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The Africa Energy Series from the Scottish Africa Business Association (SABA) and KURO is a range of webinars that will explore the energy industries of key African markets providing a complete portrait of each country’s energy sector via the perspective of government, industry and trade professionals.

The series explores the challenges, opportunities and risks facing those doing or looking to do business across specific key markets within the African continent including Senegal, Angola, Cameroon and Algeria with further events planned for Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Egypt and Uganda in the coming months.
The webinar’s unique structure aims to provide an optimum user experience coupled with exceptional insight and regional opportunities. With topics ranging from General market overviews, Energy mix masterplan to Skills training, Production &#038; Transmission, Renewables, Gas to Power and Decommissioning the format will provide the latest insight into national policy and operating outlook.
The next event as part of The Africa Energy Series will be Angola on the 5th May which will explore how to take advantage of the opportunities within the country’s energy sector.
A major oil-exporting country and OPEC member, Angola is sub-Saharan Africa’s third-largest economy. Angola and West Africa in general has been experiencing a higher demand for energy in recent years with an increasingly urban population, economic development and high European demand for its low sulphur oil. With the country having a mature Oil &#038; Gas market they are now looking at not only how they extend the economic producing life of the fields using cost-effective, low-risk technologies but what will be needed for decommissioning, skills development and renewables.
In this webinar you will find out about the many opportunities that exist within the country and how companies and regulators are coming to terms with the amount of work to be done in the near future to maximise existing and fields, decommission depleted fields, and the financing, technical and regulatory challenges to do so.
Delegates can register at https://bit.ly/3eYr3Zg  
A range of organisations are being engaged throughout the process and supporting with the events including Scottish Development International, UK Department for International Trade, African Energy Chamber (http://EnergyChamber.org), African Governments, Embassies and the private sector.

According to the African Energy Chamber’s SVP Verner Ayukegba who will be taking part in the event, “Angola remains a prime target for investment, following reforms in the operating environment made in recent years by the government. We do believe Scotland’s unique experience in the energy sector offers Scottish services companies’ unique opportunities in Angola.” 
Frazer Lang, Chief Executive at SABA said: “These events provide a great opportunity to enhance trade and collaboration between Scotland and various countries across Africa at a time when the Scottish and UK government are growing and diversifying their global trading relationships. I’m delighted that, despite the challenges created by the COVID pandemic, business partners in Scotland and Africa can establish and develop links virtually, discussing potential areas of business collaboration in a safe manner. Scotland has been on this energy journey from the early 70’s and has faced the same challenges and opportunities and our experience creates a great opportunity to share this insight and knowledge to create growth and maximise potential.”

James Crawford, Managing Director at KURO said: “We are delighted to bring this series of events together with the aim of promoting links between Scottish and African leaders in the energy sector. Scotland has world class experience and expertise that can play an essential role in Africa’s economic diversification and sector innovation. The calibre of speakers is high meaning delegates will get valuable insight into the markets and the incredible opportunities that exist. The time is now to look at how these relationships can be built on for future years.”

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many industries are faced with unprecedented challenges. The Africa Energy Series will provide a platform to support organisations entering or expanding their presence within the energy sector across Africa hearing first hand from government, industry and trade professionals in order to explore the opportunities and challenges that exist.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
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Scottish business Network looks to deepen Africa relations across Angolan Energy Sector

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Outsource Monetic™ (www.Outsource-Monetic.com), an Atlanta GA based startup, officially started its commercial and technical operations in West and Central Africa region on March 15th 2021.

Outsource Monetic™ is the 1st Independent ATM Deployer (IAD) to operate in the 8 countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) and the 6 countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon).

“We are thrilled and excited to start our company’s journey in Africa” said Mika DIOL, Founder &#038; CEO of Outsource Monetic™, former Microsoft and Oracle Manager with more than 21 years of experience. “Thanks to the mindset, skills, and capabilities of the team ; we have the foundation of success in our mission to innovate and reshape the ATM channel in the 14 African countries we operate in. We are bringing users new ways of interaction by modernizing and adding up valued-added services to the ATMs.”

With Headquarters in Atlanta GA (USA), Outsource Monetic™ will run its Africa operations from the office in Dakar (Senegal) as the hub for Africa West activities and from Lomé (Togo) office as the hub for Africa Central operations. Local remote teams will be established in each of the 14 countries to supervise, operate and service the network of ATMs rolled out by the startup.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Outsource Monetic™.
Media Contact: Odile BARRY (678) 881-5304 odile@outsource-monetic.com
Follow us on: Web site: www.Outsource-Monetic.com LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/33bnQQv
About Outsource Monetic™: Outsource Monetic™ is an Independent ATM Deployer (IAD) providing ATM outsourcing and ATM as a Service in West and Central Africa. Outsource Monetic™ is headquartered in Atlanta, with offices and operations in 14 West &#038; Central African countries of UEMOA (www.UEMOA.int) and CEMAC (https://ceeac-eccas.org) region.
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US-based Outsource Monetic(TM), 1st Independent ATM Deployer (IAD) to operate in West and Central Africa (UEMOA and CEMAC)

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Perseus Mining Limited (TSX &#038; ASX: PRU) (www.PerseusMining.com) has released its CY20 Sustainable Development Report. The report details the company’s progress over the past 12 months in delivering on its commitment to responsible mining operations in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, including an overall economic benefit to host countries totalling about USD$385M.

