, head of Secure-D, an anti-fraud platform, explains to Phil Desmond how such fraud happens, and how to combat it.
pstream, a leading mobile billing system is a trusted payment latest systems that guard against cannot be prevented by static rules commerce platform, offers mechanism. But in terms of some known vulnerabilities. As for alone. Optimising fraud detection is Uprotection against fraud connections there is no difference 2G devices, these are not inherently an ongoing process. We are through a security platform called between 3G or 4G in fraud levels. more secure, but they do tend to be constantly validating and updating Secure-D that provides end-to-end According to Cleaves, security is a voice-centric and not used for data our existing fraud detection models, protection – from ad clicking to bigger priority in Africa than in the as much as 3G or 4G. as well as developing new ones to subscription to user billing. past: “DCBF empties subscribers’ Apple’s system for iPhones is incorporate. We use a wide variety The obvious questions are: what wallets or credit – and that makes effectively closed, and apps don’t of models and techniques, including sort of security threats do you report them angry. Operators might be make it onto the store without a the three major modelling types of or guard against in the mobile faced with the cost of refunding great deal of testing. The Android supervised, unsupervised and semi- space? How serious is the threat? credit and, regardless of that system is more open, which supervised,” he said. “Depending on And how it could affect African end gesture, will still be blamed by hashelped small developers get their the set-up – anomaly detection or users? Geoffrey Cleaves, head of subscribers for allowing this to apps to market, according to historical pattern recognition – Secure-D, explained that the Secure- happen. That anger tends to hurt Cleaves. But he added that it has these approaches are implemented D platform guards against fraudsters their net promoter scores and in created opportunity for fraud, via deep learning or through the attacking the operator’s billing competitive markets that usually especially when apps removed from latest machine learning algorithms. systems, which can cause results in a loss of market share.” Google Play can still be downloaded Analysing the outcomes from the subscribers to be overcharged. “It is Plus low-cost smartphones may from third-parties. This makes it different models determines known as direct carrier billing fraud bring new problems. Some low-cost harder for Google to police it in the whether an action or request is valid (DCBF),” he explained, “and our devices suffer from poor quality way that Apple can with the iPhone. or potentially fraudulent.” ■ platform prevents mobile users from control are more likely to be “Big data analytics is of being subscribed to premium preinstalled with malware. paramount importance for fraud The Mobile Ad Fraud 2019 Report, is services without their knowledge.” Additionally, said Cleaves, low-cost detection solutions as the threats available for free download at Many of the harmful apps which devices will be unable to run the are continuously evolving and www.secure-d.io carry out this type of fraud perform advertising fraud and steal personal information. Ad fraud works when apps send automated ‘clicks’ to the advertisers. The advertisers pay the app developers for these ‘customers’ that have been sent to their service from the app. “Our platform is able to spot this unusual activity and prevent it from happening,” said Cleaves. But not only is this an attack on advertisers. Harmful applications often harvest personal data and ship this information to foreign servers for later use. So how do the threats differ between developed and developing markets? Essentially, said Cleaves, “Secure-D operates in data-centric markets where we guard against DCBF occurring on the web”. In developing markets, subscribers are more dependent on mobiles for web access and operators rely on value-added subscriptions. Also, with Android phones have transformed e-
low use of traditional banking, the Adobe Stock Image Credit: commerce but fraud potential is high.
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SATELLITES | INTERVIEW
Millions of people in ultra-rural areas are now more connected. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
Meeting the rural connectivity challenges
Brian Jakins, regional vice-president, Intelsat, talks about an ongoing partnership with Africa Mobile Networks to enhance rural connectivity: what services it can enable and the role played by satellite technology.
atellite communications as-a-service solution in which AMN that have made satellite technology Intelsat Epic satellites. We have a company Intelsat and mobile builds and operates the ultra-rural more accessible and more multi-frequency strategy and our Snetwork infrastructure network. African mobile operators affordable. The power of high- satellites have different frequencies, company Africa Mobile Networks can deliver reliable mobile throughput satellites, such as the depending on their use. (AMN) entered into a partnership in connectivity to communities in sub- Intelsat Epic fleet, which delivers 10 October of 2018 to accelerate the Saharan Africa that many previously times the throughput of a What services is this enabling that deployment of mobile connectivity thought were impossible to connect. traditional satellite, combined with weren’t possible before? to unserved communities across advances in ground and antenna This new connectivity can bolster Africa. The partnership connected its What challenges did you face in technology, have lowered the total commerce, deliver critical medical 1,000th remote site, bringing access the early stages of this project? cost of ownership for mobile information and care to to 3.5 million people in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the operators. Small terminals of less communities far removed from the most difficult and challenging than 10kg can transmit high nearest hospitals, drive curriculums What are the component parts regions of the world to connect throughput, while some antennas in schools where teachers may be that make up this solution? because of its geographic can be fitted onto car roofs for scarce, steady communities after The low-cost solution, developed by complexities and number of remote communications on the move. disasters, and importantly, connect AMN, is powered by a highly communities. Intelsat has served One of our 19-year old satellites families and bridge divides between reliable, small-cell solar-based Africa for decades, and our team’s recently returned to service with an different cultures through the system that can be rapidly deployed expertise, combined with AMN’s extra five years of life following its distribution of news and in less than six hours. AMN has deep understanding of the region, docking with the first-ever Mission entertainment. combined its solution with the has helped us develop optimal Extension Vehicle (MEV-1). Already, power, performance and efficiencies solutions that help MNOs grow their Intelsat and AMN have connected Does Intelsat’s recent financial of three high-throughput Intelsat subscriber and revenue base, and 1,000 remote sites, bringing access restructuring announcement Epic satellites, along with our 23 better serve their customers. to 3.5 million people in sub-Saharan impact its ability to move other satellites that cover the Bringing mobile connectivity to the Africa, and are on track to connect a forward? African continent. The result is a most rural parts of Africa is not total of around 12 million Africans No. On the contrary, our day-to-day mobile network infrastructure that straightforward, and we have by this time next year. Yet, there is operations, engagement with is a fast, cost-effective, reliable learned it requires hybrid networks still room for improvement; customers and partners, and capital solution ton help mobile network and innovative business models to according to the ITU, in 2019, only investments will continue as usual. operators (MNOs) scale to meet truly close the business case. 28.2 per cent of the population in This is a US-based process that evolving connectivity demands. Africa had access to the internet. companies like General Motors have Has satellite connectivity much gone through, ‘reset’, and emerged Who sells the service on the more affordable to launch, supply What sort of satellites are stronger. This is positive because ground? and roll out on the ground? involved and what frequencies? we’re using the financial Relying on Intelsat’s satellite fleet, Over the past few years, the industry Today, we have 23 traditional GEO restructuring process as a mechanism AMN provides MNOs with a network- has introduced major innovations satellites and four high-throughput for investment and growth. ■
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WATER | NEWS
SUEZ supports Angola in facilitating access SOMALIA RECEIVES to clean drinking water FINANCING TO IMPROVE SANITATION AND CLEAN The drinking water needs of Luanda are increasing due to a fast-growing population. WATER ACCESS
The African Development Bank-financed water supply and sanitation project is a critical control intervention in Somalia, with 2.6mn internally displaced persons and the outbreak of COVID-19 posing an additional challenge. Through its implementing agency, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), internally displaced persons, hard-to- reach rural communities and vulnerable populations now have access to clean water. The project is also promoting good sanitation and hygiene practices by constructing public handwashing stands to help slow the spread of COVID-19 across
Image Credit: chriss73/Adobe Stock chriss73/Adobe Image Credit: vulnerable communities in Somalia. EPAL, the public water management company in Luanda, has signed a contract with the SUEZ “The African Development Bank and the group and its partners, Mota Engil and Soares da Costa, aimed at developing the Bita drinking water International Organisation for Migration plant in Luanda. The contract, worth approximately US$109.90mn for SUEZ, includes pumping of were the first partners to provide us with raw water from the Kwanza river, the development of a water treatment plant during a 39-month handwashing facilities and to create period and 9 months of operational support. community awareness of COVID-19,” said The plant will meet the drinking water needs of the fast-growing population of Luanda, which Mohamed Sheik Aden, a medical officer in has reached 7.5 million inhabitants, while supporting the capital city’s economic development. the Kismayo District in Jubaland. The contract is part of a larger-scale developmental project that benefits from secure financing of the The US$10.4mn Improving Access to Water IBRD, the World Bank and BPI France. Supply and Sanitation in Rural Somalia With a capacity of 260,000 cubic metres per day, the plant will be one of the largest drinking water Project,to be completed in December 2020, production plants built by the group in sub-Saharan Africa. Within the consortium, Mota Engil and aims to reduce mortality among children Soares da Costa will manage the civil works. In addition to conducting engineering studies, providing under five years. equipment and assembling and commissioning the plant, SUEZ will be responsible for training the “The continuous hygiene promotion has local teams from EPAL to ensure long-term operations. helped those of us in IDP camps to better Ana Giros, senior executive VP Group in charge of the APAC (Asia, Australia and India) and AMECA understand the pandemic and how (Africa, Middle East, Central Asia) regions commented,“This contract is a testament to our expertise in handwashing is critical to prevention,’’ said water treatment technologies as well as our experience in African infrastructure projects which is Halima Aden of the Danwadaag IDP recognised by our customers, partners and international funding organisations. We would like to thank settlement in Dhobley Port of Entry. our customer for its confidence in SUEZ teams’ expertise and commitment to delivering to populations. In coordination with the Somali Ministry Such services are even more essential in the context of a global health crisis.” of Water and Energy, Ministry of Health, and The plant will integrate SUEZ technologies such as PulsatubeTM and Aquazur V in order to guarantee Federal Member States, 62 handwashing excellent water quality production. These technologies reduce the footprint due to their compactness, points have been established at health optimise the treatment of micropollutants and organic matter, and are easy to operate. facilities, ports of entry, markets, and SUEZ has built several drinking water plants in Angola, including Kifangondo in Luanda. SUEZ community centres in Kismayo and Dhobley manages the drinking water and sanitation services of Greater Casablanca and Algiers as well. IDP sites in Jubaland State.
