Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Simeon K. Ehui, who also serves as the Regional Director for CGIAR Africa, has led a delegation of senior members from the institute in a courtesy visit to His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio in Freetown.

Dr Ehui expressed the team’s gratitude to President Bio, emphasising that the day marked a significant moment in their shared journey towards realising the ambitious and transformative vision of the FEED SALONE agenda. He highlighted that their visit underscored the strong partnership between the government of Sierra Leone and the IITA and their collective commitment to a brighter future for the people of Sierra Leone.

Commending President Bio’s leadership and dedication to empowering and feeding Sierra Leoneans, Dr. Ehui stated, “The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture stands with you. Mr. President, as a steadfast ally in this endeavour, our reach extends across Africa and beyond, working hand in hand with partners like Sierra Leone to uplift communities and drive meaningful changes. His Excellency, IITA is here today to explore new avenues of collaboration with your esteemed office.”

He further added, “With the right funding, strong collaboration, and clear, demand-driven goals, the farmers of Sierra Leone will be equipped to harness the power of climate-smart agriculture and value-added technologies. This will translate into greater food security, improved health outcomes, and increased incomes for countless families nationwide.”

Dr. Ehui also assured that the benefits of their long-term partnership would extend far and wide, with Sierra Leone gaining access to stress-tolerant crop varieties, sustainable seed systems, safe food production technologies, post-harvest innovations, and value-added processes that will enhance nutrition and food security.

President Julius Maada Bio, in turn, expressed profound gratitude to the IITA team for accepting his invitation. He reiterated that agriculture was the cornerstone of his flagship programme, stating that Sierra Leone had the potential to feed its citizens. However, he pointed out that the country lacked essential elements such as seeds, methods to increase yield, and technical support, which was why he had extended the invitation to IITA.

The President shared his belief that treating agriculture as a business could become self-sustaining, eventually reducing the need for government support. He recalled how Sierra Leone used to export rice, cacao, and coffee, among other cash crops, but noted that despite having ample arable land and sufficient rainfall, the country was still importing rice. He urged the IITA team to help make agriculture more productive, thereby supporting employment and stimulating economic growth.

“You are a good partner, and as a government, we are looking for a strong seed system to boost our sector. Nigeria has done well in this area, and partnering with you is both laudable and timely. I am excited about this partnership because I don’t want to fail. I know you will bring lots of experience to the partnership. We want history to know that the IITA was part of our Feed Salone Initiative drive,” President Bio reaffirmed.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.

By Kadijah Amoah, CEO, Pecan Energies Ghana 

There are massive opportunities in emerging African oil territories. As the industry establishes itself, new energy businesses are laying the foundation for sustainable, long-term relationships that unlock prosperity for their host nations, writes Pecan Energies Ghana CEO Kadijah Amoah. 

With more African countries emerging as significant energy frontiers, and new discoveries in places like Namibia heralding the establishment of greenfields industries that could really boost (https://apo-opa.co/3SXO1Ep) regional GDP, there are likely to be many oil businesses entering the continent in years to come.  

It is interesting, then, to understand what energy companies are likely to face as they enter these new territories. For Pecan Energies, we have embarked on just such a journey, as we work to develop our interest in the offshore deep waters of Ghana. 

Pecan Energies is a uniquely African business, owned by Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a pan-African multilateral development financial institution with 40 member countries – including Ghana. 

Our African ownership roots instill a profound commitment to the continent’s economic development, an obligation to invest in creating jobs, building local capacity, retaining value on the continent and driving economic growth. 

Pecan Energies is currently in the pre-development phase of our investment (https://apo-opa.co/3Me7DAm), and making good progress towards Final Investment Decision (FID) on our 50 per cent participating interest in the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) block, 115km offshore Ghana. 

The Ghana oil industry 

The Ghana oil sector is itself in the early stages of its development, with the first commercial oil coming on stream in 2010, after the discovery of the Jubilee offshore field in 2007. Currently, Ghana produces around 170 000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and about 325 million standard cubic feet per day (scfd) of natural gas. 

By comparison, the Namibian discovery is projected (https://apo-opa.co/46TIWCU) to reach around 700 000 barrels per day (bpd) of peak production within the next decade 

The Ghana government has announced (https://apo-opa.co/3MavFfN) its intention to boost oil and gas production by continuing to sell exploration rights, in order to generate revenue to fund its energy transition and avoid economic turbulence.  

The Ghana oil sector may provide some clues as to how emerging frontier territories will develop. For Pecan Energies, while we advance through the early developmental phases of our project, we have looked to lay the foundation for strong local partnerships and ongoing opportunities to develop the domestic sector.  

