In a significant milestone for the Zambia Lobito Rail Project, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has signed concession agreements with the governments of Angola and Zambia for the financing, construction, ownership and operation of the transformational railway project. The agreements, which were signed yesterday in a ceremonial signing hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and the Biden Administration’s G-7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79), paves the way for the Corporation to spearhead and complete the development of the railway.

Last year, AFC was appointed lead developer on the Zambia Lobito rail project in collaboration with the United States Government, the European Union, the African Development Bank and the governments of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. The project involves the construction of approximately 800km greenfield rail line connecting the Benguela rail line in Luacano, Angola, to the existing Zambia Railways Line in Chingola, Zambia. Once completed, the trade corridor will facilitate the efficient movement of goods and promote investments in agriculture, health, digital infrastructure, mining, and electricity access along the corridor.

Concurrent to signing the concession agreements, AFC also signed an agreement to receive US$ 2 million grant funding from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) (https://apo-opa.co/3zINnnM), towards completion of the environmental and social studies for the project. The grant, which marks the first time the Corporation will tap into USTDA funding, will facilitate comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) to ensure that the Zambia Lobito Rail Project aligns with international best practices and environmental standards.

AFC will play the pivotal role of lead developer on the rail project which not only offers an efficient evacuation route for minerals and metals from the region but helps establish a trade corridor across Africa from the Port of Lobito on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to the Port of Dar es Salam in Tanzania on the coast of the Indian Ocean, facilitating global and intra-African trade. The railway is expected to create economic benefit of approximately $3 billion across both countries, reduce emissions by approximately 300,000 tons per year and add over 1,250 jobs across construction and operations.

The Honourable Minister of Transport for Angola Mr Ricardo Viegas d’Abreu noted, “We are pleased to partner with Africa Finance Corporation on this transformative project which will deepen our nation’s role as a regional logistics hub, boosting trade not only with Zambia but with the rest of the world.”

Mr Frank Tayali MP, Honourable Minister of Transport for Zambia added, “The Zambia Lobito Rail Project is an important milestone in our efforts to modernise infrastructure, enhance the competitiveness of our economy, and improve the livelihoods of our people. We look forward to partnering with Africa Finance Corporation to deliver on this groundbreaking project.”

“The Zambia Lobito Rail Project represents a game-changing development for the region, unlocking tremendous potential for trade, industrialisation, and socio-economic growth.,” said Samaila Zubairu, President&CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. “AFC is proud to partner with the governments of Angola and Zambia to deliver worldclass rail infrastructure, which will accelerate industrial development in Africa, promote regional integration and provide a vital export route for copper and other critical minerals for the global energy transition,” he added.

The corridor will provide an alternative strategic route to international export markets for Zambia and DRC. It will offer the shortest route for export and imports, linking key mining regions, agricultural clusters and businesses in Zambia and DRC to the Port of Lobito. It will significantly facilitate the movement of cargo from the Copperbelt and Northwestern Provinces, through Angola to the Western markets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Media Enquiries:
Yewande Thorpe
Communications
Africa Finance Corporation
Mobile: +234 1 279 9654
Email: yewande.thorpe@africafc.org

About AFC:
AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

Seventeen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 43 member countries and has invested US$13 billion across Africa since inception.

www.AfricaFC.org

inDrive (https://inDrive.com/en/home/) is celebrating a major milestone: the completion of 5 billion deals on its global mobility and urban services platform as of September, 2024. The landmark 5 billionth deal was sealed by a driver and passenger in Peru, marking a significant moment for inDrive since the company launched its innovative bid-based pricing model in 2012 with the goal of making ridesharing pricing fairer for both drivers and passengers.

In the years that followed, inDrive has expanded its mission of challenging injustice and improving people’s lives by extending its innovative bid-based model beyond ridesharing. These services now include city-to-city and intercity transportation, courier deliveries, freight services, as well as other urban solutions such as housekeeping and small home repairs. This growth and diversification reflect inDrive’s evolution from being the world’s second-most downloaded mobility app to a global multi-service platform operating across 46 countries.