BRIEFS
Nigeria approves funds for road construction and New dates announced for water projects in Niger State Water Reuse Conference
Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved more than US$300mn for The International Desalination Association (IDA), road construction in different parts of the has announced March 15-17, 2021 as the new country and US$13mn for water projects dates for the International Water Reuse and in Zungeru in Niger State. Recycling Conference. The conference represents
As reported in This Day, the minister of Stock Riccardo Mayer/Adobe Image Credit: a global collaborative effort to implement best water resources Malam Adamu Suleiman, practices surrounding water reuse and recycling, Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit: said, that the efforts to complete the taking into account regulations, financial Water projects have a huge socio- Access to water is improving in Zungeru, projects has huge socio-economic challenges, innovative technologies, success economic impact. Niger State. impact on the lives of the people. stories, and cutting-edge research.
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WASTE MANAGEMENT | ENVIRONMENT
Waste management on the pan-African stage Before the COVID-19 pandemic, waste management was high on the agenda in Africa. The good news is that it remains a priority and Tunisia is an example of a country that is tackling this challenge. Georgia Lewis reports.
Tunisia is seeking solutions to deal with the 2.5mn tonnes of rubbish it produces yearly. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
n February this year, one the last our environment and our common cu/m of wastewater annually framework in the management of physical events held by the planet in the face of threats to the into the Mediterranean Sea, as well hazardous wastes and chemicals. IUnited Nations before such health and well-being of our as inland waterways. Tunisia will provide assistance to meetings moved to the virtual world populations, and to work in favour Tunisia has in recent years companies licensed by the Ministry was the third Conference f the of an Africa safe from the harmful provided national workshops on in charge of the Environment for the Parties (COP-3) of the Bamako effects of chemicals and waste.” waste management, improved the management of hazardous wastes. Convention on the Ban of the Within weeks of COP-3, the world treatment and disposal of medical At a regulatory level, public- Import into Africa and the Control of went into lockdown but this has not waste, but significant hurdles still private partnerships, online Transboundary Movement and stopped Tunisia from making need to be overcome to build on the monitoring systems for chemical Management of Hazardous Wastes progress in addressing its serious changes already made. movements, and drafting guidelines within Africa. Delegates from across waste management issues. To this end, UNEP’s Chemicals for the environmentally sound the continent descended on The country produces more than and Waste Management Programme management of chemical and Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, 2.5 million tonnes of rubbish each is partnering with Tunisia to fund a hazardous waste at the industry under the theme: From Decisions to year, with wastewater treatment three-year project to strengthen level will all be priorities. Action: Working for Africa with a plants expelling an extra 247 million Tunisia’s regulatory and institutional The project is slated to conclude Safe Chemicals and Waste Future. after three years with a programme “Waste management is today one of awareness-raising and capacity of the biggest challenges to our We have a collective responsibility to work building for stakeholders, such as planet and a major concern for our national institutions concerned with countries because of its health and in favour of an Africa safe from the harmful managing hazardous wastes and environmental consequences,” said chemicals, leaders in the industrial Joseph Seka Seka, minister of the effects of chemicals and waste.” sector covering public and private environment and sustainable companies, citizens and NGOs. This development for Côte D’Ivoire and JOSEPH SEKA-SEKA, OUTGOING PRESIDENT OF THE BAMAKO programme will consist of training the outgoing President of Bamako CONVENTION AND MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND modules and organising workshops Convention. “We have a collective SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, CÔTE D’IVOIRE on revised or new regulations which responsibility to protect and save are expected to be passed. ■
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CRUSHING | WASTE MANAGEMENT
Crushing the challenging problems The latest crushing solutions mean that difficult-to-manage waste, such as railway sleepers and reinforced concrete poles, can be easily and cost-effectively reduced and recycled on site.
here are materials some downtime, work stops, and wasting and their excavator, the companies attachments. A BF70.2 crusher operators consider “difficult” time and money. Alternatively, some can collect poles and sleepers and bucket to crush the waste and an Tto dispose of; these materials crush with demolition shears, but it crush them. During the crushing MB-S14 screening bucket to separate often pile up for years and take up is a slow process. phase, the rebar is separated from it. The material was then reused as a space. Old light poles, columns, and This doesn’t happen when using the concrete and then removed base for road work. concrete pipes, railway sleepers, MB’s crushers: the iron comes out from the crushed pile with an iron In Brazil, meanwhile, it had been vineyard poles with spring steel: while the unit is crushing and can separator installed directly on the a long time since a large company these objects seem to be more be separated from the processed MB unit. The same crusher is used had used the old light poles on a complicated and expensive to material with the iron separator, for crushing rocks. The material is construction site. They used the recycle than others. However, which is installed on the MB unit quickly processed on-site with a MB crusher bucket to crush them, construction sites that adopted MB and controlled by the operator from single machine. recover the iron, and obtain Crusher units found an easy and the cabin. With the MB crusher Why throw it away when it can be excellent revenues from the resale. inexpensive way to crush and bucket, it is easy to obtain different recycled, asked the administration And in the Czech Republic, a recycle these types of inert material. material output sizes. The of a Slovakian municipality thought railway company needed to dispose Four minutes – it’s not a riddle or excavator’s operator can do it when they were handling material of old sleepers – renting a stationary an equation: it’s how long it takes directly on-site, by just unscrewing a from the demolition of sidewalks. crusher was too expensive and MB’s crusher bucket to crush an few bolts, inserting or removing The company who took charge of complicated. Bringing the material to eight-metre light pole. With the MB shims and adjusting the jaws recovering the material created a a recycling centre meant high unit attached to the excavator on according to workplace needs. Not real recycling centre hauling fees. Instead, they used the the construction. A single operator only that, but the resulting material with only two BF70.2 crusher bucket, attached to can collect the pole, crush it, and is of good quality and ready to be their operating machine, crushed the separate the iron from the concrete, reused or sold. old sleepers on the spot, eliminating all by themselves. From two construction sites, one rental and transportation costs. ■ Disposing of reinforced concrete in France and the other in Bulgaria, poles in recycling centers is pricey, where the recovering of railway even if it’s just the cost of sleepers and reinforced transporting the material. If a concrete has become a new company wants to be autonomous source of income. Using and use a stationary crusher, the MB’s crusher buckets rebar in the concrete can easily cut the conveyor belt or jam the machine, which results in Crushing materials on site can be a cheaper solution than transporting difficult waste. Image Credit: MB Image Credit: Crusher
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NEWS | CONSTRUCTION
COVID-19 depresses Africa’s hotel NEW CONSTRUCTION construction sector PROJECTS FOR MAURITIUS The COVID-19 pandemic has had a The construction industry will drive the devastating impact on Africa's hotel economic recovery of Mauritius, the industry. African hotel development country’s National Infrastructure and had returned to growth at the start Community Development, Mahendranuth of 2020, with more than 78,000 Sharma Hurreeram said at the National rooms in 408 hotels in the pipeline, Assembly, according a report in Image Credit: David Stanley/Flickr David Image Credit: according to the 12th annual survey AllAfrica.com. by W Hospitality Group. The Minister announced Rs40bn worth of W Hospitality Group's managing development projects. He said that the Road director, Trevor Ward, said, "The Development Authority is implementing nine growth of the chains' presence in projects and 18 new ones will be undertaken Africa has been a very positive story over the next three years. The National since we started this analysis in Development Unit is carrying out upgrading, 2009. It is quite clear from the resurfacing and drain works across the numbers that the chains, the The pandemic has had a devastating impact on hotel construction in country. In the community development developers, the investors continue to Africa. sector, construction and upgrading of roads, believe in the opportunities that Africa presents in the hotel and tourism industry. However, our leisure centres and other amenities are industry has been devastated by the impact of COVID-19, possibly more so than most other economic planned. Projects plannned in the 2020-21 sectors, mainly because of the almost total shutdown of borders and of the aviation sector – no flights budget include the construction of 12,000 means no guests." social housing units, bus terminal "With that background, we see a slowdown in pipeline growth in 2020, as we all get to grips with the modernisation, the construction of the new reality. With so many of the players locked down, fewer deals will be signed, and it is inevitable Rivière des Anguilles dam and completion of that some of the planned openings in 2020 will be delayed, due to closed or slower-paced construction a metro system. sites, restrictions on funding and a lack of market demand. According to our latest data, there are 90 The construction sector employs around hotels with 17,000 rooms scheduled to open in 2020, but we estimate that at least half of these will be 120, 000 workers, representing around 22 delayed, bringing the actualisation rate down to no more than 40 per cent." per cent of the total workforce and in 2019 The 2020 African Hotel Chain Development Pipeline survey reveals that a record 68 chain hotels contributed to some 9.7 per cent to GDP with opened last year, with 11,000 rooms. Accor and Marriott performed particularly well. a net investment of Rs48.3 billion. Tourism is a vital industry in Africa, because of the direct and indirect jobs that it creates and sustains, as well as its strong foreign currency earnings. LESOTHO DAM CONSTRUCTION RESUMES NAMIBIA LAUNCHES HOUSING PROJECTS Operations at the Polihali Dam construction site in Lesotho have resumed with the Nambia’s National Housing Enterprise (NHE) has launched new housing development projects across the excavation for two diversion tunnels. The country that will see NHE construct 335 houses. This is part of its ongoing efforts to empower Namibians works are part of the Lesotho Highlands through the provision of affordable and quality housing while continuing to fulfill its mandate. Water Project (LHWP) Phase II advance The houses will be constructed through NHE’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) construction model, infrastructure which had been temporarily whereby NHE partners with private investors on a turnkey basis. been suspended during the COVID-19 The current PPP projects will commence this month and NHE will deliver a total of 335 houses in seven lockdown period. The resumption of the towns across Namibia, at a cost of N$124 million. These towns are Outapi (82); Omuthiya (50); advance infrastructure works will be Keetmashoop (77); Karibib & Omaruru (76); Ongwediva (10); and Okakarara (40). gradually increased based on the lifting of Under this arrangement NHE makes available land for construction and the final products are sold to travel restrictions and meeting of COVID-19 customers on the NHE’s waiting list. safety precautions by contractors.