As part of its longstanding commitment to the communities in which it operates, Perseus reported increasing community investment by 71% to around US$1.9M in CY20, funding critical health and education infrastructure projects for local communities. Additionally, Perseus announced it had increased its proportion of local procurement from 66% in CY19 to 78% in CY20, totalling US$287M, and further expanded its employment of local populations, with 96% of its current workforce local to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Jeff Quartermaine, Managing Director &#038; CEO of Perseus said:
“Sustainability is deeply rooted in Perseus’s culture and operations and has had a large part to play in our resilience during this challenging year. We believe that responsible gold mining can play a key role in sustainable development, and that investing in our employees and our communities to create enduring social value will remain a guiding force in our growth path and future business operations. I am proud of my team’s effective response to the pandemic which successfully safeguarded our operations as well as our people, enabling us to deliver our Yaouré mine in Côte d’Ivoire this year ahead of schedule. Our approach to sustainability has continued to mature as our business has grown, and in the coming years we look forward to expanding our ESG offering and delivering greater impact across Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.”
Jessica Volich, Group Sustainability Manager at Perseus said:
“Despite the challenges the past year has brought, Perseus’s sustainability agenda has continued to strengthen and evolve alongside its expanding operations. Our wide-ranging efforts and engagement with our local communities and host governments has enabled us to create shared sustainable value for all our stakeholders. We are committed to strengthening these relationships in the coming years as we endeavour to generate socio-economic value for our people, communities and host countries.”
In CY20, Perseus has enhanced its disclosure on sustainability-related risks and opportunities by aligning with the key reporting frameworks used by our stakeholders. These include the World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Highlights of the report include:

Economic and Social Contribution
 	Total economic contribution of US$385M in CY20 to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire 	Increased community investment by 71% (from CY19) to around US$1.9M in CY20, funding critical health and education infrastructure projects for local communities and providing COVID-19 support 	Creation of new health clinics near Sissingué to improve health outcomes for the ~27,000 residents of the local communities 	Increased in-country employment, with over 96% of total employees from host countries 	Local procurement spend of $287M, an increase from 66% in CY19 to 78% in CY20 	Held 587 consultations with local communities 	Paid >US$69M in taxes, royalties, and duties to Government 
Health &#038; Safety performance:
 	Maintained record of zero workplace fatalities and reduced injuries 	Implementation of comprehensive measures and protocols to prevent introduction and spread of COVID-19 and maintain business continuity 
Environmental stewardship:
 	Re-use of 12,495,163 KL of water 	Water intensity of 7.46M3/oz gold produced, benchmarked ahead of peers 	Enhanced tailings disclosures in line with the Investor Mining and Tailings Safety Initiative, and completed independent audits of all our Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) 
Governance
 	Worked with independent sustainability risk experts, KPMG, to refresh sustainability materiality analysis and conduct deeper analysis of sustainability risks and opportunities, and start development of a 3-year sustainability roadmap 	Announced appointment of a new Director by the end of FY21 to enhance sustainability skills of the Board 	Release of the first Modern Slavery Statement to address potential human rights risks in Perseus’ global supply chain 
Future ambitions
 	Establish a 3-year sustainability roadmap, and enhance social value and sustainability risk management through updates to the Risk Management Framework and policy standards 	Establish the Yaouré Community Development Fund in FY21 	During FY21 and FY22, Perseus will complete and commence implementation of our biodiversity plan at Yaouré in Côte d’Ivoire mine site in and establish our site nursery, to be staffed by local community members 	Explore strategic opportunities for community partnerships in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana 	Achieve full alignment with the World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles by FY23 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Perseus Mining Ltd..
For more information, please contact: Claire Hall Corporate Communications Perseus Mining Limited Phone: +61 414 558 202 Email: Claire.Hall@perseusmining.com     
About Perseus Mining: Perseus Mining Limited is a rapidly growing African gold producer, developer and explorer, operating three mines in West Africa with the aim of annual production of 500,000 ounces by 2022. Perseus’s first mine, the Edikan Gold Mine in Ghana, has produced around 1.8million ounces of gold since 2011 and based on current ore reserves, the company expects to recover a further 1.2 million ounces. Perseus became a multi-mine, multi-jurisdiction gold producer in January 2018 when it opened the Sissingué Gold Mine in Côte d’Ivoire and has since completed its third mine and begun commercial operations at its third mine – Yaouré – located in central Côte d’Ivoire.
To read more about Perseus’s work in West Africa, please visit: www.PerseusMining.com
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Strong Sustainability Performance sees Perseus Mining deliver US$385 million to Ivorian and Ghanaian Economies in 2020

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By Chido Pamela Mafongoya &#038; Veedushi Mooloo

