De Beers has reported an 11% year-on-year decline in rough diamond production for the first quarter of 2025, totaling 6.1 million carats. The drop reflects the company’s continued production adjustments in response to prolonged weak market demand, according to its quarterly production report released on April 24. In Botswana, output declined by 8% to 4.6 million carats, in line with planned production cuts. Namibia’s production remained steady, as lower output from Debmarine Namibia was offset
Algeria is set to launch a strategic partnership with China aimed at revolutionizing its renewable energy sector through local solar panel manufacturing. The upcoming investment agreement is expected to mark a significant step toward expanding the country’s clean energy capacity and reducing reliance on imported technology. According to a statement from the Algerian Ministry of Industry, local industrial group Elec will sign a cooperation deal this week with Chinese solar giant LONGi Green Energy Technology
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has inaugurated a 6.3-megawatt solar power plant in the Union of the Comoros, funded with AED 25.7 million (US$7 million). This milestone project significantly boosts the country’s energy infrastructure, meeting growing electricity demand while promoting sustainable development. The plant provides clean and reliable electricity to the capital city of Moroni and surrounding areas, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, cutting carbon emissions, and improving the quality of life for
Egypt has launched a renewed oil exploration campaign in the Gulf of Gharib, a region in the Eastern Desert, with plans to drill 75 new wells over the next year. The initiative is being led by the state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), which is deploying three advanced drilling rigs to accelerate development in this modest but strategically important oil-producing region. Currently producing around 1,500 barrels per day, the Gulf of Gharib is expected to
Turkey’s largest oil refinery, Tüpraş, has emerged as a new buyer of Nigerian crude, placing fresh orders for cargoes scheduled for delivery in March and April. This marks a significant boost for Nigeria’s oil export ambitions as the country seeks to ramp up production and increase foreign exchange earnings. The transaction, tracked by global commodity data firm Kpler, confirms shipments to Tüpraş but does not specify the exact volumes. The deliveries, expected over a two-month
Turkey is actively negotiating new oil and gas exploration deals in Bulgaria, Iraq, and Libya as part of a broader push to boost domestic production and strengthen its role as a regional energy hub, according to Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar. State-owned energy company Turkiye Petrolleri AO (TPAO) is expected to sign an agreement within the coming month with an undisclosed foreign partner to conduct offshore exploration in Bulgaria’s section of the Black Sea, Bloomberg reported.
De Beers Group, in collaboration with business incubator Raizcorp, has launched the third intake of its Enterprise Development Project for Diamond Beneficiators, a flagship initiative aimed at empowering entrepreneurs in South Africa’s diamond industry. In a media statement, De Beers reaffirmed its commitment to fostering growth, transformation, and inclusivity within the local diamond beneficiation sector. A Strategic Investment in Local EntrepreneursFirst introduced in 2016, the three-year programme supports entrepreneurs across the diamond value chain—from rough
TotalEnergies has launched a series of public consultations in Namibia as part of the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for its proposed offshore Venus oil project. Consultations will be held this week in Windhoek, with sessions scheduled for April 22 at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre and April 23 at the United Nations Plaza. The Venus project, located offshore Namibia, is expected to produce approximately 150,000 barrels of oil per day in its first phase.
Tanzania will launch its first oil and gas licensing round in more than ten years in May 2025, with a formal event planned in the United Kingdom, according to the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA). The bidding round will offer 26 exploration blocks, located in Lake Tanganyika and the Indian Ocean, as part of Tanzania’s renewed efforts to tap into its hydrocarbon potential and attract foreign investment. PURA Director General Charles Sangwenj confirmed that data
Several multinational oil and gas companies, including Chevron, have withdrawn from Egypt’s Red Sea concession blocks following unsuccessful exploration efforts, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum. In 2019, Egypt awarded exploration licenses in the Red Sea to Chevron, Shell, and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company through an international bidding round aimed at positioning the country as a regional energy hub. “These companies invested millions of dollars within the agreed timelines,” said Moataz Atef, ministry