BRIEFS
Rabat project commences NNPC funds hospital building
Construction on a tunnel to decongest traffic The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation around Rabat’s iconic Bab el Had square (NNPC) and its subsidiaries have made available has commenced. The project has an estimated N21 billion for the building of hospitals in 12 Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit: Image Credit: Pedro/Flickr Image Credit: cost of nearly MAD40mn (US$4.12mn) and states across the six geopolitical zones of the includes the construction of a roundabout country. Minister of Health, Senator Olorunnimbe and underground car park. It is part of Mamora, said the healthcare delivery sector King Mohammed VI’s Rabat development is currently witnessing major infrastructural programme, designed to improve mobility development that would outlive the COVID-19 The tunnel is part of King The new hospitals will help to and living conditions within the capital and address the infrastructural deficit pandemic and address the infrastructural deficit Mohammed VI’s Rabat throughout its suburbs. in the health sector. development programme. in the healthcare sector.
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CONSTRUCTION | NEWS
South Africa minister appeals for vigilance HAC WINS INFRASTRUCTURE to ensure health and safety of employees CONTRACT South Africa’s Public Works and Infrastructure Hassan Allam Construction (HAC), a Minister Patricia De Lille has appealed to companies subsidiary of Hassan Allam Holding, has to exercise extreme vigilance to ensure the health been awarded a design and build works and safety of employees as more businesses open, contract by Egypt’s Ministry of Housing and
following the easing of the lockdown on 1 June. Adobe Stock Image Credit: Development for a major infrastructure “Many industries, including the construction project in Sheikh Zayed City in Giza. The industry, will return to work to commence project aims at expanding the footprint of operations in a safe manner in line with alert level 3 Sheikh Zayed City due to heavy demand for of the lockdown regulations,” said De Lille. housing, led by economic growth and She acknowledged that many industries, development. HAC’s scope of work covers the especially the construction industry, have complete design and construction of all experienced severe economic hardship since the utility networks, roads, car and service country went into a standstill in March. tunnels for an area of more than 3,000 ha. “We can, however, together overcome and The construction sector is critical to South Africa’s The project, which will be executed over a economic growth. rebuild the construction industry, retain and create 24 month period, will provide infrastructure more jobs to get the economy growing. The construction industry is crucial to South Africa’s economic to serve one million Egyptians and will create growth as it contributes significantly to the development and to South Africa’s GDP,” she said, adding around 2,000 direct and indirect jobs at peak that it also contributes substantially to the labour market. She called on the industry to ensure that construction. they continue to keep safe and minimise the spread of the virus. Hassan Allam Holding is one of the largest “Therefore, as the construction industry returns to work today, along with many others, we are mindful privately owned corporations in Egypt and that it will be difficult for the industry to adapt to a new way of working, but we are all in this together the MENA region, with more than 80 years of and it is up to government and the private sector to work together to rebuild the construction industry. experience in the fields of engineering, “As companies have staff returning to work, I would like to ask company owners and management procurement and construction, building to ensure that the resumption of work is done in a careful and responsible manner by ensuring that materials and utilities. workers are properly protected and that companies comply with the alert level 3 regulations.”
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NEWS | TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
Funding for Ethiopia/Sudan railway link DHL INVESTS IN AFRICAN feasibility study approved E-COMMERCE The African Development Bank (AfDB) has DHL Express has announced its minority approved a US$1.2mn grant to Ethiopia’s stake acquisition in Link Commerce, the UK- government to finance a feasibility study for based e-commerce firm that helped the construction of a standard-gauge railway (SGR) logistics company develop its hugely link between Ethiopia and neighbouring Sudan successful DHL Africa eShop platform. The grant, from the African Development Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express sub- Fund, the bank group's concessional-rate Saharan Africa, said, “Acquiring a stake in
lending arm, would cover 35 per cent of the Erik Cleves Kristensen/Flickr Image Credit: Link Commerce – the company behind the total estimated US$3.4mn cost of the study. The MallforAfrica.com platform – shows our remaining funding will be provided by the tremendous support of e-commerce in NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility Africa. It also positions us to realise our (NEPAD-IPPF) in the form of a US$2mn grant, ambitions of growing the eShop offering and by a contribution of US$100,000 each from globally, and work on the scalability of the the two countries involved. The two-year, platform when the opportunity arises.” comprehensive feasibility study will assess the The proposed railway link would bring benefits to a large ”With the DHL investment we are now proposed project’s technical, economic, proportion of the population of Ethiopia and Sudan. able to grow faster by leveraging the environmental and social viability, as well as goods and people between Sudan and amazing shipping network DHL has built alternative financing arrangements, including a Ethiopia often requires the use of several globally. This will help us expand our white- public-private partnership (PPP). modes of transport, which increases costs and label turnkey B2B eCommerce platform and The railway line will link Addis Ababa in lengthens journey times. provide online shoppers with the ability to Ethiopia to Khartoum in Sudan, with an The feasibility study’s findings will be keenly shop more and get more at great shipping extension to Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The awaited because its implementation would rates fast,” said Chris Folayan, founder and route, agreed by both governments, stretches benefit a large proportion of Ethiopia’s 110mn CEO of Link Commerce and Mall for Africa. 1,522 km between Addis Ababa and Port Sudan. people and 43mn inhabitants of Sudan, as well The DHL Africa eShop (www.Africa- According to the document presented to as populations in the wider region. eShop.dhl) was initially launched in 11 directors of the African Development Fund, the The proposed project is aligned with the bank's countries in April 2019 and is now live in 34 absence of a regional arterial route linking Country Strategy Paper 2016-2020 for Ethiopia. It countries across Sub-Saharan Africa with tens Ethiopia, Sudan and other countries in the is also consistent with the long-term development of thousands of users across the continent. It Horn of Africa is a brake on trade, development goals of the Sudanese Government, as set out in offers African consumers access to and regional integration. The movement of its national 25-year strategy (2007-2031). international retailers via an easy-to-use platform, with purchases delivered directly to their door by DHL Express. E-commerce is proving to be one of the CEVA LOGISTICS EXPANDS IN AFRICA most important and fastest-growing market UK-based CEVA Logistics has launched a three-part expansion plan for the African market, through which it sectors in Africa. A report published by the aims to become a continent-wide market player. The company has acquired a controlling shareholding in McKinsey Global Institute estimates that AMI Worldwide, a third-party logistics provider with an extensive network in East and Southern Africa, Africa’s online retail market could potentially which has more than 100 years of expertise in the region. Effective from 1 July, the AMI Worldwide office reach US$75bn by 2025. network in 12 countries in East and Southern Africa and its almost 1,000 employees will join the CEVA global “Our strategic investments in innovative network. They will provide a platform for further investment and expansion throughout the continent, with technology and connectivity across the the objective of offering CEVA’s customers a seamless network, facilitating cargo movement within Africa region, are all aimed at promoting global and strengthening trade ties with the rest of the world. trade and ensuring that businesses and Mathieu Friedberg, CEO at CEVA Logistics stated, “With our strategic, continental expansion plan, CEVA individuals across the continent can leverage will play an integral part in supporting the continent’s socio-economic emergence.” global opportunities,” Heymans concluded.
BRIEFS
Training for airport personnel Relief for taxi industry
With funding from the German government, the South Africa’s Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula
Image Credit: APO Image Credit: East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat and the has announced a relief package of more than EAC Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight R1.1bn for the taxi industry in the form of a one-off
Agency (CASSOA) is implementing emergency Papjeff/Flickr Image Credit: payment to operators, and an economic stimulus COVID-19 intervention trainings for staff at the for transport entities including aviation, maritime nine international airports in the six EAC Partner and rail transport. “Measures to stimulate the States. As a result, surveillance capacities will be economy include gradual resumption of operations The cooperation programme strengthened, early-warning systems improved across all modes,” he said, adding that entities strengthens the capacity of airport and public health responses at the airports better playing a central role in accelerating economic staff for the prevention and R1.1bn in support will be available detection of COVID-19. coordinated. for the South African taxi industry. recovery require urgent financial support.
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LOGISTICS | REPORT
The changing landscape of the logistics sector Macroeconomic factors, tenant needs, last-mile delivery and ever-rapid technology developments are all factors that are reshaping the demand and design for warehousing and logistic networks. Abhishek Paul reports.
The future of retail is changing at an accelerated pace as the businesses are choosing advanced warehouses. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
he materials handling webinar businesses are choosing advanced The growing shortage of labour in are expecting that 50 per cent of ‘Forecasting future demand for warehouses, new technologies, matured logistics nations and in our their transactions will be 30 per cent Tlogistics and warehouse space’, automation and re-shoring, he said. region in many locations and to 50 per cent on e-commerce for hosted by Messe Frankfurt, has Logistics firms offering services to explosion in demand of online the next one year at least due to discussed the strategic evolution of hard-hit sectors such as retailers, retailers will automatically drive COVID-19 impact. People will get a supply chain strategies and focus on manufacturing, automotive are automation and innovation, habit of ordering online more than the growing demand to satisfy facing challenges due to the according to Ako. before.” inventory controls, supply chain pandemic, said Mohsen Ahmad, However, re-skilling the labour Sharing his insights on the trends, diversification and e-commerce CEO, Logistics District, Dubai South. force is needed to collaborate and Alain said that retailers are moving needs in the COVID-19 era. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19, maintain the new machines in the to the e-tailer approach having a Giving a top-line overview of it is imperative to look at reducing facilities, he said. smaller footprint of a retail shop implications of COVID-19 on the UAE the operating costs, collaborating Talking about the strategies, he and delivering more on Industrial & Logistics market, Peter with customers, addressing cash noted that advanced warehouse e-commerce. Haywood, Industrial & Logistics flow challenges and finding management system with AI All the panellists have agreed Agency MENA, JLL, noted that the innovative operational methods, features and interface capabilities that macroeconomic factors, tenant trend is shifting from retailers to e- according to Mohsen. How to keep is picking up rapidly. Enabling needs, last-mile delivery and commerce platforms and the business functional even in the customers better material flow rapid technology developments sophistication of the supply chain. lockdown is a lesson learnt by many through visibility and traceability are all factors that are reshaping “The impacts of COVID-19 have of the companies, he pointed out. is increasing in terms of customers the demand and design for not fully materialised, but the initial Ako Djaf, vice-president, Contract expectation, he added. Creating warehousing and logistic networks impacts have been felt,” said Peter. Logistics /SCM & Land Transport a value proposition and stable across the region. “There is optimism that the Middle East and Africa, DB Schenker, strategic partnerships remain As operators pivot to deal with abruptness of these events has noted, “As a consequence of vital for all the logistics firms, the long-term ramifications of the forced the markets into adapting, e-commerce growth and advanced in Ako’s view. pandemic, supply chain strategies which will have a positive outcome technology, automation and Another panellist, Alain will be overhauled and this will lead for the future.” innovation, we believe, will Kaddoum, general manager of to a resulting boost in warehousing The future of retail is changing at determine the future success in our Swisslog Middle East, said, “The demand, according to the industry an accelerated pace as the industry. traditional retailers in the market experts. ■
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INFRASTRUCTURE | ROADS
Keeping the capitals connected Martin Clark reports on how the ambitious Trans African Highway initiative to build a high-grade continental roads network is already yielding results, particularly as Africa seeks to open up more cross-border trade.