Mauritius, being strategically located between Asia and Africa, praise itself as having one of the continent’s most stable regulatory environment. The Mauritius Financial Centre has built a reputation as a safe, trusted and competitive financial center, which has enabled it to position itself as the preferred jurisdiction for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) flows to the continent, since the country can serve both the Francophone and Anglophone Africa.
Mauritius and the other Africa countries are long known for the ties they share, both politically and economically. Mauritius ranks first in Africa has also made its way to Africa by being a member to two of the continent’s most important trade blocs, namely the Southern African Development Community SADC, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Through these memberships, many foreign entrepreneurs have set up their businesses in Mauritius to gain from the trade advantages offered.
Apart from SADC and COMESA, Mauritius is now part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). Launched on 1 January 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is an exciting game changer for African trade. Currently, Africa accounts for only 2% of global trade and only 17% of African exports are intra-continental, compared with 59% for Asia and 68% for Europe.
The AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area in terms of the number of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organization with all African countries being signatories except for Eritrea. The main purpose of the agreement is for members to remove tariffs from 90% of goods, allowing free access to commodities, goods, and services across the continent. The general objectives of AfCFTA can be summarized as follows, to:
 	Create a single market, deepening the economic integration of the continent. 	Establish a liberalized market through multiple rounds of negotiations. 	Aid the movement of capital and people, facilitating investment. 	Move towards the establishment of a future continental customs union. 	Achieve sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development, gender equality and structural transformations within member states. 	Enhance competitiveness of member states within Africa and in the global market. 	Encourage industrial development through diversification and regional value chain development, agricultural development, and food security. 
Mauritius has over the years been an offshore gateway to Africa. It has long been an advocate for developing economic bridges between itself and other African states, leveraging its position as Africa&#39;s best place to conduct business as recognized by The World Bank.  Through its Global Business sector, Mauritius has firmly established and promoted itself as a regional hub for facilitating investments on the continent. It is thus undeniable that AfCFTA will add further to the attractiveness of Africa as a place to do business. The AfCFTA provides a platform for Mauritius to contribute significantly to the new African impetus by making available to investors and businessmen an ecosystem that not only makes it easier for them to do business with Africa, but also enhances and safeguards their investments.
The AfCFTA also gives Mauritius market access estimated to be as large as 1.3 billion people across Africa, with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.4 trillion which covers most service sectors, including financial services, telecommunications, ICT, professional services, construction, and health. The AfCFTA will eventually reach zero tariffs on most of traded items, boasting trade outside of its boarders.
The Mauritian economy is a mixed developing economy based on agriculture, exports, financial services, and tourism. Since the 1980s, the government of Mauritius has sought to diversify the country&#39;s economy beyond its dependence on just agriculture, particularly sugar production. In 2018, Mauritius Intra-Africa exports accounted for 23% of Mauritius’ total exports and imports for 13% of total imports. Mauritius mainly exports textiles to the rest of Africa. Of the top 10 intra-Africa export products five products are items of clothing or fabric accounting for 30% of Mauritius’ intra-Africa exports for 2018. The AfCFTA will provide the country access to an African textile market worth billions of dollars such that the country will be poised to become a major supplier of textile in the African market. The recent 2020 – 2021 budget of the government has announced one measure that can boost Mauritian exports from the already existing supply capacity to the region. The plan to set up Mauritius Export Warehouse in Tanzania and Mozambique will definitely support a number of Domestic Oriented Industry. Some are already gearing for Tanzania which is a more immediately obvious market than Mozambique. Mauritius has good potential to export a range of services in the context of the priority services lines set by the AfCFTA, namely Business services, Financial Services, Tourism and travel.
Mauritius mainly imports manufactured goods, petroleum products, cars, packaged medicaments from China, India and South Africa. The AfCFTA calls for a reduction in tariff in intra- Africa which means there will be a lower expenditure on importation of the above-mentioned goods from South Africa. As a result, there will be a reduction in the prices, reducing the country’s negative balance of trade.
The movement of goods and services amongst African countries will create employment opportunities for citizens in Mauritius. It will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to work together in a liberalized trade environment. Further, the AfCFTA will strengthen the existing commitment of deepening regional trade integration initiatives under regional bodies such as the African Union, COMESA and SADC.  The geographical diversification brought about by the AfCFTA is likely to open up new markets for Mauritius thus boasting its economy.
The AfCFTA offers an opportunity for Mauritius to promote good governance both globally and across Africa, through the concept of “Trade Integrity” which is defined as international trade transactions that are legitimate, transparent and properly priced as a way to ensure the legitimacy the global trading system. Trade Integrity will provide investors with more confidence to increase their investments in the country.
The AfCFTA will also assist to alleviate some of effects brought about as a result of the COVID-19. The African Development Bank Group’s African Economic Outlook (AEO) 2020 Supplement estimates that Africa could suffer GDP losses in 2020 between $145.5 billion (baseline) and $189.7 billion (worst case), from the pre-COVID–19 GDP estimates. Further, trade in medical supplies and food has been disrupted. It is being fully recognized across the continent that AfCFTA presents a short-term opportunity for countries to “build back better” and cushion the effects of the pandemic. In the longer-term, the impact will increase the continent’s resilience to future shocks.
In conclusion diversifying exports, accelerating growth in its trade, competitively integrating into the global economy, increasing foreign direct investment, increasing employment opportunities and incomes, and broadening economic inclusion are just a few of the positive economic outcomes AfCFTA can bring to Mauritius. Mauritius having undergone a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper-middle-income country that has attracted considerable foreign investment should ensure that it fully takes advantage of the opportunities offered by the AfCFTA.
Authors: Chido Pamela Mafongoya &#038; Veedushi Mooloo, Centurion Law Group
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Centurion Law Group.
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How can Mauritius take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)? (By Chido Pamela Mafongoya & Veedushi Mooloo)

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A collaboration between AstraZeneca (www.AstraZeneca.com) and Global EverGreening Alliance to restore degraded agricultural and forest lands through planting 120 000 trees; the reforestation initiative will be introduced in Kajiado County; the initiative aligns with AstraZeneca’s Global sustainability commitment to environmental protection.

The health of our environment is intricately connected to human health.

Global Pharmaceutical Company AstraZeneca recognises the strong connection between a healthy planet and healthy people, and is committed to nurturing environments in which all life can thrive. Trees are a nature-based answer for eliminating CO2 and are fundamental to moderating the impacts of environmental change.