This is not an overnight process, and we have already been active in Ghana for many years, since our first discovery breakthroughs.  

Local content planning 

In that time, we have been able to craft a robust local-content plan aimed at developing the local workforce in a progressive and realistic manner. 

Recently, we conducted an internal survey to establish the competency and skill sets of Ghanaian industry professionals and companies, and adjusted our local content plans and targets accordingly, aligning them with industry growth trends. 

With this in mind, we aim to build the capacity of young Ghanaians in the crucial areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), which we believe are essential for the future of the Ghanaian economy and the energy sector. 

Our Pecan Inspire Scholarship Program, focuses on prioritising investments in these educational subjects. We have so far awarded full scholarships to 141 students to pursue various courses at tertiary institutions across the country. More than a 1000 students have also received full scholarships to study at the senior high school level, all before we begin commercial production of oil. 

Empowering the workforce 

We have also been very deliberate with our human resource development investments. For instance, during our exploration-and-appraisal drilling campaign in 2019, we had a workforce comprising 70% Ghanaians on the deepwater rig at one point. This included all levels of expertise – from trainees and technicians to engineers and supervisors, exemplifying Pecan Energies’ commitment to empowering the local workforce. 

Our local content plan is geared towards the development of human capital. Currently, Pecan Energies Ghana boasts a 100% Ghanaian workforce. 

We are committed to ensuring that when we reach financial close on the next stage of our project, we will look to strike the balance between economic growth through oil production and the need to mitigate our climate impact. We will achieve this balance through several focused interventions: 

Balancing growth with sustainability 

Firstly, we will integrate sustainable practices into every phase of our operations. This includes, as far as possible, employing energy-efficient technologies and processes in our Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit, aiming to minimise emissions and reduce the environmental impact of our operations. 

Secondly, we are committed to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by conducting the best available technology assessments and energy efficiency design studies in the initial stages of project development. By optimising equipment and operational procedures, Pecan Energies aims to keep emissions as low as reasonably practicable. 

Thirdly, recognising the importance of social sustainability, Pecan Energies will continue to actively engage with local communities wherever we operate. This means not only ensuring that local populations benefit from the economic opportunities we aim to unlock, but also involving them in decision-making processes related to environmental conservation. 

Fourthly, we are fully compliant with Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) requirements, and we conduct thorough assessments before initiating any new projects. This helps to identify any potential environmental risks and also allows the company to implement mitigation strategies proactively. 

Finally, we plan to be a thought leader by leveraging pan-African and international engagement platforms – such as the forthcoming AOW event in Cape Town – to advocate for responsible exploration and production that truly benefits the community and the continent as well as increased investment in renewable energy by African countries. We believe this can be achieved by reinvesting the revenues derived from oil production into renewable energy initiatives. 

We are convinced that such a strategy will not only help mitigate the climate impact of oil operations but also contribute to the broader energy mix in host countries. 

We are playing the long game. New oil-and-gas relationships are being built in new frontier territories across the continent. For them to survive and prosper, they must involve all role-players and they must be designed – from the outset – to benefit the people of Africa.  

The 30th edition of AOW: Investing in African Energy takes place from October 7-10, 2024, at the CTICC2, Cape Town. AOW is the meeting place for the global community of African energy stakeholders committed to enabling a prosperous energy outlook for Africa. AOW is the only event providing a complete and inclusive view of the African energy opportunities – from investment to access. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

The DRC will be this year’s host to the longest-running Internet development conference in Africa. From 20-24 August 2024, AfPIF will bring together infrastructure, service, and content providers to identify ways to improve network interconnection, lower the cost of connectivity, and increase the number of Internet users in the region. 

The event, which takes place at the Hilton Hotel in Kinshasa, will provide participants with global and regional insights to maximize opportunities to help grow resilient Internet infrastructure and affordable services in Africa. Organized by the Internet Society (ISOC) and the African IXP Association (AFIX) in collaboration with the Internet Service Providers Association of DRC, the conference will feature more than 500 participants representing companies across the continent and globally, including Meta, Amazon, Netflix, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, the Internet Initiative Japan Lab, among others.

AfPIF was created to address the fact that most of Africa’s local Internet traffic is exchanged outside the continent. This results in slower speeds and increased costs. In the 14 years since its launch, Internet traffic exchanged within Africa has gone from 160 Mbps to over 4.6 Tbps. Key to this growth is the use of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). IXPs interconnect private, public, and academic networks, allowing them to exchange traffic locally. This improves the quality of service, makes local hosting viable, lowers the cost-of-service delivery, and increases fault tolerance.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a market of 100 million people that borders nine countries and the Atlantic Ocean, is on the verge of a digital transformation. New cross-border backbone, metro fiber, and data center infrastructure are poised to bring Congo online and enhance regional integration. This will improve livelihoods, facilitate commerce, and promote cultural exchange,” said Kyle Spencer – Board Chair and Executive Director of the African IXP Association (AfIX).