frica’s roads infrastructure, Ethiopia trades at least 20 per cent The project remains in the The quest to integrate Africa is still notoriously bad in places, of its freight more competitively planning stages for now but one of the AfDB’s strategic ‘High 5’ Ahas nonetheless seen vast through Mombasa, he adds. received extra cash from the AfDB priorities, a point highlighted by improvement in recent times, The idea of improving links recently for additional studies. It is Oumarou in a recent paper on cross- especially when it comes to between Africa’s capitals and main also expected to connect more of border road corridors. connecting the big urban centres population centres has become a the interior with coastal ports. “Over the past 12 years, the bank and ports. An example is the popular theme elsewhere on the The plan forms part of the wider has financed nearly US$8bn of Nairobi-Addis-Ababa corridor, which continent. In West Africa, a US$3bn Dakar-Lagos Corridor, and is a major regional transport projects,” he has enhanced the potential for trade mega project is taking shape that part of the Trans African Highway noted. “As a result, close to and economic growth in Ethiopia, will run a six-lane highway between network within the Ecowas region. 13,000km of regional highways Kenya and across eastern Africa. Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, The Trans African Highway have been built on 17 road The project, which received and Abidjan, the Ivorian capital. network comprises transcontinental corridors, along with 26 one-stop US$670m in funds from the African The ambitious road development, road projects developed by the border post facilities.” Development Bank (AfDB), has cut stretching over 1,028 km, is African Union, the AfDB and the And new trading routes have road freight transit times between intended to drive cross-border trade United Nations Economic emerged along the way, he says. the two capitals from about two along the West African coast, Commission for Africa, in The Bamako-Dakar highway, for weeks down to just 24 hours. benefiting Ghana, Togo and Benin, conjunction with Ecowas and other instance, now carries more than 50 It forms part of a wider East Africa and the wider Ecowas (Economic regional economic communities – per cent of Mali’s import and route through to Mombasa, one of Community Of West African States the total length of the nine export goods to and from the port the region’s busiest ports. Commission) community. highways is 56,683km. of Dakar in Senegal. It has The hope is that these improved allowed Mali – one of Africa’s transport links will nurture intra- poorest states – to diversify its regional business, against a Close to 13,000km of regional highways trading routes, reduce costs by backdrop of new trade deals like the more than 20 per cent and increase African Continental Free Trade Area. have been built on 17 road corridors, along international trade by 10 per cent. Bilateral trade between Ethiopia Similar results have been seen in and Kenya has increased by 400 per with 26 one-stop border post facilities.” southern Africa with the Nacala cent, says AfDB’s infrastructure Corridor, that connects landlocked director, Amadou Oumarou, AMANDOU OUMAROU, INFRASTRUCTURE DIRECTOR, Zambia and Malawi to the facilitated by better connections. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK Mozambican port of Nacala. ■
Bamako, the Malian capital, is now in easier reach of the Port of Dakar for easier trade. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
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INFRASTRUCTURE | BRIDGES
Bridging the divide, transforming West Africa Martin Clark explores the bridge-building projects that will redefine West Africa’s trade routes as economies seek to reignite as COVID-19 restrictions are eased and the continent reopens for business.
ne bridge can make a monumental difference. Last The Senegambia Bridge has already proven to be a boon to Oyear, Senegal and Gambia trade and transport. unveiled the 1.9km Senegambia bridge that has helped to transform travel and trade in the area. Before the bridge, people had to use a ferry crossing or take the long way round, a journey that could take days. But smaller bridges can make an equal difference to people’s lives. The 120-metre Alemondji bridge in northern Togo has opened up new potential for more of the region’s agricultural sellers and other traders. Located 200km north of the capital Lomé, the bridge is a symbol of the opening-up of many of the region's neglected agricultural- based communities. Today, Alemondji market is busier simply because it is easier to get to in a region that has for too long been starved of good infrastructure. “This infrastructure ensures a flow of agricultural production and
improved access to markets for AfDB/Flickr Image Credit: inputs and products. It stimulates expand intra-regional trade. The project is supported by the road and access works on each side the economy and facilitates the Financing is taking shape for the AfDB) among others. leading up to the bridge itself. region's integration into the construction of a bridge that will Further south, a permanent road A major cross-border bridge national and international connect Cameroon and Chad across and rail bridge is planned over the project, linking Senegal with economies,” said Georges the Logone river. While the two Congo River to connect Kinshasa in Mauritania, is closer to completion. Bohoussou, African Development countries are linked by a the Democratic Republic of Congo The Pont de Rosso bridge, that will Bank’s country manager in Togo. controversial oil pipeline, the new (DRC) with Brazzaville in the span the Senegal river, is scheduled Continent-wide, such lifelines project aims to promote more Republic of Congo. for completion in 2022 and will boost cross-border trade and Africa’s interstate trade, linking Yagoua in Detailed studies have been replace the ferry services of the economic competitiveness. Cameroon and Bongor in Chad. As completed, though this project Mauritania Ferry Corporation which Major new works are in the well as cutting time and transport remains some way behind the Chad currently connect the two banks. planning elsewhere in West Africa costs, it will help safeguard lives and and Cameroon link, and it remains Like Senegal’s bridge crossing to that could further help redraw and property during the river crossing. unclear when work will commence. Gambia, it is likewise expected to Once the bridge is sanctioned, spur local trade and development, however, it will join two highly as well as boost passenger traffic. The infrastructure stimulates the economy urbanised and fast-growing cities Another international crossing will and create a welcome economic lift see a bridge built over the Ntem River and facilitates the region’s integration into on both sides of the Congo river. to connect Cameroon and Equatorial According to an AfDB study, the Guinea. As well as transforming national and international economies.” aim is to more than double West Africa’s physical infrastructure, passenger numbers and freight all of these landmarks could well GEORGES BOHOUSSOU, TOGO COUNTRY MANAGER, traffic between the two sides within help to trigger a turnaround in the AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK five years. The project will entail region’s economic fortunes. ■
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE | ROAD BUILDING
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Vimpo is working on major road projects around the world. Image Credit: Vimpo Road Construction Machines Image Credit:
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TRUCKS | COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
On the road again The commercial vehicle sector is becoming more sophisticated. Georgia Lewis reports on some of the latest innovations which will keep businesses moving across Africa and beyond.