This week the Governor of Kajiado County HE Joseph Ole Lenku; The Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Environment Dr. Chris K. Kiptoo; MP for Kajiado West Hon George Sunkuiya; and the Chairman of the Kenya Forest Service Mr Peter Kinyua, met with Senior Fellow at Global EverGreening Alliance (GEA) – Kenya Chapter, Dr Kenneth Namunje,   AstraZeneca’s Country President for African Cluster (South Africa, Sub Saharan Africa and French Speaking Africa), Barbara Nel,  and AstraZeneca Government Affairs Director SSA, Dr Kennedy Njau  to plant the first of 120 000 trees in Kenya’s Kajiado County. This initiative aligns to AstraZeneca’s global AZ Forest programme, announced at the World Economic Forum in January, which pledged to plant 50 million trees by 2025 in partnership with non-profit global partners One Tree Planted and Global EverGreening Alliance.

The initiative in Kajiado County will harness local knowledge and provide economic opportunities for Small Holder Farmers and rural communities through contracted works such as seed collection, planting and long-term stewardship. The project has engaged approximately 100 Small Holder Farmers to establish nurseries in Kajiado County to nurture the seedings; up to 150 Indigenous and Non-Indigenous business sub-contractors; local seed suppliers and nurseries.

Barbara Nel, AstraZeneca Country President for African Cluster said: “The devastating impacts of drought and wildfires across the globe are a powerful reminder of the impact that the changing climate has on our planet. This is why we are doing our part to help with the reforestation of Kenya.  Our AZ Forest programme in Kenya, in partnership the Global EverGreening Alliance and in collaboration with government is our commitment to support both a healthy environment and improve socioeconomic development and livelihoods for Kenyans in Kajiado County.”

Dr Kenneth Namunje, Senior Fellow at Global EverGreening Alliance (GEA) – Kenya Chapter: “Global EverGreening Alliance Kenya (GEA), an NGO domiciled in Australia, and our partners continue to impact livelihoods through restoration of farmlands, rangelands and forestlands. We take this opportunity to thank AstraZeneca for sponsoring planting of 120,000 Gliricidia Sepium trees in a 3-year program in Kajiado County and we look forward to more collaboration in the future. The Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Kenya Forest Service have supported the project.  Zero Two Heros and Green Pasture Network will also collaborate with GEA as community-based implementation partners.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AstraZeneca.
About AstraZeneca: AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas &#8211; Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal &#038; Metabolism, and Respiratory &#038; Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit www.AstraZeneca.com and follow the Company on LinkedIn @AstraZeneca.
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AstraZeneca supports the local community in Kajiado in reforestation

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Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KgaA, announced their partnership with Africa Reproductive Care society (ARCS) based in Lagos, Nigeria to build fertility and reproductive tube care capacity, build advocacy to break the stigma of infertility, and raise awareness about infertility prevention and male infertility in Africa as part of Merck Foundation More than a Mother campaign.

Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “We are very happy to partner with an important and inclusive Society like Africa Reproductive Care Society with the aim not to only provide scientific and clinics training to African Doctors and Embryologists but to also build advocacy to break the stigma of infertility and raise awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. We at Merck Foundation partnered with 20 African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education, Communication and Genders, Academia, Media &#038; Art communities to achieve our goals to transform the landscape of fertility care in Africa, and we have achieved very important milestones. I believe with our new partnership with ARCS we will continue our efforts and address different aspects of this topic”.
Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, President of Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) emphasized, “I am very happy to partner with Merck Foundation. Merck Foundation has been creating awareness and building fertility care capacity in Africa. It is very critical to create awareness around infertility prevention and management as around 85% of infertility cases in Africa are caused by untreated infectious diseases, hence are preventable in many cases. I also thank Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej for her energy, inspiration, and innovations. Together will do well for Africa”.
“I invite all fertility care experts &#038; embryologists, media experts, fashion designers who are our Merck Foundation Alumni to join this society. Also, I invite policymakers, community leaders and members, singers and filmmakers to apply for the membership which is free and inclusive for all Africa”, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej added.
Merck Foundation announced this partnership during their 8th edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary on 29th April 2021 during the Fertility and Reproductive care session, where they provided scientific and medical training for more than 400 doctors from Africa and Asia. And, discussed challenges, strategies, and solutions to improve access to quality, equitable and regulated fertility care in Africa and Asia.
This partnership is part of the Merck Foundation More than a Mother initiative.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.
Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard: Facebook: bit.ly/2LdbD8F Twitter: bit.ly/2LesKH8 YouTube: bit.ly/3sdHMxm Instagram: bit.ly/2LC26rm Flickr: bit.ly/2XqzQdU Website: Merck-Foundation.com Download Merck Foundation App: bit.ly/2MmNvAU
About ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’ campaign: “Merck  Foundation More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-sets. This powerful campaign supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe, effective and equitable fertility care solutions. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. In partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education &#038; Gender, academia, policymakers, International fertility societies, media and art, the initiative also provides training for fertility specialists and embryologists to build and advance fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries.
With “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility at all levels: By improving awareness, training local experts in the fields of fertility care and media, building advocacy in cooperation with African First Ladies and women leaders and by supporting childless women in starting their own small businesses. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child. 
The Ambassadors of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” are: 
H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana
H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia
H.E. MONICA GEINGOS, The First Lady of Namibia
H.E. SIKA KABORE, The First Lady of Burkina Faso

H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana

H.E. AISHA BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria
H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE,
The First Lady of Burundi
H.E. CONDÉ DJENE, The First Lady of Guinea Conakry
H.E FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Sierra Leone
H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic
H.E. CLAR WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia
H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Lady of Zambia
H.E. ANTOINETTE SASSOU-NGUESSO, The First Lady of Congo Brazzaville
H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi
H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Zimbabwe
H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI, THE First Lady of Democratic Republic of Congo
H.E. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI, The First Lady of Mozambique

The Former First Lady of Republic of Burundi, H.E Madam DENISE NKURUNZIZA, The Former First Lady of Chad, H.E. HINDA DEBY ITNO, The Former First Lady of Republic of Malawi, H.E. PROFESSOR GERTRUDE MUTHARIKA and The Former First Lady of Niger, H.E AÏSSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU have worked successfully with Merck Foundation as Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Ambassadors to break the stigma of infertility and empower infertile women in their countries.