Over the past 11 years inDrive has leveraged its strong product-market fit across diverse regions, demonstrating a unique ability to scale rapidly and secure leading positions across markets without disproportionately focusing on any single country. This underscores the global customer demand for greater freedom of choice and a desire to take back control from algorithms – precisely what the inDrive model provides.

Mark Loughran, President and Deputy CEO at inDrive, commented:

“I am thrilled to congratulate the entire team at inDrive and thank our loyal community around the globe  for having completed 5 billion deals – an important milestone that is a testament to the global scale inDrive has reached over the past decade. More than just a number, each of these transactions represents making a meaningful impact — whether it’s providing services in underserved areas, creating job opportunities, or helping support non–profit initiatives through inVision, which enables access to sports, art and educational opportunities in communities where inDrive operates. Our mission has always been to improve people’s lives, and with this milestone, we are even closer to our goal of positively impacting 1 billion people by 2030. This achievement fuels our commitment to not only sustainably growing our platform but also driving positive social change.”

Since launching ride-hailing, its core service, eleven years ago, inDrive passengers have traveled for a total of 123,500 years, covering a distance of 32 billion km. inDrive has also expanded to include a range of additional services, most recently launching financial services for drivers in Mexico, and continues to grow its operations and expand into new regions – including developed markets – worldwide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of inDrive.

Press contacts: 
Public Relations Manager – inDrive Africa
Lineo Thakhisi
Phone: +2781 3636 872
Email: lineo.thakhisi@indriver.com

About inDrive:
inDrive is a global mobility and urban services platform. The inDrive app has been downloaded over 240 million times, and was the second most downloaded mobility app in 2022 and 2023. In addition to ride-hailing, inDrive provides an expanding list of urban services, including intercity transportation, freight delivery, task assistance and  courier delivery. In 2023, inDrive launched New Ventures, a venture and M&A arm.

inDrive operates in 779 cities in 46 countries. Driven by its mission of challenging social injustice, the company is committed to having a positive impact on the lives of one billion people by 2030. It pursues this goal both through its core business, which supports local communities via a fair pricing model; and through the work of inVision, its non-profit arm. inVision’s community empowerment programs help to advance education, sports, arts and sciences, gender equality and other vital initiatives.

For more information visit www.inDrive.com

In a move set to significantly boost trade financing in Malawi, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has signed a landmark US$100-million Trade Finance Facilitation Facility (AFTRAF) agreement with National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Plc, the country’s largest bank by assets.

Representing the largest AFTRAF facility ever to be extended by Afreximbank in Malawi, the US$100-million AFTRAF agreement will enhance and maximize the capacity of NBM Plc to finance trade transactions of its clients in the manufacturing, energy and agriculture sectors.

Additionally, it will allow NBM Plc to issue letters of credit confirmed by Afreximbank, addressing the difficulty posed by a shortage of confirming banks lines. It will also support the importation of critical goods required by Malawi, including intermediate products for the manufacturing sector, fuel, pharmaceuticals and fertiliser.

The signing ceremony was held at Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo on September 24, 2024. Mr. Haytham ElMaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank Africa at Afreximbank and Mr. Harold Jiya, Chief Executive Officer, NBM Plc inked the deal on behalf of their respective organisations.

In his comments during the signing ceremony, Mr. ElMaayergi said: “Our support to National Bank of Malawi through the Afreximbank Trade Facilitation “AFTRAF” programme will have a significant impact on Malawi’s strategic sectors including manufacturing, agriculture and energy, by empowering them to import inputs and components to generate value-added exports.” He added, “this partnership seeks to sustain supply chains of these sectors to enhance the foreign exchange earning capacity of the country.”

Mr. El Maayergi added that the collaboration is expected to boost intra- and extra-African trade across NBM’s expanding geographical footprint in the southern African region by supporting corporates with financing products as well as capacity building.

On his part, National Bank of Malawi plc CEO, Mr Harold Jiya said the credit line is a huge step forward for the Bank and, more importantly, for the people of Malawi.

He explained: “This partnership will allow us to provide more financing solutions, especially for businesses engaged in international trade. As a Bank, we are committed to making international trade easier and more affordable for our customers. The Afreximbank credit line will help reduce the risks and costs associated with cross-border transactions, giving businesses of all sizes—from large corporations to small enterprises—access to the tools they need to thrive.”