Electrified highways may be an alternative to traditional truck and rail transport. Image Credit: Siemens Mobility Image Credit:
he commercial vehicle sector is Mogalakwena platinum group “As part of our Smart Power our plan to create a smart energy exciting and diverse, especially metals mine in South Africa, after Project, where we analysed our mix that moves us closer towards Tas manufacturers look to be which the trucks are expected to be mine site power requirements and our carbon and energy targets for more sustainable and innovative. deployed at other Anglo American applied a unique decision process 2030 and, ultimately, our vision of Now, the sector is moving beyond operations. Engineers are looking to on how we look at renewable energy operating a carbon-neutral mine,” vehicles with internal combustion develop trucks with performance systems and their benefits, we came said Tony O’Neill, technical director engines and high emissions and the same or better than the original up with a mix that allows us to be of Anglo American. developing products which will be diesel trucks, with cleaner air, less carbon neutral and have a very Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo seen on the roads and on industrial noise and lower maintenance costs. different footprint. This is part of Group, meanwhile, have signed a sites in the very near future. preliminary non-binding agreement Anglo American is working with to establish a new joint venture. The ENGIE to to develop and fuel the Using hydrogen as a carrier of green intention is to develop, produce and world’s largest hydrogen-powered commercialise fuel cell systems for mine haul truck. ENGIE is providing electricity to power long-haul trucks is an heavy-duty vehicle applications and the hydrogen-generation solutions other use cases. Daimler will and Anglo American is developing important part of the puzzle, and a consolidate its current fuel cell the truck. It is hoped that by the activities in the joint venture. ened of the year, a testing and complement to electric vehicles.” “Truly carbon-neutral transport validation programme will be can be accomplished through underway at Anglo American’s MARTIN LUNDSTEDT, VOLVO GROUP PRESIDENT AND CEO electric drive trains with energy
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COMMERCIAL VEHICLES | TRUCKS
coming either from batteries or by not seviced by rail lines. This measn converting hydrogen on board into that a share of this transport will electricity. For trucks to cope with need to be carried out by trucks that For trucks to cope with heavy loads and heavy loads and long distances, fuel are reliable with minimum cells are one important answer and a environmental impact. Siemens has long distances, fuel cells are an important technology where Daimler has built found that the eHighway system is up significant expertise through its twice as efficient as conventional answer and Daimler has built up Mercedes-Benz fuel cell unit over the internal combustion engines. This significant expertise.” last two decades,” said Martin Daum, works by supplying trucks with chairman of the board of power from an overhead contact MARTIN DAUM, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, DAIMLER TRUCK AG management for Daimler Truck AG. line. This reduces local air pollution “Electrification of road transport is and helps reduce the carbon a key element in delivering the so- footprint of the transport sector. power, similar to trams on many city meanwhile, Faymonville has called Green Deal, a carbon neutral Siemens Mobility has already streets. The system allows for truck successfully launched its eight-axle Europe and ultimately a carbon been involved in eHighway projects operation outside of the electrified MultiMAX semi-trailer and it has neutral world. Using hydrogen as a in Germany, Sweden and the US. sections of infrastructure. arrived safely at the port of Tema in carrier of green electricity to power In Germany, the project was In Sweden, the first eHighway Ghana. It is the first Faymonville electric trucks in long-haul operations commissioned by the University of system on a public road was trailer for Baj Freight Limited, a is one important part of the puzzle, Keil’s Research and Development inaugurated in June 2016 after two West African freight and logistics and a complement to battery electric Center in 2018 to create the first years of testing. The catenary system company which provides customs vehicles and renewable fuels,” added infrastructure for electric trucks on for trucks was tested on a two- brokerage, freight forwarding and Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group the autobahns. This was piloted with kilometre stretch of the E16 highway logistics support across a wide range president and CEO. a 5km stretch of road between the north of Stockholm. The trial used of industries including oil and gas. Looking beyond Africa for ideas Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges two diesel-hybrid trucks The company chose Faymonville, on how to make road travel more on the the A1 autobahn. manufactured by Scania and as an all-rounder to move a large sustainable, Siemens, through its For the American transport adapted, in collaboration with variety of heavy and oversized cargo, Siemens Mobility division, has been sector, where traditional trucks have Siemens Mobility, to operate with such as tanks, columns, transformers involved in developing eHighways as reigned supreme on the roads for the catenary system. During the and cranes. The MultiMAX iis an alternative to transporting freight decades, Siemens Mobility installed trial, Sweden's transport authority equipped with hydraulic suspension by rail in a more sustainable way and tested a two-mile-long overhead Trafikverket and the district of and steering, an hydraulically lifting than simply putting more traditional contact line system for hybrid Gävleborg gathered data to see and lowering gooseneck and robust trucks on the road. electric trucks near the US ports of whether the system is suitable for double ramps. The platform is Developing eHighwys will have Los Angeles and Long Beach in further expansion, particularly as double-extendable up to a the additional benefit of sustainably November 2017. Three trucks the country has committed to maximum length of 33.5 metres. eliminating some of the limitations hauling freight run along the stretch ensuring its transport sector is At an African manufacturing of rail transport, such as a lack of of highway with select lanes independent of fossil fuels by 2030. level, Enugu-based Anambra Motor door-to-door service, impracticality electrified via an overhead catenary Moving away from ambitious Manufacturing Company over shorter distances and system. This catenary system mega-projects which require serious (ANAMMCO) has been busy building difficulties in reaching areas that are supplies the trucks with electric infrastructure investment, trucks since 1980 and in the past four years, production has been boosted, largely thanks to the N63bn investment made by the This Faymonville eight-axle semi- Dangote Group. The partnership trailer has become a familiar sight started in 2016 with an initial order at Ghana’s port of Tema. of 350 Trucks by Dangote when they signed an Transit Support Services (TSS), a subsidiary of ABC Transport. As of this year, 3,500 trucks have been supplied to Dangote from the ANAMMCO plant. Each of the trucks costs more than N18mn. Chairman of TSS, Mr. Frank Nneji said the revival of ANAMMCO was made possible by Dangote’s patronage “in identifying a plant that has capacity in the south-east, in Enugu to give us the opportunity to produce trucks locally instead of importing them.” ■ Image Credit: Faymonville Image Credit:
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MATERIALS HANDLING | TECHNOLOGY
The rise of the robots The materials handling market in Africa remains buoyant despite the COVID-19 pandemic and it is set to see a shift to leveraging new automation technologies and clean electric systems. Martin Clark reports. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit:
Electric forklifts are part of the new wave of material handling technology.
emand for all kinds of Africa, a glimpse into the future. states that the global warehouse (G2P), automated guided vehicles materials handling This is supported by another automation market is expected to (AGVs), automated guided carts Dequipment is expected to rise paper by Market Research Engine, nearly double from US$14bn in (AGCs), autonomous mobile robots as Africa’s economy matures, which also highlights the increased 2019 to US$27bn by 2025. (AMRs), unmanned aerial vehicles, coinciding with a push to further adoption of automatic materials Again, while other markets like and articulated robotic arms. automation and new technology. handling equipment. This, in turn, the USA may be far ahead, the “Further, AS/RS have the highest While the coronavirus pandemic has driven interest in new wireless potential for long-term development adoption rate because of their has derailed most business predictions technologies, artificial intelligence, right across Africa is vast. promising features such as increased for the year ahead, the region had and driverless vehicles, among “The warehouse industry across the inventory storage density, reduced been seeing a healthy growth across other innovations. globe is experiencing transformation labour costs, and increased all areas, from industrial trucks, In the USA, courier giant UPS at a rapid pace with the increasing inventory-picking accuracy.” storage and engineered systems, received approval for its drone adoption of different types of Environmental considerations are through to bulk materials handling. airline to expand delivery services − autonomous and automated robotic also increasingly important, a trend According to one research paper another sign of things to come. solutions,” says Frost & Sullivan’s that may accelerate post-pandemic. by Mordor Intelligence, the A June report by Frost & Sullivan Doraiswamy Bharath Sunderraj. In South Africa, Shumani, the combined Middle East and Africa says automated robotic solutions, Sunderraj highlights only black-owned and managed automated materials handling such as automated storage and technologies such as automated company of its size in the materials- market was worth US$853m in 2019 retrieval systems, have the highest storage and retrieval systems handling sector, identifies this as a and projected to rise to US$1.4bn by adoption rate in the industry. It (AS/RS), goods-to-person technology key trend shaping decisions. 2025 − an annual growth of around The company’s managing 8.3 per cent, driven in large part by director, Victor Nemukula, the push to more automation. Electric forklifts are becoming more says that electric forklifts are While much of Africa may lag becoming more popular due to behind more developed markets, it popular because of their lack of their lack of harmful emissions. perhaps offers higher growth It offers a range of forklifts and potential for materials handling harmful emissions.” brands that include Bendi, Doosan, firms going forward − and in more Crown, and Hubtex, including diesel sophisticated territories, like South VICTOR NEMUKULA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, SHUMANI and electric models. ■
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POWER | NEWS
MAN boosts generation capacity in Burkina WORLD BANK FINANCES Faso by almost 20 per cent INTEGRATION PROJECT MAN Energy Solutions is supplying three MAN The World Bank has approved US$385mn in 18V51/60TS engines for a power plant extension International Development Association (IDA) in Burkina Faso. Located in Kossodo, a suburb of financing to promote regional power the capital city, Ouagadougou. The extension will interconnections and to allow the Republic feed a 55 megawatts (MW) of electrical power into of Cameroon and the Republic of Chad to the national grid, thus increasing the country's increase electricity supply for their generation capacity by almost 20 per cent. The Solutions MAN Energy Image Credit: populations. plant is owned by the national energy supplier, The Cameroon-Chad Interconnection SONABEL, with local company Tecmon BF acting Project (CCIP) aims to interconnect the as main contractor. southern and northern power systems of “At present, only 30 per cent of Burkina Faso’s Cameroon, enable electricity trade between population has access to electrical energy. The Cameroon and Chad, and increase access to government now wants to change this and is The MAN engines being electricity in N’Djamena, the capital city of planning to significantly increase generation transported to Kossado. Chad. It will finance the first high-voltage capacity in the next years. We are proud of our interconnector in Central Africa, enabling contribution to this through our new engines in Kossodo,” said Waldemar Wiesner, head of MEA clean electricity supply available in the South (Middle East Africa) Region Power Plant Sales at MAN Energy Solutions. of Cameroon to reach its northern region The national energy supplier, SONABEL, has relied on power plant engines from MAN Energy and Chad, allowing millions of people in Solutions since 1978. In total, MAN has supplied electricity generation technology for five power plants, both countries to have access to reliable and which are still in operation all over the country. “As soon as the Kossodo power plant is extended, nearly affordable electricity. The project will 50 per cent of Burkina Faso’s installed capacity will be based on MAN technology,” added Wiesner. reinforce Chad’s power network and expand He further commented, “Not only the reliability of our engines, but also the high service quality that access to electricity in and around we have demonstrated over the years in maintaining various engines already in operation was decisive N’Djamena. It constitutes the first for winning this order. In addition, SONABEL has chosen an innovative engine setup for the power transmission backbone in Chad, and plant in Kossodo, making it by far the most efficient power plant in the country and clearly meeting supports the development of the country’s the emission guidelines of the World Bank.” solar potential in the future. It will finance a In Kossodo, the customer is relying on three MAN 18V51/60TS engines with two-stage turbocharging. programme to improve the operational and Gensets of this design have both a low- and a high-pressure compressor, which operate in series to commercial performance of the country’s deliver an increase in power density and efficiency. This simultaneously guarantees maximum fuel national power utility. efficiency and a more compact system design. Deborah Wetzel, World Bank director of Regional Integration for Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, said,“The new project well establishes the PANDEMIC SHOCKS GLOBAL ENERGY SYSTEM economic benefits of regional integration, The COVID-19 pandemic will have a fundamental impact on the world’s energy systems and on the pace and but it is also critical for improving access to direction of the global transition, according to the World Energy Council’s global survey of its extensive energy for some of the poorest communities network of energy leaders and experts in 61 countries. Dramatic cuts in spending and a reallocation of funds on the continent and therefore also helping into digital solutions and environmental sustainability are among some of the most significant changes likely to reduce inequality”. to emerge as a result of the crisis, which led to the biggest-ever decline in energy demand and sharply lower The CCIP will provide Central Africa with oil and gas prices. According to the survey, a third of energy companies plan to shed jobs; one in three plan its first transmission backbone, providing to shut one more business units; four out of five plan drastic cost reductions; four in 10 report cutting lessons and incentives to other countries that operational expenses (OPEX) by more than 10 per cent; a reduction of US$200-400bn in capital may well benefit from power trade, and expenditure (CAPEX) is expected; and 80 per cent of organisations are making reallocations in investments eventually driving a stronger consensus towards digitalisation, R&D programmes and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activities. towards regional power system integration.