Merck Foundation launched new innovative initiatives to sensitize local communities about infertility prevention, male infertility with the aim to break the stigma of infertility and empowering infertile women as part of Merck Foundation More than a Mother COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, such as; • ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Africa Media Recognition Awards and Health Media Training • ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Fashion Awards • ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Film Awards • Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it • Children storybook, localized for each country

About Africa Reproductive  Care Society ( ARCS): ARCS aims to be the foremost contributor and the partner of choice in advancing the ART care solutions and advocating for improving access to regulated and equitable fertility care solutions and breaking the stigma around infertility in Africa with special focus on Sub- Saharan Africa.
ARCS will work closely with its members and partners to further its aim and objectives through supporting and facilitating programs of education, training, communication of knowledge, exchange of experience, and networking.
Membership is open to individuals from several interest groups who are engaged in practicing, developing and building capacity of the Reproductive Health care, science, ethics and management. It is also open for individuals who are involved in advocacy building and raising awareness with the aim to break the stigma of infertility, empowering infertile women and improve access to equitable, safe and effective fertility care solutions in Africa.
Members include; Medical doctors, Embryologists, Scientists, Psychologists, Social workers, Fertility Nurses and Counselors, Fertility advocates, and Health Media Representatives as well as affiliated nonprofit stakeholders who are involved in ART field.
ARCS Membership application is subject to the ARCS  Executive Board approval and is free of charge.
ARCS will not raise or receive funds from any organization or individuals.
Members will be able to apply for training programs that will be subject to ARSC Scientific and Educational committee screening and proceeding with affiliated training institutions with the purpose of recommendation.
About Merck Foundation: The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality &#038; equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit Merck-Foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com); Facebook (bit.ly/2MU6Fht), Twitter (bit.ly/3scVf8t), Instagram (bit.ly/3boJ0jr), YouTube (bit.ly/3sf4aWX) and Flicker (bit.ly/3snPHZ8).
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Merck foundation partner with Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) to build fertility care capacity and advocacy in Africa

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.

Rosatom (www.Rosatom.com) announced the winners of the 6th Annual “Atoms Empowering Africa” Online Video Competition at the special online awards ceremony.

During the competition the participants were encouraged to post their videos on Facebook to explore nuclear technologies and how these technologies could be utilized to benefit their region. It could be a video about how nuclear technologies can assist in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, how nuclear technologies can help developing countries industrialize, how non-power related nuclear science and technology can benefit the country or community or another related subject.
This year the winners of the competition (https://bit.ly/3ehcOj2) are: team of George Davis Bilali, student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology in Ghana from Tanzania, together with his counterparts Alyaa Mahmoud Ibrahim Awad from Egypt and Fati Aruna Akoriko from Ghana; Mostafa Omran, Master student of the African Center of Excellence in future energies and electrochemical systems in Egypt; Noоmen Noоmen, student and communication manager at Panorama short film in Tunisia. Jury members were delighted with range and type of videos this year. That’s why Rosatom decided to establish a special prize for best collaboration that will go to three more participants: team of Munachimso Oguine together with Oguine Jane and Oguine Ozioma, students of the National Open University of Nigeria. A special prize for extraordinary creativity and video content was awarded to Wissem Dallali, young professional from Tunisia.
All winners will be rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip to Russia, where they will get the opportunity to visit several of the country’s world-renowned tourist attractions as well as various nuclear institutions and advanced nuclear facilities. The trip will be arranged in compliance with epidemiologic restrictions imposed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Videos were carefully selected by an independent expert panel observing various criteria including original content and creativity, overall quality of the video and content, accuracy and relevance of technical content, as well as ability to clearly communicate the content to an audience. Jury included representatives of nuclear enterprises such as ROSATOM, Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA, Egypt), media practitioners like Influence Communications (Egypt) and regional nuclear NGOs Women in Nuclear South Africa (WinSA), African Young Generation in Nuclear (AYGN) and Nuclear Corporation of South Africa (NESCA).
The jury members shared their thoughts about the contestants’ works.
Gaopalelwe Santswere, National Executive Chairperson of South African Young Nuclear Professional Society, mentioned “a responsible approach and high-quality” of videos this year: “Courageous, smart, creative young specialists are the key to success in the development of Africa!”.
Another jury Tebogo Motlhabane, the president of Women in Nuclear South Africa (WiNSA), highlighted that many girls took part in the competition: “I would especially like to note that among the participants there were girls, which is also very important for the development of nuclear science”.
Mohamed Emara, CEO and Founder of Influence Communications, paid attention to the topics, taken into account by the participants: “A large number of videos which were sent by participants shows that the youth of Africa are really eager and passionate to achieve sustainable development goals to solve those problems which are in the countries, beginning from pressing medical problems to the climate change problem. A key factor of mankind’s steady future is the way of obtaining energy without pollution, and it&#39;s the value of nuclear energy”.
According to Ryan Collyer, CEO of Rosatom in the Central and South Africa, nuclear technologies are the heart of many innovations from which Africa and the world can derive big benefits: “We are ready to support in every possible way your aspirations in achieving your purposes because it is important for us that talented young people could prove themselves. Our activity isn&#39;t limited only to construction of the NPP, we (ROSATOM corporation) are also many-sided, as well as you are, therefore our purpose is to help you to study, to reveal, to develop and be useful to society”.
Rosatom congratulates the winners, who despite the pandemic difficulties, succeeded to make professional high-quality videos, and wishes them further success in creativity and studies!
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rosatom.
About the competition: Over 5 years of running the competition, 51 winners received the accolades and prizes and one-third of them visited Russian nuclear facilities in Moscow, Obninsk, Tomsk, and Voronezh. The competition was selected by IAEA for its technical meeting on using social media for public communication and stakeholder involvement for nuclear programs and was featured in international and regional media such as Reuters, The Guardian, AllAfrica, ESI Africa, Engineering News, The Citizen, Business Report and many more.
About Rosatom: State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom is the only company in the world that has the resources and competencies to offer energy solutions across the nuclear supply chain, including assets in design, construction and operation of nuclear power stations, uranium mining, conversion and enrichment, supply of nuclear fuel, decommissioning, spent fuel storage and transportation, and safe nuclear waste disposal. Rosatom is also engaged in the production of equipment and isotope products for the needs of nuclear medicine, scientific research, and materials science, the production of digital and various innovative products. The company’s strategy is to develop low-carbon power generation projects, including in the wind generation field. Today, Rosatom brings together over 330 enterprises and organizations and over 266,000 employees.
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Rosatom announces winners of the “Atoms Empowering Africa” Online Video Competition