“We are honored to host this year’s conference. The importance of IXPs in contributing to the development of the Internet in Africa cannot be overstated. We now have three IXPs in DRC that help provide fast, affordable Internet access to over 30.017.072 people, said Nico TSHINTU BAKAJIKA, President of the ISPA DRC.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Internet Society .

For more information, please contact:
The African IXP Association
Kyle Spencer
kyle@stormzero.com

ISPA DRC:
Nico TSHINTU BAKAJIKA
n.tshintu@ispa-drc.cd

Internet Society
Allesandra deSantillana
desantillana@isocfoundation.org

About the Internet Society:
Founded by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society (ISOC) is global charitable organization dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution and use of the Internet. Working through a global community of chapters and members, the Internet Society collaborates with a broad range of groups to promote the technologies that keep the Internet safe and secure, and advocates for policies that enable universal access. The Internet Society is also the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

About The African IXP Association:
The African IXP Association (AFIX) is a group of Internet exchange point (IXP) operators, brought together by a shared need to coordinate and exchange knowledge. IXPs facilitate large-scale network interconnection and traffic exchange, thereby creating a source of fast, local, cost-effective bandwidth. Our purpose is to provide an enabling environment for IXP operators in the African region in order to help them improve connectivity within the continent and to increase the Internet’s value for all.

In a significant move poised to reshape Ghana’s energy landscape, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has broken ground on the first phase of the ambitious Petroleum Hub Project.

The ceremony, held on August 19, 2024, in Nawule, Jomoro, Western Region, marks the commencement of a transformative journey aimed at creating a modern, diversified, and financially sustainable energy economy for the country.

The Petroleum Hub Project, which carries an estimated total cost of $12 billion, is designed to elevate Ghana’s standing as a key player in Africa’s energy sector. The hub, which will be developed in three independent phases, is set to include a 300,000 barrels per day (bpsd) refinery, a petrochemical plant, and extensive storage and port facilities. The project’s scale and ambition highlight Ghana’s commitment to addressing its energy challenges and leveraging its resources for long-term growth.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, President Akufo-Addo expressed his optimism about the project’s potential to transform Ghana’s economy. “Today is a very good day for our homeland, Ghana,” he remarked. “This project promises to be a cornerstone of our nation’s development, ensuring that all Ghanaian homes and industries have access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy.”

The President underscored the strategic importance of the project, noting that it would not compete with existing refineries in the region but rather complement them, with a focus on serving the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market. The hub is expected to create approximately 780,000 direct and indirect jobs, stabilize the national currency, and stimulate local economic development.

President Akufo-Addo also highlighted the environmental considerations embedded in the project, emphasizing the incorporation of cutting-edge technology and green buffers to support local fauna and flora. “We envision a facility that will be a benchmark for crude and petroleum product pricing in Africa,” he stated, stressing the project’s alignment with global environmental sustainability standards.

The first phase of the project, led by the TCP-UIC Consortium, represents a crucial step towards achieving Ghana’s energy goals. The consortium, comprising several international and local partners, has been chosen for its technical expertise and financial capacity to deliver on the project’s ambitious timelines. President Akufo-Addo assured the consortium of the government’s full support, stating, “Your success is our priority.”

In addition to the economic and environmental benefits, the project is expected to have a profound social impact, particularly in the Jomoro enclave. The President announced the allocation of GH¢200 million by the Ministry of Finance for land compensation to affected communities, recognizing the generous contributions of the Chiefs and people of Jomoro who have offered their land for the project.

The project is also expected to lead to the establishment of the Jomoro Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (JPHDC), with its headquarters in Jomoro. The President directed the Ministry of Energy to ensure the training of 200,000 skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled Ghanaians in preparation for the project’s takeoff, with a significant portion of these workers coming from the Jomoro area.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by key stakeholders, including government officials, traditional leaders, and representatives from the private sector. President Akufo-Addo commended their dedication and collaboration, which have been instrumental in bringing the project to fruition. He called on all stakeholders to unite in making the Petroleum Hub Project a reality, emphasizing its importance for future generations.

As Ghana embarks on this bold initiative, the Petroleum Hub Project stands as a testament to the nation’s determination to achieve energy independence, economic diversification, and sustainable development. The journey ahead is filled with challenges, but with unwavering commitment and collective effort, Ghana is poised to secure a brighter and more prosperous future for all its citizens.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.