vb

twitter Facebook Linkedin acp Contact Us

Top Stories

Grid List

Sogara set to bolster refining capacity in Gabon (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Energy

Technip Energies has been awarded two front-end engineering design (FEED) contracts by Société Gabonaise de Raffinage (Sogara) for its refinery in Port-Gentil, Gabon

The FEED scope covers both the revamp and the expansion of the existing refinery.

"We are pleased to have been entrusted by Sogara with these two contracts, which reflect our recognised expertise in both brownfield optimisation and complex greenfield project development,” said Loïc Chapuis, president project delivery & services at Technip Energies.

The first contract covers the FEED for debottlenecking Sogara’s existing refinery.

It targets key process units and includes a new kerosene sweetening unit and four new storage facilities.

Technip Energies will ensure full process integration across existing and new units.

The second contract covers the FEED for a new, modularised hydrocracker complex designed to significantly expand refining capacity.

The scope also includes various infrastructure works, including a new marine jetty and offloading facility.

Chapuis said that Technip Energies will leverage its engineering and integration know-how into the projects, including its proprietary Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) technology for hydrogen production.

“The new hydrocracker complex demonstrates our ability to combine engineering excellence, technology integration, and our proprietary SMR hydrogen technology to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions,” Chapuis added.

Both projects are designed to meet Africa 5 fuel quality standards – the continent’s most stringent specifications for sulphur content in transportation fuels – supporting a meaningful reduction in sulphur emissions and improved air quality for local communities.

They will also support Gabon’s economic development and local employment.

“This award reinforces our commitment to modernising refining infrastructure across Africa and creating lasting value for our clients and local communities,” said Chapuis.

Read more:

Power and telecom firms join Mission 300 initiative

Renewable capacity hits record global expansion levels

Hybrid power: energy security for mines in Africa

Metso opens Cape Town's bulk handling hub

Construction

Metso has strengthened its global Bulk Material Handling (BMH) network with the launch of a new regional hub in Cape Town

The facility enhances access to advanced automation technologies and engineering expertise, supporting bulk material handling and port customers across Africa. This development represents another milestone in Metso’s ongoing strategy to expand its capabilities in key markets.

The Cape Town hub reinforces Metso’s presence across Southern Africa, building on an established and growing installed base of equipment in the region. Operating within the same time zone, the hub enables faster technical assistance, more efficient issue resolution, and closer alignment with customer operations.

Facilitating market expansion and advancing talent development

Metso has maintained a long-standing relationship with Transnet, the state-owned enterprise responsible for the country’s port, rail and pipeline infrastructure.

“Bringing technical support closer to the operation is a practical step towards improving reliability and performance, and this partnership with Metso enables us to do that in a more structured and sustainable way,” commented Jabu Mdaki, CEO, Transnet Port Terminals.

“The African market is growing rapidly, and strengthening our regional presence is essential. Metso is well-recognized among the key companies in the region, reflecting our longstanding reputation and trusted partnerships within the local industry,” stated Ian Barnard, president, Africa Market Area, Metso.

The hub employs around 60 professionals who provide a wide range of services across the continent, including lifecycle support, modernisation solutions and technical expertise. Beyond direct employment, Metso also contributes to the local economy through engagement with consultants, suppliers and contractors.

In addition, the facility supports the development of regional industrial capabilities by fostering skills growth, particularly among younger professionals, and strengthening the broader workforce. This investment enhances the operational landscape for Port Solutions in South Africa and across the wider African market.

Full lifecycle support in bulk material handling

With more than 100 years of experience and over 8,000 bulk material handling installations worldwide, Metso continues to play a leading role in the sector.

The new hub builds on Metso’s global expansion efforts, including its recent acquisition of MRA Automation, aimed at strengthening its expertise in advanced automation and digitalisation. These capabilities will now be extended to customers in Africa, enabling the adoption of digital tools to improve reliability and optimise performance. The company has also expanded its footprint in North America with a new engineering hub in Pittsburgh.

Metso’s bulk material handling portfolio includes equipment such as railcar dumpers, apron feeders, belt feeders, conveyors, stackers, reclaimers, ship loaders and unloaders, as well as cable belt conveyors and smart automation systems. Known for its expertise in design, supply and lifecycle services, Metso delivers tailored solutions that address evolving customer requirements across the full operational lifecycle.