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Daily: Laboratory test: 4,008 Cases: 429 Severe cases: 858 New deaths: 31 Recovery: 648

Total: Laboratory test: 2,590,091 Active cases: 53,898 Total cases: 258,813 Total deaths: 3,757 Total recovery: 201,156 Total vaccinated: 1,168,268
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia.
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Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 reported cases in Ethiopia (3 May 2021)

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18 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Lagos-8 FCT-6 Edo-2 Rivers-1 Ogun-1

165,199 confirmed 155,371 discharged 2,063 deaths
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
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Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

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As of 3rd May, we report 29 new cases out of 2,410 tests (1% positivity), 48 recoveries, and 2,593 new vaccinations. No new deaths were recorded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI).
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Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

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Tests conducted: 10,715,773 Positive cases identified: 1,584,961 Total recoveries: 1,508,558 Total deaths: 54,452 New cases: 897
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health.
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Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 Statistics in South Africa (3 May 2021)

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Total daily tests: 540 New confirmed cases: 2 Cumulative confirmed cases: 18,460 Active cases: 31 Recoveries: 17,758 (10 new) Currently admitted: 7 New deaths: 0 Total deaths: 671 Total vaccinated to date: 35,227
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
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Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 daily update (3 May 2021)

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APICORP’s (www.APICORP.org), latest MENA energy investment outlook sees a modest USD13 bn rise in committed and planned energy investment compared to previous year’s outlook; Renewables claim a significant share of almost 40% the estimated USD250 bn in power sector investments; Committed Gas investments projected to fall by USD9.5 bn to USD75 billion after completion of several megaprojects in 2020; An evolution in regulations is needed for MENA region to realize its energy storage potential; Additional capacity – particularly from renewables – will make power trading a more commercially viable option in MENA; MENA can emerge as a major blue and green hydrogen-exporting region thanks to low-cost gas resources and strong renewable energy progress.

The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), a multilateral development financial institution, estimates in its MENA Energy Investment Outlook 2021-2025, https://bit.ly/3nO69jw, which it launched today that overall planned and committed investments in the MENA region will exceed USD805 bn over the next five years (2021–2025) – a USD13 bn increase from the USD792 bn estimate in last year’s five-year outlook.

The report attributes this modest rise to four factors: A strong confidence in the rebound of global GDP, rising energy demand, the comeback of Libyan projects – which alone accounts for around USD10 bn in planned projects – and the accelerated pace of renewables in the region. Per current estimates, MENA will add 3GW of installed solar power capacity in 2021 alone – double that of 2020 – and 20GW over the next five years.  

The region’s economic forecasts suggest that commodity prices and exports will drive the rebound expected for most MENA countries in 2021. However, economies remain under fiscal strains due to unprecedented high debt levels and decline in oil prices, tourism/Hajj revenues, and personal remittances.  

Dr. Ahmed Ali Attiga, Chief Executive Officer of APICORP, said: “APICORP’s MENA Energy Investment Outlook 2021-2025 indicates that energy industries are entering a period of relative stability in terms of investments as most MENA countries return to GDP growth in 2021 and the energy transition showing no signs of slowing down. We anticipate a slow but steady recovery of the energy sector from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, supported by continued investment from the public sector and an upswing in demand.”

Gas investments
Committed gas investments in MENA for the period 2021-2025 are expected to total USD75 bn – USD9.5 bn less than the previous outlook. The decline is attributed to the completion of several megaprojects in 2020 and countries being more cautious to new project commitments in an era of gas overcapacity.  

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are the top three MENA countries in terms of committed gas investments. This is owed to Qatar’s North Field East megaproject, Saudi Arabia’s gas-to-power drive and the massive Jafurah unconventional gas development – which is poised to make the kingdom a global blue hydrogen exporter – and Iraq’s gas-to-power projects and determination to cut flaring and greenhouse gas emissions.

Planned investments meanwhile held relatively steady at USD133 bn for 2021-2025, signalling the region’s appetite for resuming its natural gas capacity build-up – particularly the ambitious unconventional gas developments in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Algeria – once macro conditions improve.

