Dutch floating production specialist SBM Offshore has reached an agreement to divest its entire ownership in the FPSO Aseng lease and operations business to GEPetrol, marking its planned exit from Equatorial Guinea. The company will undergo a transition period of up to one year before fully withdrawing from the country. According to SBM Offshore, this sale aligns with its ongoing strategy to optimize its leasing and operations portfolio, following a series of recent divestments. The
ReconAfrica is preparing to drill its second exploration well in Namibia’s Kavango Basin, bolstered by a fresh capital raise aimed at advancing its ambitious exploration program. The Canadian-based explorer announced plans to raise C$10 million (approximately US$7.3 million) through a public share offering, as disclosed after market close on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The offering is expected to close during the week of June 16. Proceeds from the raise will primarily fund exploration activities, including
Oando Plc has committed $550 million in crude prepayment to support the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s (NNPC) Project Gazelle—an initiative designed to stabilize oil revenues through forward crude sales. The investment was disclosed in the company’s audited 2024 financial results, marking a pivotal year highlighted by Oando’s acquisition of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC). The transaction, finalized on August 22, 2024, significantly expanded Oando’s asset base and improved its financial outlook. Group Chief Executive Wale
London-listed Petra Diamonds has sold 613,682 carats of diamonds for $53 million during its combined Tender 5 and 6 sales cycle, bringing total revenue for the financial year to $239 million from 2.39 million carats sold. Due to ongoing fluctuations in diamond prices and demand, Petra has moved away from fixed tender schedules. The company now reserves the option to delay parts of tenders or sell diamonds as run-of-mine. “Reporting tender results on a tender-by-tender
A subsidiary of Oman’s sovereign wealth fund has replaced Russia’s Alrosa as a shareholder in Catoca, Angola’s state-controlled diamond mining company, marking a significant shift in the company’s ownership structure. The update was reflected on Catoca’s official website. Endiama EP, Angola’s national diamond company, now holds 59% of Catoca, while Taadeen, the new shareholder linked to Oman’s sovereign fund, holds the remaining 41% stake—previously owned by Alrosa. The move comes after mounting international pressure on
Africa’s largest crude oil refinery, the $20 billion Dangote Refinery, has increasingly turned to U.S. oil imports to meet its feedstock requirements—despite Nigeria’s position as the continent’s top crude producer. The refinery, with a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), began sourcing significant volumes of U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland crude in 2025, according to Bloomberg ship-tracking data. During its early 2024 startup phase, American crude made up a smaller share of
Petrobras, Brazil’s state-controlled oil giant, has set its sights on Africa as its main growth market outside of Brazil, according to CEO Magda Chambriard. In an interview with Reuters, Chambriard disclosed that Ivory Coast has granted Petrobras preferential rights to acquire nine offshore exploration blocks in deep and ultra-deep waters. Additionally, Nigeria, Angola, and Namibia have all expressed interest in partnering with the Brazilian company. “We are experts in the eastern margin of Brazil,” Chambriard
Anhui Congo Mining Investment Company (SACIM) has emerged as the dominant producer of industrial diamonds in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the first quarter of 2025, accounting for 97% of the country’s total output. According to statistics released by the Technical Unit for Coordination and Mining Programming (CTCPM), a department under the Ministry of Mines, SACIM produced 334,505.81 carats out of a national total of 344,049.44 carats between January and March 2025. The remaining
Botswana President Duma Boko has announced the planned termination of over 1,000 workers at Debswana, the country’s joint venture with diamond giant De Beers, citing the ongoing global downturn in the diamond market. Speaking recently to civil servants, Boko attributed the decision to declining demand and sustained economic pressure across the diamond industry. However, the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) strongly condemned the announcement, criticizing the government for bypassing proper consultation processes. In a formal
Lucapa Diamond Company has entered voluntary administration as it seeks to restructure its capital and explore a potential sale of the business. The company announced on Friday that administrators from advisory firm KordaMentha will conduct an urgent assessment of Lucapa’s operations and assets, which include Brooking Diamonds, Heartland Diamonds, and Australian Natural Diamonds. Lucapa’s portfolio spans both Africa and Australia, with key assets such as the Lulo mine in Angola, the Merlin project in Australia—previously