Metso crushing and screening equipment in operation, backed by Pilot Crushtec’s strong regional service network and technical expertise. (Image source: Pilot Crushtec)

Mining

Pilot Crushtec has been named Metso’s Best Dealer in the EMEA region, a prestigious international accolade recognising the company’s strong commercial performance, customer support strength and long-standing commitment to delivering high-value crushing and screening solutions across Africa

The award positions Pilot Crushtec among Metso’s top distributors globally, while specifically recognising its leading performance across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It also reflects the company’s sustained sales success, technical capability and customer-focused service approach across its Southern and sub-Saharan African territory.

According to Francois Marais, sales and marketing director at Pilot Crushtec, the recognition marks an important milestone for the business and highlights the collective effort of its people.

“This recognition is a significant achievement and a powerful testament to the commitment, expertise and passion of our entire team,” commented Marais.

“Being recognised on an international stage among leading distributors including others across Europe, the Middle East and Africa reinforces our position as a trusted partner and industry leader.”

Marais says several factors contributed to the company securing the award, including continued market growth across Southern and sub-Saharan Africa, robust aftermarket support capabilities and deep product and application knowledge.

“Our consistent sales performance and market growth across Southern and Sub-Saharan Africa has been a key contributor,” explained Marais.

“Despite challenging market conditions in many sectors, we have continued to grow the presence of Metso’s crushing and screening solutions in the region.”

He adds that Pilot Crushtec’s established service teams, technical expertise and parts availability ensure customers receive dependable support throughout the full equipment lifecycle.

“Our team works closely with customers to understand their operational requirements and provide solutions that optimise productivity, efficiency and long-term value,” said Marais.

The recognition follows the recent five-year renewal of Pilot Crushtec’s distributorship agreement with Metso, further underlining the strength of the partnership and ensuring customers across Southern and sub-Saharan Africa continue to access globally recognised crushing and screening technology.

“The five-year renewal of our distributorship agreement with Metso is extremely significant for Pilot Crushtec’s long-term strategy and reinforces the strength and stability of our partnership,” Marais says.

Through the renewed agreement, Pilot Crushtec will continue supplying Metso’s static and mobile crushing and screening equipment to customers operating in some of the region’s toughest mining and quarrying environments. It also supports ongoing investment in technical training, spare parts availability and support infrastructure.

Customers benefit from the combination of world-class technology and strong local backing, with Pilot Crushtec maintaining strategic stock of equipment, wear parts and critical components to minimise lead times and maximise uptime.

“Our highly trained service teams work closely with Metso to ensure that customers receive expert installation, commissioning, maintenance and troubleshooting support,” Marais explained. “This ensures machines operate at optimal performance levels throughout their lifecycle.”

The company’s aftermarket portfolio includes genuine spare parts, wear parts, service agreements, technical upgrades and operator training, helping customers maximise productivity and long-term returns.

Looking ahead, Pilot Crushtec plans to build on the latest recognition by expanding its footprint across Africa and further strengthening its support and service capabilities.

“Our priority is to continue delivering exceptional value to our customers and strengthening our position as a leading provider of crushing and screening solutions in Africa, while continuing to build our broader presence and reputation in the global market.,” Marais commented.

This will include broader reach across Sub-Saharan Africa, increased equipment availability and continued enhancement of its aftermarket support network to deliver fast and reliable service wherever customers operate.

“We will also continue investing in skills development and technical training to ensure our teams remain at the forefront of industry expertise and are fully equipped to support the latest technologies from Metso,” he concludedPilot Crushtec Secures Metso EMEA Dealer Honour.

By combining deep regional understanding with global technology partnerships, Pilot Crushtec continues to support the growth and performance of Africa’s mining, quarrying and construction sectors.

Brazil Africa trade link launched

Logistics

DP World has introduced a new integrated logistics corridor linking Brazil with Africa, aimed at improving trade connectivity between Latin America’s largest economy and rapidly expanding African markets

Named the Brazil-Africa Link, the new service was launched during Intermodal South America 2026 in São Paulo. It offers a fully integrated end-to-end logistics solution connecting export cargo from the Port of Santos to DP World’s operations in Angola and Mozambique, with additional support from its wider logistics network in South Africa.