Power investments
Power investments in MENA for 2021-25 remain largely unaffected compared to APICORP’s 2020-24 outlook. Notably, the sector’s total investment amount of USD250 bn is the highest of all energy sectors – with an estimated USD93 bn and USD157 bn in committed and planned projects, respectively, over the next five years.

With a share of around 40%, renewables form a significant part of those investments as countries push ahead with their energy diversification agendas. In the GCC, Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Energy Project Development Office and Public Investment Fund projects continue to progress. North African countries are also showing measurable development in renewables realm, with Algeria establishing an independent authority to oversee the development of country’s strong pipeline of projects, and Egypt working to resolve regulatory issues related to its wheeling scheme and the unbundling of its power market.

This shift to renewables is a chief factor behind the rising share of investments in transmission and distribution (T&#038;D) in the power sector value chain, as the integration of renewables into power grids requires significant investments to enhance and digitize grid connectivity, not to mention storage to accommodate the surplus power capacity they generate.

Petrochemicals investments
Planned investments in the MENA petrochemicals sector are forecast to increase to USD109 billion in 2021-2025, a USD14.2 bn jump compared to last year’s outlook. By contrast, committed investments dipped by USD7.7 bn to around USD12.5 bn due to the completion of several megaprojects in 2020.

Despite MENA petrochemical markets seeing an overall improvement in demand owed to the increased consumption of basic materials as vaccination drives continue and economies recover, some MENA committed petrochemical investments are nonetheless being re-evaluated and rationalized due to fiscal strains, capital discipline and cost efficiencies and evolving market dynamics.

Renewables investments
As a whole, the MENA region expects to add an estimated 3GW of solar power in 2021 – doubling its total from 2020 – and almost 20GW by 2025. Wind and other sources such as hydropower are also coming into their own as countries step up their energy diversification plans.

Jordan, for example, managed to increase the percentage of power generated from renewables from just 1% in 2012 to around 20%. Morocco’s 4GW of renewables (wind, solar and hydro) constitute around 37% the country’s total generation mix and almost 90% of its current 3.5GW project pipeline. Egypt’s total installed renewables capacity amounts to around 2.3GW, including 1GW of solar PV and 1.3 GW of onshore wind.

In the UAE, renewables constituted around 6% of total installed capacity and 3% of power generated as of 2020. Although it may just miss its short-term targets, the UAE’s solar capacity is projected to grow the fastest in the region with nearly 5GW of solar projects in the pipeline.

In Saudi Arabia, only 330MW of utility-scale solar PV projects and just one 2.5MW wind demonstration project developed jointly by Saudi Aramco and General Electric were operational as of 2020. Even when combined with the tenders under its National Renewable Energy Program, the total renewables capacity of the Kingdom totals 3.3GW, around 24GW short of its stated target of 27.3GW by 2024.

Despite ongoing procurement of largescale utility projects, Oman is also far from achieving its short-term target of generating 10% of its power from renewables by 2025, with a single 105MW utility solar PV project and a 50MW onshore wind project comissioned over the past 2 years.

As for Iraq, the first solar bid round for projects totalling 755MW capacity was announced in May 2019 and bids of short-listed companies were disclosed in Septmeber the following year. Overall, the country aims to reach 10GW of solar power generation capacity by 2030 and generate 20% of its power from solar.   

Developing Energy Storage is Key
The expanding share of renewables, growth in power demand, and balancing supply and demand on a real-time basis necessitates the integration of modern, digitized energy storage solutions. Despite its significant potential in this area, the MENA region suffers from the limited role of storage in networks. To overcome this, regulations will need to evolve to reflect energy storage’s current functions, including leveraging flexibility from consumer aggregation or grid congestion.

The hydrogen and ammonia race
MENA is also a strong candidate for becoming a major hydrogen-exporting region thanks to its combination of low-cost gas resources and renewable energy. A few countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Morocco, have already made headways as low-cost exporters of blue and green hydrogen, net-zero ammonia and other low-carbon products, while other countries, such as Oman, UAE, and Egypt are attempting to catch up.

For more insights, please refer to the full report https://bit.ly/3nO69jw.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP).
Media Contact: Hassan Al-Jundi APICORP Mobile: +966 55 8012942  Email: haljundi@apicorp.org
Zeeshan Masud                       Weber Shandwick       Mobile: +971 55 918 6751                                       Email: zmasud@webershandwick.com      
Daniel Chinoy Weber Shandwick Mobile: +971 50 255 3402 Email: dchinoy@webershandwick.com
About APICORP: The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) is a multilateral development financial institution established in 1975 by an international treaty between the ten Arab oil exporting countries. It aims to support and foster the development of the Arab world’s energy sector and petroleum industries. APICORP makes equity investments and provides project finance, trade finance, advisory and research. APICORP is rated “Aa2” with stable outlook by Moody’s and its headquarters is in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
More information can be found at: www.APICORP.org
You can also follow us at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/APICORP Instagram: www.instagram.com/accounts/login/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/apicorp/

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APICORP: Middle East and North Africa (MENA) energy investments to exceed USD805 bn over next five years

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Ayoba (www.ayoba.me), the African messaging app, has announced the launch of a new version of its android app (0.38) which offers users access to voice and video calling. This comes as the app celebrates its second birthday on the 4th of May 2021 with a user base of 5.5 million monthly users and an award for Best Mobile application late last year. The updated app is already live and in use, and is quickly proving popular, with thousands of calls going out across the world every day.  