BRIEFS
Report highlights need for renewables progress Global energy investment falls, IEA finds
Growth in renewable power has been impressive Global energy investment is expected to fall by 20 per cent or almost US$400bn this over the past five years, but too little is happening year, according to the IEA’s World Energy in heating, cooling and transport, according to Investment 2020 report. Power sector REN21’s Renewables 2020 Global Status Report spending is forecast to decrease by 10 per (GSR). “Renewable power beats all other fuels in cent, with investment in electricity networks growth and competitiveness. But the progress in down 9 per cent, spending on rooftop solar
Image Credit: Rob Lawrence/ Flickr Rob Lawrence/ Image Credit: the power sector is only a small part of the picture. installations has been strongly impacted and If we do not change the entire energy system, we FIDs in the first quarter of 2020 for new Image Credit: Tony Webster/Flickr Tony Image Credit: More progress is needed in are deluding ourselves,” said Rana Adib, REN21’s Spending on rooftop solar utility-scale wind and solar projects fell back renewable energy for transport. executive director. installations has fallen back. to the levels of three years ago.
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NEWS | POWER
Angola steps up development of renewable RED ROCKET LAUNCHED energy across four provinces The management in partnership with The Angolan government started a public Inspired Evolution’s Evolution II Fund has Angola is looking to install consultation on 29 May to determine the successfully closed a buy-out of Building 300MW of solar energy in the environmental impact of the planned US$400mn coming months. Energy’s Africa and Middle East business to two-phase project in the clean energy segment, launch the newly branded Red Rocket Group. funded by the World Bank and the French The new joint venture will see the re- Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit: Development Agency (AFD). The project aims at capitalisation and positioning of Red Rocket improving the distribution of electricity in four to become one of Africa’s leading emerging provinces. It expects to reform the structure of renewable energy independent power public companies in the sector with the aim of producers (IPPs). increasing access to affordable Energy for Evolution II holds a majority shareholding Angola’s underserved populations. According to João Baptista Borges, the Minister of Energy and Water, in the reconfigured IPP platform alongside 300MW of solar energy will be installed in the country in the coming months. management. It vis managed by Inspired The minister announced at the 3rd African Business Forum in February that the government is Evolution, an Africa-focused investment prepared to invest around US$ 500mn over the next two years in solar energy projects in the country as advisory firm that specialises in clean energy part of a strategy to increase clean energy generation, and bring electricity to the entire country, where infrastructure and resource efficiency 50 per cent of the population lacks access to reliable energy. investments. This follows the signing of an agreement last year by the Angolan state oil company, Sonangol, and The buy-out deal leverages the resources Italian major Eni to create a jointly controlled company, Solenova Ltd. to assess and develop renewable of multiple Development Finance energy opportunities in Angola. Eni and the Angolan Government also agreed to jointly develop the Institutions (DFIs) and international investors 50MW Caraculo Solar Plant in Angola s south western province of Namibe. Other IOCs are also looking together with local leading South African to invest in clean energy projects as they seek to increase their non-carbon footprint. investment institutions active across Africa, "We see many projects in the pipeline in Angola, in addition to those that are already ongoing. This to strengthen and forge stronger is a testament that the government is serious about boosting industrialisation with the help of partnerships for its African expansion. affordable energy. I believe these investments will pay off in the coming years and for generations to Headquartered in Cape Town, Red Rocket come,” said Verner Ayukegba, senior vice president of the African Energy Chamber. is an integrated renewable energy IPP that According to the minister, the Angolan Electricity Sector Development Plan and the Energy Security develops, designs, constructs, operates, and Plan point to the construction of a capacity of about 600 MW of solar energy in the country by 2022, owns utility-scale grid-connected renewable with the installation of around 30,000 individual photovoltaic energy production systems, in line with energy projects (wind, solar, hydro and the country’s National Development Plan 2018-2022. The Minister stressed that the government will biomass) with operations across Africa. open up the sector to competition from the private sector to achieve this goal. Matteo Brambilla, CEO of the Red Rocket Group, commented, “We are pleased to be partnering with Inspired Evolution ~who bring sector expertise and proven SOUTH AFRICA PROGRESSES NUCLEAR POWER project finance return performance to South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has published the Request For Information augment our efforts in building Red Rocket (RFI) in preparation for a 2,500 MW nuclear build programme. This is in line with the country’s 2019 into one of Africa’s premier long-hold utility Integrated Resource Plan 2019 which states that the Department will “commence preparations for a nuclear scale IPP platforms offering least-cost build programme at a pace and scale that the country can afford”. The consultations will enable the clean and reliable energy to African Department to gain insight into the cost of the programme, possible ownership structures, cost recovery, customers. Our auction successes under the end user cost and sustainability of the programme. the REIPPPP in South Africa and in select “Given the long lead-time of building additional new nuclear capacity, upfront planning is necessary for countries across Africa are testament security of energy supply to society into the future,” said the ministry said in a statement. to the innovation we continually apply South Africa announced in May that it planned to procure 2,500MW of new nuclear capacity by 2024. This to our renewable energy public and private will help to address power shortages because of problems at state utility Eskom’s coal-fired power plants. bid strategies.”
BRIEFS
Partnership for minigrids Hydroelectric dam to go ahead
Renewvia Energy Corporation, a global solar Morocco’s Themis Power has issued a Full Notice developer, and All On, a Nigerian off-grid to Proceed to French group Eiffage, to build the impact investor, have announced a partnership US$2.2mn Singrobo hydroelectric dam and power Image Credit: Adobe Stock Image Credit: to electrify rural communities unserved by station in Côte d’Ivoire, for commissioning in conventional utilities in the Niger Delta region 2023. The dam will be built on the Bandama river
of Nigeria. The agreement includes a Thomas Cizauskas/Flickr Image Credit: between Abidjan and Yamoussoukro in the villages commitment of US$1.2mn from All On to enable of Singrobo and Ahouaty. It will fuel the turbines of Renewvia to develop and operate solar a 44 MW power plant. The electricity will be sold minigrids to bring clean energy, and ultimately to the Ivorian national power utility, Cienergues, The minigrids will bring clean energy The dam will be built on the and spur economic development. spur economic development in the region. Bandama River. under a 35-year power purchase agreement.
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POWER | NEWS
Africa Development Bank approves loan for BBOXX LAUNCHES NEW Egypt’s electricity sector GLOBAL BRAND IDENTITY The Africa Development Bank has approved a BBoxx, a next generation utility, that 225 million euros loan to finance Egypt’s manufactures, distributes and finances Electricity and Green Growth Support decentralised solar powered systems in Program (EGGSP). The funding will help meet developing countries, has unveiled the the Government of Egypt’s financing launch of its new global visual identity, requirements in the light of the COVID-19 signalling its ambitions for the post-Covid-19 Image Credit: Saragoldsmith/Flickr Image Credit: pandemic, and support a sound electricity future. infrastructure base, a major enabler for the The business has achieved scale driven by private sector and for the country’s its innovative IoT technology and forging competitiveness. partnerships with multi-national firms, The EGGSP reform program seeks to investors, and governments across the globe. Tne funding will support a sound electricity infrastructure promote a sustainable, competitive and base. Bboxx’s US$50mn Series D funding round led diversified electricity sector that ensures by Mitsubishi Corporation, and joint venture secure supply and supports climate change mitigation and green growth. with EDF in Togo have been key turning “Accelerated deployment of the EGGSP reform program is instrumental to meet energy needs, points. It has also been expanding in key combat climate change and promote sustainable development in Egypt. This multi-partner programme markets Rwanda, Kenya and the Democratic provides a model for effective coordination among development partners to promote a green Republic of Congo (DRC) with Africa recovery,” said Minister of International Cooperation, Dr Rania Al Mashat. Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), “The EGGSP aims to improve the security of energy supply by increasing the share of renewable and providing energy to citizens in Togo, energy and improving the financial sustainability of the electricity sector with a view to ensuring DRC, and Rwanda by working with greater participation of the private sector in injecting more investments in renewable energy,” Dr governments. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, noted. Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and Co-founder, “Whilst the pandemic has put extreme pressure on the economy and the social situation, the Bboxx commented, “Ten years after we economic reforms undertaken by the Government of Egypt and the Central Bank of Egypt over the past founded Bboxx, the launch of our new global few years have helped create greater resilience and provide a buffer against shocks such as the COVID- brand comes at a pivotal time for our 19 pandemic,” said Yacine Fal, the Bank’s deputy director general for the North Africa Region. business and the industry. As Covid-19 has The financing provided under the EGGSP support will buttress measures being taken by the laid bare: the world is changing. We are Government of Egypt to combat the pandemic and to protect the most vulnerable during these difficult adapting as a business and are determined to times. It will also help stimulate new private investments in the electricity sector and increase the emerge as a stronger company, with a vital deployment of clean energy in line with Egypt’s targets for green growth. role to play in the green economy recovery. Our new brand will propel us forward to build for the future, with our customers’ energy needs at the very heart of this. GAS DEMAND IN TANZANIA FORECAST TO GROW “Bboxx exists to solve a major global Wentworth Resources, the independent, East Africa-focused natural gas company expects a significant problem: energy poverty. We are proud increase in natural gas demand in H2 2020 now that COVID-19 restrictions in Tanzania have been lifted. A to have provided clean, reliable and US$4.6mn work programme is underway to maintain well integrity and meet the growing demand. The affordable energy to over one million company’s core producing gas asset Mnazi Bay remains fully operational, with 2020 production guidance people across Africa and Asia – and we unchanged at 65-75 MMscf/day. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19; the health and safety of have only just begun.” employees remains the priority with robust precautionary measures in place. Bboxx now employs more than 800 people The power access gap in Tanzania is growing despite energy supply increasing, with a reported access globally across its HQ in London, with offices rate of only 32.7 per cent, leaving 7.7 million households without power. Natural gas will play a critical role in in Africa including in Rwanda, Kenya, Togo meeting the demand for cheaper and more reliable electricity as well as facilitating an enabling environment and the DRC, and manufacturing in China. for carbon-free renewable energy systems, such as hydro and solar.