Developed under a “one-stop shop” model, the corridor combines ocean freight services with inland logistics capabilities, allowing customers to manage their complete supply chain through one provider. The platform provides access to three port terminals, 52 warehouses and a fleet of more than 4,250 vehicles, helping improve efficiency, visibility and reliability across cargo movements.

The service is intended to support major Brazilian export industries such as animal proteins, agricultural commodities and consumer goods. It is designed to help exporters improve transit certainty, lower operational complexity and widen access to African markets.

Fabio Siccherino said, “This Brazil-Africa Link simplifies the journey for Brazilian exporters to a market with enormous growth potential. By integrating the entire logistics chain – from port of origin to final delivery – we reduce complexity, increase predictability, and enable our customers to unlock new business opportunities between Brazil and Africa.”

Mohammed Akoojee said: "The Brazil-Africa Link marks a transformative step in connecting Latin America's largest economy with high-growth markets across Africa. This integrated logistics corridor leverages our investments in port infrastructure, economic free zones, and digital technology across Angola, Mozambique, and South Africa to enable growth, create jobs, and deepen economic partnership between our continents."

Expanding integrated logistics in Brazil

DP World said it is continuing to strengthen its end-to-end logistics presence in Brazil through three strategic areas:

Ports and Terminals: The company operates one of Brazil’s leading multipurpose terminals at the Port of Santos, which serves as the foundation of its local operations and supports increasing container and bulk cargo volumes.

Freight Forwarding: DP World manages six freight forwarding offices across Brazil, providing multimodal transport services covering ocean, air and road freight, alongside warehousing, container freight station (CFS), insurance and customs clearance solutions.

Contract Logistics: The business is also expanding warehousing capacity through multi-client facilities in São Paulo and Espírito Santo, delivering integrated B2B services covering storage, distribution, reverse logistics and value-added solutions.

Strengthening Santos capacity

DP World is also investing further in capacity growth and operational capability at its Santos terminal, reinforcing its status as a strategic South American trade gateway. Following a record 2025, during which the terminal handled 1.3 million TEUs and 5 million tonnes of pulp, the company is advancing investments worth more than R$2 billion (approx. US$400 million).

These upgrades include quay expansion, new equipment, a new berthing pier and the development of a grains and fertilisers terminal in partnership with Rumo, with annual handling capacity of up to 12.5 million tonnes.

A further R$1.6 billion (approx. US$320 million) investment is expected to lift container handling capacity to 1.7 million TEUs by 2026 and 2.1 million TEUs by 2028.

DP World said these investments reinforce the infrastructure supporting the Brazil-Africa Link, connecting expanded Santos port operations with its African logistics network to create more resilient and dependable trade corridors between Brazil and fast-growing African markets.

Trade finance to unlock business in Angola

Finance

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched a new trade finance guarantee scheme to support Angolan businesses in association with local banks

The facility is provided to Banco de Fomento Angola (BFA) under the Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP), an initiative of the IFC, the World Bank’s private finance arm.

It is open to firms including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to secure the inputs they need, deliver to customers on time and sustain and create jobs across key value chains.

By de‑risking trade transactions and improving the reliability and speed of cross‑border payments, the facility will strengthen supply chains, support more diversified growth, and deepen Angola’s integration into regional and global markets, the IFC said in a statement.

“Trade finance keeps businesses going,” said Makhtar Diop, IFC's managing director.

“Working with BFA, we’re helping Angolan firms access vital imports, trade more smoothly across borders, and create jobs, strengthening supply chains and the wider economy.”

Trade finance remains a “binding constraint” for many African firms, the IFC noted.

The continent faces an estimated trade finance gap of roughly US$100bn to US$120bn annually, with SMEs disproportionately affected, despite representing over 90% of businesses and accounting for about 80% of employment in Africa.

The new trade finance facilityis expected to unlock trade, boost businesses and support jobs in Angola, where access to foreign exchange and limited correspondent banking relationships have complicated cross-border payments, making it harder for firms to source inputs and fulfil orders.

