BP is set to expand its presence in Egypt by exploring new oil and natural gas opportunities across six concessions, according to Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The announcement came during a meeting with BP’s CEO, Murray Auchincloss, where the company reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country. Madbouly highlighted BP’s 60-year history of operations in Egypt, during which the company has invested a total of $30 billion in developing its energy sector. At the
De Beers, the world’s leading diamond producer, has reduced diamond prices by over 10% in a significant move to address a prolonged market downturn. This marks a shift in the company’s strategy, which previously aimed to stabilize the slumping market by maintaining higher prices. The diamond market is experiencing one of its deepest slumps in decades. Initially triggered by a post-pandemic slowdown, the downturn has been exacerbated by inflation affecting consumer spending, a collapse in
Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote is leveraging the success of his 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery and petrochemical plant in Nigeria to advance discussions with Angolan President João Lourenço about building a new refinery in Southern Africa. The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, located at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos State, is the world’s largest single-train refinery and has already made a significant impact on the African energy sector since it began operations. By reducing
Galp, the Portuguese oil and gas company, has discovered light oil and gas condensate during its second exploration and appraisal program in Namibia’s Orange Basin. This discovery, near previous finds by Shell and TotalEnergies, builds on the success of its first campaign in license PEL 83. The Mopane-1A appraisal well, drilled by Saipem’s Santorini drillship, is located in blocks 2813A and 2814B at the heart of the Orange Basin, a rapidly emerging oil and gas
The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and Angola have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening collaboration in the rough diamond sector. Under the agreement, Antwerp will assist Angola in establishing a Group of Seven (G7) export verification point for rough diamonds. AWDC, which is already working with Botswana on a similar initiative, will provide Angola with technical expertise and guidance on diamond control and certification. “We can provide practical and technical tools
De Beers has unveiled its 2025 sales calendar, maintaining its standard schedule of 10 sights throughout the year. The diamond mining giant primarily sells rough diamonds to sightholders under a contractual system that ensures consistent supply in exchange for purchasing commitments. Recently, De Beers has adapted its approach by allowing sightholders to purchase fewer goods, addressing oversupply concerns and weak market demand. In December 2024, De Beers concluded its final sight of the year with
The Dangote Group, a prominent Nigerian multinational, has announced plans to invest in Angola’s mineral resources sector and collaborate with Sonangol to support the Lobito Refinery project. This announcement followed a meeting in Luanda on Tuesday between Dangote Group CEO Aliko Dangote and Angolan President João Lourenço. According to a statement from CIPRA, the discussions covered oil and gas production, sugar, and cement. Speaking to the press, Aliko Dangote highlighted the similarities between Angola and
Oman’s Maaden International Investment has been announced as the new shareholder in Angola’s Catoca and Luele mining companies, replacing the Russian diamond giant Alrosa. The announcement was made by Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, during a Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday. According to a statement from the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas accessed by VerAngola, Maaden International Investment, a subsidiary of the Sultanate of Oman’s sovereign wealth
A subsidiary of Oman’s sovereign wealth fund has taken over Russian sanctions-hit Alrosa’s stake in Angola’s state-controlled diamond miner, Catoca, according to Angolan officials. Angola had faced mounting international pressure to sever ties with Alrosa, the Russian state-controlled diamond giant and world’s largest producer of rough diamonds by volume. This pressure began in 2022 following Western sanctions imposed on Alrosa due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “From now on, we have a new partner who
Lucapa Diamond Company Limited (ASX: LOM) has announced the successful sale of four exceptional Type IIa diamonds from its Lulo mine in Angola, fetching a total of $2.67 million at a tender hosted by Angola’s national diamond marketing company, Sodiam E.P. High-Value Parcel Breakdown The 120-carat parcel included: The parcel achieved an impressive average price of $22,150 per carat, with the 45-carat white diamond securing the highest price per carat. Lucapa Managing Director and CEO