BRIEFS
Nigeria’s PPI to commence MENA energy investments fall
The Nigerian government has approved the Committed and planned energy investments in the release of funding to kick off the pre-engineering MENA region according to APICORP’s 2020-24 and concession financing work streams for the investment outlook amount to USD792bn, a
Image Credit: dotun55/Flickr Image Credit: Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) power and USD173mn drop compared to USD965bn in 2019-
infrastructure upgrade and modernisation Sheila Sund/ Flickr Image Credit: 2023. This is largely attributed to the COVID-19 programme agreed to by the Nigerian government health crisis, the oil crisis, and a looming financial and Siemens with the support of the German crisis. Spending on renewables projects and government. The Nigerian government believes transmission and distribution networks were cut The project will increase the power supply as well as boosting that the project will increase power supply from Spending on renewables projects due to delays in project development, restrictions job opportunities. the current five megawatts to 25MW nationwide. has fallen. imposed and expectations of lower demand.
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POWER | GENSET REVIEW
Promising power supply across Africa Gensets continue to play a vital part in supplying back-up power to multiple industries. Abhishek Paul reports.
s the African continent proportion that has almost grapples with grid uncertainty doubled since 2000, the Volvo Penta’s new D8 Stage II and IIIA/Tier 3 and low power production, IEA found. engine further strengthens the company’s A range of industrial genset engines. the spread of COVID-19 in the region Achieving reliable is throwing up new challenges. electricity supply for all In particular, mining, would require an almost construction, and health sectors are fourfold increase, to struggling to supply reliable power around US$120bn a year for their operations. A case in point through to 2040, the is the health sector. Energy security report revealed. Growing urban seems to be a significant issue in populations mean rapid growth hospitals that rely on constant in energy demand for electricity supply to power industrial production, cooling ventilators, oxygen contractors and and mobility. other essential medical equipment. As per an estimate, only 28 per cent Power needs of health facilities in certain parts of Some 80 per cent of companies in sub-Saharan Africa have access to sub-Saharan Africa suffered frequent reliable electricity. power disruptions in 2018, leading expected Some of the major diesel genset to financial losses that curbed to gradually players in the African market, such economic growth. decline and as Himonsa, Caterpillar, Kohler “Operators are facing a power narrow the
Power, FG Wilson, Perkins and cost crunch. As 5G emerges, network price Penta Volvo Image Credit: Cummins, are offering healthcare operators face rising energy costs in difference power solutions to bridge the supply their mobile and data centre between diesel and gap. The back-up power products of networks and must adopt new gasoline, affecting the these companies are applicable in approaches to thrive,” according to consumption patterns and other secors such as mining, a new report from MTN Consulting. composition of generators,” says natural and construction and energy. Of course, it isn’t easy to be GMI Research study. macroeconomic Given the African region precise about this, but the report Additionally, the continuous factors, and old conditions, the factors responsible suggests that 5G could double or growth across several industries, infrastructure lead to erratic power for driving the growth of the Africa triple energy consumption in mobile including mining, oil and gas, leads supply or low production. diesel genset market include the networks. Site power requirements to the high adoption of such gensets Based on the power rating, the rising demand for electricity and the are a particular concern, suggests in these industries. less than 75kVA gensets are development of the industrial and the report. In countries such as Ghana and anticipated to lead the market mining sectors. Nigeria, the electricity during the forecast period due to its Favourable outlook infrastructure is highly inefficient, high adoption in various sectors Population growth Positive government measures of often suffering transmissions losses such as residential, telecom sectors, Despite being home to 17 per cent expanding the adoption of gensets and leading to a huge demand– and other sectors, reveals the report. of the world’s population, Africa pave the demand for diesel gensets supply gap, points out Prescient & The low cost of diesel gensets and its accounts for just 4 per cent of global in the market. Strategic Intelligence report. several applications spur the market power supply investment, according “For instance, gasoline is Additionally, the high investment growth in the region. to Africa Energy Outlook 2019. subsidised in Nigeria and is cheaper requirements for installing and “How Africa meets the energy needs than diesel. The subsidies are maintaining the grids, specific Innovations of a fast-growing and increasingly Following the unveiling of its Stage V urban population is crucial for its engines for mobile gensets in economic and energy future – and Achieving reliable electricity supply for all November last year, Volvo Penta has the world,” said Dr Fatih Birol, IEA further strengthened its industrial execute director. would require an almost fourfold increase, power generation product range. Last year, Africa accounted for The latest addition to the family – nearly 70 per cent of the global to around US$120bn a year through 2040.” the 8-litre D8 Stage II and IIIA/Tier 3 population lacking power, a engine – was presented to
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GENSET REVIEW | POWER
customers for the first time at Middle East Energy (MEE). The new Cat C18 diesel generator set with addition to the company’s genset high power density. product portfolio can deliver better power density and a compact design for its power class, as well as low fuel consumption and noise levels. “We are excited to introduce another new premium product to our customers with the launch of the Stage II and IIIA/Tier 3 D8 engine,” says Giorgio Paris, head of industrial at Volvo Penta. “With our strong range of products for power generation, our customers can Image Credit: CAT Image Credit: expect reliable, fuel-efficient and cost-effective engines which deliver an extremely attractive total cost of ownership throughout their service life.” Caterplillar's Cat C18 diesel generator set, capable of meeting The EMCP4 scalable control platform KD series of generators with the KD103V20, expanding the limits of power needs and emission targets ensures reliable generator set rollout of four new models ranging standby generators. with greater precision for operators operation, providing extensive up to 4500kVA (@50Hz) / 4000kWe MAN Energy Solutions is across Africa, is now available. information about power output (@60Hz), its most powerful systems supplying three MAN 18V51/60TS Engineered to maximise power and engine operation. on the market. These generators engines for a power plant extension output and reliability, the C18 Another gensets manufacturer, are powered by the company’s in Burkina Faso. Located in ratings are 706 to 850 kVA at 50 Hz. KOHLER-SDMO, has expanded its most powerful K175 engine, the Kossodo – a suburb of the capital It features a smaller footprint of up city, Ouagadougou – the extension to 37 per cent and offers excellent will feed a total of 55MW of power density. Compared to past The continuous growth across several electrical power into the national models, the main benefits of the grid, thus increasing the genset include reduced installation industries, including mining and oil & country's generation capacity by costs and low fuel consumption.The almost 20 per cent. generator set meets NFPA 110 gas, leads to the high adoption of “At present, only 30 per cent of loading requirements and ISO 8528- Burkina Faso’s population has access 5 transient response requirements. generator sets.” to electrical energy. The government now wants to change this and is planning to significantly increase generation capacity in the next years. We are proud of our contribution to this through our new engines in Kossodo,” said Waldemar Wiesner, head of Region Middle-East Africa, Power Plant Sales at MAN Energy Solutions. In Kossodo, the customer is relying on three MAN 18V51/60TS engines with two-stage turbocharging. Gensets of this design have a low- and a high-pressure compressor, which operate in series to deliver an increase in power density and efficiency, according to the company. This can Power plant expansion in Kossodo will feed simultaneously guarantee maximum additional 55MW of electrical power into the West African states national grid. fuel efficiency and a more compact
Image Credit: CIF Action/Flickr Image Credit: system design. ■
www.africanreview.com JULY 2020 | AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY 45 S13 ATR July 2020 News mining _ATR - New Master Template 2016 25/06/2020 08:31 Page 46
MINING | SOLUTIONS
PERU GOES GREEN WITH TRIO OF ELECTRIC EXCAVATORS
Marcobre S.A.C.’s Mina Justa Project is home to the first Hitachi electric mining machinery in the Americas. ZAMine, the local dealer and distributor for Hitachi mining equipment in Peru, delivered the three EX5600E-6LD (face shovel) machines in mid-2019. Image Credit: Hitachi Image Credit: The machines are serving as the main material-loading equipment on the Mina Justa Project, lowering Marcobre’s carbon footprint. ZAMine, as part of the Marubeni Group, is providing an important inventory of main components, spare parts and consumables for the machines which are covered by a labour-plus-parts (LPP) contract.
ZAMine’s product support team has joined Marcobre personnel during operation and maintenance of the electric excavators.
As part of ZAMine’s extensive support to the customer, its product support team has joined Marcobre personnel during operation and maintenance of the electric excavators.
MORE ABOUT MINA JUSTA PROJECT In Peru’s Ica Province, HCM customer Marcobre S.A.C. owns the Mina Justa Project. Once the project is complete, it will consist of two open pit copper mines and two processing facilities. The project is located near the town of Nazca, home to the world-famous Nazca lines – 2,000-year- old geoglyphs carved into desert sands. What makes Mina Justa Project special to HCM is that it’s the first site in the Americas to have Hitachi electric mining machinery. Image Credit: Hitachi Image Credit:
SANDVIK PRESENTS DR410I SIEMENS UNVEILS 80 GHZ COMPACT RADAR TRANSMITTERS ROTARY BLASTHOLE DRILL Siemens has introduced Sitrans LR100 series 80 workers' exposure to hazardous situations: no GHz radar transmitters, compact instruments need to climb tanks, lean out over sumps, or Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology with a narrow beam for flexible installations in crawl into confined spaces to maintain introduces the Sandvik DR410i rotary existing vessel openings, or even non- instruments. As well, zero-meter blanking blasthole drill to enhance safety, improve intrusively through plastic vessels. The distance allows measurement right up to the productivity and reduce cost. transmitters’ 80GHz high frequency is capable sensor, thereby avoiding costly overfilling. Compact, powerful and technologically of delivering reliable measurements even in All this performance is wrapped in an IP68 advanced, Sandvik DR410i is designed to challenging environments such as those with submersible housing constructed of corrosion deliver productivity and return on vapors, condensation, turbulence, or solids. resistant PVDF. Simple commissioning is investment for 6-97/8” (152-251mm) rotary The custom microchip technology offers fast achieved with the Bluetooth interface and the and DTH holes, with a standard mast response and high sensitivity to detect even the Sitrans mobile IQ App or the Sitrans RD150 offering a first pass capability of 10m or 33 ft weakest of signals. remote display. In remote areas connected to and a max depth of 46.6m or 153ft. The The series consists of three products: Sitrans the Sitrans RTU3030C remote terminal unit, extended mast option delivers a first pass LR100 for basic measurement to 8 metre, critical data can be transmitted as well as option of 14 metres or 46ft with a total Sitrans LR110 with communication and remote servicing can be performed. depth capacity of 32.3m or 106ft. across all hazardous approvals options and range to 15 Integrating critical level readings or process recommended pipe diameters. metre, Sitrans LR120 with communication, control data into operations can unlock new The Sandvik DR410i is automation-ready, longest range to 30 metre and optional opportunities to react to safety concerns, when equipped with our AutoMine submergence shield for flooding protection. analyse processes and identify areas for solution module which provides Two-wire loop powered with HART or optional improvement. Users can monitor level functionality for on-board and off-board Modbus RTU connectivity consumes low energy measurements or diagnostic and maintenance automated needs. and the fast start up is suitable for CSO information from the comfort of the control Sandvik’s new Guide Adapter enables (combined sewer overflow) applications. room or connect to Siemens MindSphere, the customers to achieve greater productivity. The transmitters’ dependable readings reduce cloud-based, open IoT operating system.