These constraints impact sectors like food and agriculture, where Angola imports a substantial share of its consumption needs and firms require steady access to inputs; recent assessments indicate Angola imports over half of its food, underscoring the importance of reliable trade finance to keep supply chains flowing.

Through the Global Trade Finance Programme, IFC’s guarantees will back BFA’s issuance of trade instruments, such as letters of credit, trade‑related promissory notes and bills of exchange, and standby instruments including bid and performance bonds and advance payment guarantees.

By de‑risking cross‑border transactions, the facility is designed to help BFA grow its trade portfolio, broaden its network of counterparties, and expand access to trade finance for Angolan firms across sectors, including agribusiness, manufacturing and essential goods.

The goal is to strengthen Angola’s integration into regional and global value chains while relieving pressure points that often hinder SMEs from scaling and creating jobs.

“We are confident this partnership will have a positive impact not only on communities but also on the Angolan economy,” said Luís Roberto Gonçalves, BFA’s CEO.

It means BFA will have more instruments at its disposal to finance SME enterprises in productive sectors of the economy, boosting food production and distribution, enhancing food security and creating jobs.

“This partnership reaffirms BFA’s commitment to scaling solutions that advance the development of Angola’s financial system and reinforce the trust our clients and partners place in us.”

It also aligns with the World Bank’s strategy to grow access to finance in Angola's private sector as a means of unlocking economic growth.

Reliable trade finance will ensure access to fertiliser and seeds for farmers, packaging and raw materials for manufacturers, and spare parts and equipment for service providers.

Read more:

Vantage Capital, Greenpoint funding to boost SolarAfrica

South Africa's US$8bn windfall from Afreximbank entry

AFC confirms Nigeria power bond issue

 

Terra Industries expands in Ghana with Pax-2 drone factory. (Image source: Terra Industries)

Manufacturing

Terra Industries, a company focused on autonomous security systems designed to protect Africa and its critical infrastructure, has announced the construction of Pax-2, its second manufacturing facility

The new 34,000-square-foot drone production site in Accra will become Terra Industries’ main regional defense manufacturing hub for drone and counter-drone systems.

The announcement comes after the company secured US$34mn in funding to expand manufacturing capacity, speed up deployments, and strengthen engineering teams in Nigeria and allied African nations.

Pax-2 will be Terra’s second Pax Factory, following the 15,000-square-foot Pax-1 flagship site in Abuja. Once fully operational, Pax-2 is expected to become the largest drone factory in Africa, exceeding the scale of Pax-1. By 2028, the facility is projected to reach annual production capacity of 50,000 units across Terra’s aerial systems portfolio.

The Ghana operation is expected to create 120 engineering jobs and run on a continuous production schedule to meet increasing regional demand. Systems to be manufactured there include the Archer VTOL, a long-range surveillance and strike platform; the Iroko UAV, built for rapid tactical deployment; and Terra’s latest platform, Kama, a high-speed interceptor drone developed for counter-drone defense.

Kama is capable of speeds up to 300 km per hour and has been designed for large-scale production to meet growing demand for kinetic interception capabilities.

The expansion into Ghana supports Terra’s broader objective of developing Africa’s sovereign defense-industrial base. It also comes at a time when conflict dynamics are shifting across the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa, where non-state actors are increasingly using modified commercial and fibre-optic drones as attack systems. Similar tactics seen in recent conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are driving demand for integrated defense solutions combining surveillance, electronic warfare and kinetic response.

“ The only way Africa can have lasting peace is by uniting to build sovereign defense, not by relying on foreign security architecture. We need to control our own destiny by building the tools and systems needed to protect ourselves. That's how this continent defeats terrorism. This is the beginning of that vision playing out more concretely, and we chose Ghana for Pax-2 because of its talent, strategic position, and political will to become a serious defense exporter and prove that this can be done at scale,” commented Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and CEO of Terra Industries.

Construction of Pax-2 is currently in its final phase, with the facility expected to become fully operational by the end of June 2026.

Terra Industries said the Pax Factories network is central to its long-term Pax Africana vision, centred on achieving lasting peace through African security sovereignty and a future where the continent builds, deploys and controls its own defense technologies.