NBM plc is an Afreximbank Trade Finance Intermediary, which allows it to collaborate with Afreximbank on transactions. It is currently in the process of reprofiling itself into a regional bank.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Afreximbank Media Contacts:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com

National Bank of Malawi Media Contacts:
Akossa Mary Hiwa
Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager
Email: ahiwa@natbankmw.com

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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

About National Bank of Malawi: 
National Bank of Malawi plc (NBM plc)  established in 1971 is the largest bank in Malawi and was listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange on 21st August 2000 with an over subscription of 3.4 times. It is currently one of the most liquid stocks and a key and vibrant player on the stock exchange. NBM plc operates 32 service centres and has a network of 135 ATMs and 1535 FastServe agents. The Bank owns 6 subsidiaries – NBM Development Bank, NBM Pensions Administration Limited, NBM Capital Markets, Stockbrokers Malawi Limited, United General Insurance Limited and Akiba Commercial Bank in Tanzania. 

In line with its commitment to unlock Africa’s energy market potential, pan-African legal, tax and business advisory conglomerate CLG has joined this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – scheduled for November 4-8 in Cape Town – as a platinum sponsor. During the event, CLG will participate in high-level panel discussions, workshops and project showcases, spotlighting lucrative opportunities across Africa’s entire energy value chain.

With a strong presence across both the regional and international market, CLG has established itself as the go-to advisor for global investors seeking commercial opportunities in Africa. The firm offers unique insight into the African energy market and leverages its expertise to support deals and new investments. At AEW 2024, the firm will facilitate deal-signing and negotiations in line with a shared goal to make energy poverty history by 2030.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Renowned for its innovative and flexible approach to meeting the diverse needs of its clients, CLG has supported various strategic projects in Africa. In May 2024, the firm negotiated a deal between Africa + Rain Cage Ltd. – a subsidiary of global cleantech firm Rain Cage Carbon – and Nigerian energy firm Sapele Power to decarbonize the Sapele Thermal Power Plant. The deal facilitates the adoption of carbon storage techniques, reducing the plant’s emissions while increasing power output by an additional 1,000 MW, thereby enhancing the reliability of Nigeria’s power grid. In December 2023, CLG advised Nigerian upstream firm Oranto Petroleum Limited on the renewal of its oil exploration license in Uganda, paving the way for new investments to unlock Uganda’s oil and gas potential. As Africa continues strengthen its environment for foreign investment, CLG is poised to play a more central role in supporting transactions.

Across both emerging and established energy markets in Africa, a slate of regulatory reforms and block opportunities are cropping up under efforts to boost exploration and production. Licensing rounds, for example, are expected to be launched in markets such as Nigeria, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Angola and more, providing access to strategic acreage. Given its experience in contract negotiation, CLG offers both guidance and strategic support for companies interested in participating in African licensing rounds. Further insight will be provided at AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024.

Meanwhile, as African nations revamp regulatory frameworks to create more favorable conditions for investors, CLG remains at the forefront of the continent’s energy market expansion, publishing regular insights and whitepapers to guide investors on the state of African energy policies. For example, Namibia is finalizing its local content development policy to increase local participation in energy developments and ensure the sustainable management of hydrocarbon resources. Similarly, the Republic of Congo is finalizing its Gas Master Plan to accelerate gas development and drive local involvement. To help global stakeholders navigate and capitalize on these regulatory changes, CLG released a report on Unleashing Africa’s Next Big Play: Namibia’s Emerging Oil and Gas Sector this September, highlighting prospects in Namibia and recent fiscal reform. CLG published similar reports in September and August 2024, offering guidance on regulatory changes in Nigeria and the Republic of Congo. At AEW: Invest in African Energy, CLG will explore the role of Africa’s evolving legal landscape in driving the expansion of the energy market.

“Africa is taking bold strides to revitalize its investment landscape by reforming laws and regulations. CLG has positioned itself as a reliable facilitator of deals between African stakeholders and global investors, fast-tracking the flow of investments and expediting project rollout,” stated NJ Ayuk, the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.