46 AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY | JULY 2020 www.africanreview.com S13 ATR July 2020 News mining _ATR - New Master Template 2016 25/06/2020 08:31 Page 47
MINING | NEWS
Anglo American Platinum briefly shuts COVID-19: MINEXPO 2020 ACP Phase B POSTPONED TO Anglo American Platinum has temporarily closed Anglo SEPTEMBER 2021 Converter Plant (ACP) Phase B unit due to detection of a water leak in the high-pressure cooling section. The National Mining Association (NMA), the “Our systems allowed us to bring the unit down pro- MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2020 sponsor, has
actively and safely. All employees evacuated the area Adobe Stock Image Credit: announced that it is postponing the event, safely,” the company said in a statement. the world’s largest mining-focused The detailed technical investigation into the cause equipment and technology convention held of the water leak shows localised damage to a single in Las Vegas, Nevada every four years, from cooler tube that is now being replaced and confirms the planned dates of 28-30 September, 2020, that this leak is unconnected to the repair work The repair of Phase A unit is progressing well until a new set of dates to be announced for and is unaffected by the ongoing work at ACP recently completed on the ACP Phase B unit. Phase B unit. September 2021. “A prudent approach will be taken to safely ramp up “Because NMA’s highest priority is the the ACP Phase B unit. Increased monitoring will likely result in intermittent stoppages to inspect the health, wellbeing and safety of exhibitors, plant until the repairs to the ACP Phase A unit are completed.” it added. attendees, stakeholders and their respective The stoppage of the ACP Phase B for repairs of this water leak is not expected to have any impact on families and colleagues, as well as event full year refined production guidance, which remains at between 3.1-3.6 million PGM ounces. partners in Las Vegas, the COVID-19 pandemic has made holding MINExpo in September 2020 impracticable,” the ALPHAMIN ANNOUNCES GRANT OF STOCK OPTIONS statement said. Alphamin Resources has announced that, subject to regulatory approval, it has granted stock options to NMA states that it is “working with our acquire an aggregate of 9,880,000 common shares to directors, officers and employees of Alphamin and its event partners to identify and secure the subsidiaries under its stock option plan. Each option is exercisable for a seven year period to acquire one necessary exhibition facilities and hotel common share at a price of C$0.20 per share. The options granted vest over a period between three and accommodations in Las Vegas for a four years from the date of grant. successful MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2021.”
www.africanreview.com JULY 2020 | AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY 47 S13 ATR July 2020 News mining _ATR - New Master Template 2016 01/07/2020 11:59 Page 48
MINING | SOLUTIONS
CAT LAUNCHES 966 GC WHEEL LOADER FOR WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS
Caterpillar’s new Cat 966 GC Wheel Loader is set controlled, planetary powershift transmission, to provide reliable performance and long-term designed and built by Caterpillar, and featuring durability in a wide range of applications, an electronic clutch, pressure-compensated,
including a number of tasks in governmental CAT Image Credit: single clutch shifting system for smooth, efficient applications that require a capable, versatile gear changes in all operating situations. machine that fits the budget. The field-proven Caterpillar Z-bar loader The Cat C9.3B engine, with a maximum gross linkage, with cast cross-member and tilt-lever, is power rating of 239 kW (321 horsepower) and designed to deliver both strong digging emitting equivalent to U.S. EPA Tier 3/EU Stage capabilities and high breakout forces with Cat IIIA emission levels, features a common-rail fuel Performance Series buckets. The load-sensing injection system designed for fuels available in implement hydraulic system continuously emerging markets. The 966 GC Wheel Loader is equipped with the Cat controls flow and pressure to precisely match An electronically controlled, hydraulically Product Link telematics system to enhance machine requirements of the operating situation. operating efficiency and to assist with preventive driven, variable speed cooling fan, combined maintenance and servicing. A range of available work tools includes a with the Cat Engine Idle Management System, selection of Cat Performance Series buckets results in lower fuel consumption and reduced debris environments. A high-ambient cooling (general purpose, rock, and light material sound levels. An optional automatic reversing package and cold-start system also are available. configurations), which incorporate a long floor, fan assists in cleaning cooling cores in high- The loader uses a 4F/4R electronically wide opening, and curved side plates.
GRAPHENE PROTECTIVE Sandvik guide adapter for reduced MATERIALS TO EXTEND LIFE IN MINING EQUIPMENT hole deviation First Graphene has announced that several new Sandvik Rock Tools is launching an PureGRAPH enhanced bucket liners have been new product for their bench- supplied by newGen to a second major iron ore drilling top hammer customers: producer in Pilbara, Western Australia. the guide adapter. It enables newGen use PureGRAPH high-performing customers to reduce hole deviation graphene additives from First Graphene to in challenging conditions by up to The guide adapter is now manufacture their ArmourGRAPH rubber wear 50 per cent and achieve available for T51 and GT60 Top Hammer threads in different diameters. linings with strength and wear characteristics, considerable cost savings. Image Credit: Sandvik Image Credit: increasing the life of wear linings and leading to Significant hole deviation significant productivity benefits for the mine. (greater than 8 per cent) can pose problems for many bench drilling companies that operate in The mine is installing PureGRAPH in other challenging ground conditions such as bad and soft rock, as well as deep overburden. This often process equipment such as conveyor skirting results in reduced productivity, safety risks and increased tool wear. products. PureGRAPH enhanced bucket liners “By using the Sandvik guide adapter, our customers achieved a hole deviation between 3 per have been successfully in service since the cent to 5 per cent - a reduction by up to 50 per cent - and also increased the service life of their middle of 2019 and as reported in February 2020 rock tools by up to 40 per cent. This truly has an effect on both productivity and in turn, these materials continue to outperform standard profitability,” says Fredrik Björk, product manager top hammer surface tools, rock tools division, rubber wear liners. Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology.
Advertiser’s Index
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SOUTH SUDAN | POWER
South Sudan energised by power development Ambitious projects led by the African Development Bank are paving the way for improved access to energy in South Sudan, as this young nation finds its feet amid low oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic.
espite the challenges of low oil prices and the Coronavirus pandemic, the African
D AfDB Image Credit: Development Bank (AfDB) remains positive about the future of the Republic of South Sudan. One of its current projects is to provide a city- wide power grid in Juba for the first time since independence in 2011. The US$38 million Juba Power Distribution System Rehabilitation and Expansion Project is lighting up the capital, promoting security and transforming lives and businesses. The project is on track to be completed at the end of 2020 in a city which hasn’t had a reliable electricity supply since independence. It will consist of a 145km medium voltage distribution line and a 250km low voltage distribution line connecting 145 new transformers, eventually reaching at least 20,000 domestic and commercial consumers. The Juba Power Distribution System Rehabilitation & Expansion project provides energy and employment. The Transitional Government of National Unity was established in compromised the country’s “recent water resource development and reports and project implementation February 2020. Flavio Soares Da economic recovery that was mainly sanitation service provision; and activities, will all be affected.” Gama, South Sudan country linked to the reopening of some oil natural resource management, South Sudan’s government has, to economist for the AfDB, says the fields located in Upper Nile and especially forestry development date, managed the pandemic well, power-sharing arrangement dictates Unity States, and the resumption of The bank believes promoting and by May, the country had ways for the management of oil production that helped to an sustainable development, job reported 655 confirmed cases, with economic and financial resources, increased GDP of 5.5 per cent in creation and poverty alleviation are eight deaths in a population of maps out the way forward for 2019, from -7.7 per cent in 2017.” top priorities, in addition to security 10.98mn. COVID-19 was a major transitional justice and Bukenya adds that “this is a clarion and petroleum sector reform. influence in the April decision by accountability, and moves towards a call for bold economic The AfDB’s 2020 lending OPEC and OPEC+, of which South permanent constitution. diversification away from oil, which programme for South Sudan, valued Sudan is a member, to cut oil output Da Gama notes that is long overdue.” at US$20.6mn, focuses on social and by 9.7mn barrels per day. implementing the peace agreement South Sudan could benefit by agriculture sectors and The government remains positive. has been slow and hampered by promoting economic diversification multisector/governance sectors. Eng. Awow Daniel Chuang, disputes over governance of oil-rich away from oil and investing oil Bukenya says, “None of these Undersecretary at the Ministry of states, such as Upper Nile, Jonglei revenues into agriculture and operations are likely to be impacted Petroleum, says the oil price war and Unity, the appointment of state infrastructure. Bukenya says the by COVID-19 if the pandemic is and pandemic have affected the governors and commissioners, and government could focus investment contained within six months, as country’s economy and investment control of Eastern Equatoria, with in the following: Resilience building planned activities will be conducted prospects. He says the country the COVID-19 pandemic further in agriculture, livestock and as scheduled. If the virus lasts will continue to ensure oil market complicating matters. fisheries; Renewable energy, beyond six months, preparation of stability. The ministry has embarked John Bosco Bukenya, AfDB’s development and electrification; for new projects included in the on a reform programme to make South Sudan country programme Electricity transmission; Road and 2020 lending programme, it more transparent and attractive officer, says that the disease has transport infrastructure; Enhanced preparation of project completion for investors. ■
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