Voice and Video calling requested by users
‘Users have been asking us to support VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls pretty much since day one,’  says Nolan Wolff, Head of ayoba. ‘And we are extremely pleased to be able to answer their call with this new release. All that’s required is for both parties to upgrade to the latest version of the Android app. This is available immediately from the Google Play Store and our website at ayoba.me.’
Web access with ayoba lite
Ayoba has also launched ‘ayoba lite’, allowing users to message contacts from within a standard web browser, either from their desktop or a compatible smartphone. Ayoba lite is designed as a ‘space saver’ for users who are short on memory space on their device and prefer not to download the app.  ‘Ayoba lite has been built as a progressive web app (PWA),’ explains Wolff.  ‘This allows us to provide much the same core functionality as our full-featured Android app but contained within a standard web browser. This makes ayoba accessible to a very broad audience and we expect to reach an entirely untapped market segment. The initial Beta version of the PWA is independent of the Android app but it will evolve to allow a user to easily switch between platforms.’  Ayoba lite can be accessed  on web.ayoba.me. 
A very happy 2nd birthday
‘5.5 million users is an immense milestone for a two year old application,’ says Olivier Prentout, Head of Consumer Marketing at ayoba.  ‘It’s crazy to think that two years have gone by since we launched in Cameroon as our first territory and initial partnership with MTN.  The app has changed so much, adding channels, music, games, micro-apps, MTN MoMo in some territories and more.  Localisation has been a key focus for us and we are very proud that users can access the app in 22 languages.’  Prentout continues,  ‘We have over 130 content channels in 7 languages including Arabic, Dari, Pashto, IsiZulu, English, Kinyarwanda and French to name a few.  There is something for everyone.  Help is available to all users with our in app How To channel or via our virtual assistant Aya’.
The two years have indeed been very busy, and also very rewarding, culminating in the achievement of the Africa Digital Award for Best Mobile Application in November 2020, in a voting process involving both industry judges and the public.   
The company recently reassured its users that it&#39;s not possible for messages in the app to be read by anyone, or shared to any third parties. The app features peer-to-peer private messaging which are end-to-end encrypted.  A user’s contacts and location are only available to other users if explicitly shared by the account owner. Users can feel confident that their private data will remain private, and is treated with the utmost care and respect. More information can be found in ayoba’s comprehensive Privacy Policy at ayoba.me/privacy-policy.
In partnership with MTN, MTN customers are automatically allocated free data to use ayoba features. Allowances range from 50MB daily to unlimited usage, depending on the country (with the exception of Benin).  Free data allocations can be used for all activities available in the app &#8211; including messaging, browsing, gaming and listening to music, and customers can also download the app data free at www.ayoba.me. Users are advised that voice and video calls are excluded from the free data provisions.  
Ayoba is enjoying a busy 2021, with many upgrades and additions planned to its extensive list of features, including exciting new content in Channels and local MicroApps from across Africa.  Its ayoba!
10 REASONS TO USE AYOBA:
1.     FREE TO USE: ayoba is free to use. You need data to send messages and files to your contacts, but if you are on the MTN network, you will get free data every day to use the app.
2.     CHAT AND CALL NOW: Instantly send and receive text and voice messages, voice notes, and voice and video calls with any of your contacts.
3.     SECURE: End-to-end encryption means that messages in a conversation cannot be read by anyone else.
4.     QUICK CONNECT: Use your existing address book to quickly and easily connect you with your contacts.
5.     CHAT WITH EVERYONE: Send SMS text messages with anyone in your contact list, regardless of whether they&#39;ve installed ayoba or not.  If the friend you send to does not have the app, the message will be delivered by SMS.  They can respond by SMS and it will come back into your app.  This is a unique technology.
6.     GROUP CHAT: The more the merrier! Set up group chats to easily communicate with friends and family in a single chat.
7.     SHARING IS CARING: Share videos, images, audio, and other files with your contacts.
8.     LET’S MEET: Share your real-time location with your ayoba contacts.
9.     CHANNELS: Consume all content across various categories ranging from news, sports, fashion, music, education to entertainment and much more, all within the ayoba app.  All of our channels are Africa centric &#8211; such as the Black Star channel for Ghana, Scrolla Africa in IsiZulu, Pulse Channels for Nigeria and Ghana covering business news, current affairs and entertainment, and over 50 artist channels highlighting African musicians and many more. 
10.  LISTEN AND PLAY Our free music service allows users to listen to trending songs in our fantastic playlists, featuring the best of local and international music.  We have games that you can play as well, such as BattleShip, Pinball, Solitaire and more.  New content is added every day.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of SIMFY Africa.
For more information please contact: Olivier Prentout Email address: pr@ayoba.me
About ayoba: Since its launch in May 2019, ayoba has reached millions of users, with a current active user base over 5.5 monthly active users. It offers users free access to an ecosystem of digital and rich media services through channels, micro-apps and payment solutions, embedded within an African super-app.
Ayoba is highly localised and tailored for African and Middle East consumer needs, supporting 22 relevant languages. Users can send and receive encrypted messages, share photos, videos, files and voice notes and can also subscribe to live channels. Family friendly localised content is available through curated channels aimed at entertaining, educating and empowering communities as well as a range of games. Ayoba is available for Android users on the Google, Transsion, Huawei, Samsung and BeMobi stores as well as the ayoba website. The PWA can be accessed on web.ayoba.me.
Information at the Award can be found at www.AfricaDigitalAwards.com/
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African Messaging App Ayoba Celebrates Second Birthday With 5.5m Users, Launches Voice and Video Calling as well as Web Access

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The pandemic continues to explode app growth in Africa, with more than 20 million users in South Africa &#8211; and 500 million people globally &#8211; using SHAREit (www.uSHAREit.com) each month.

15th April, 2021: SHAREit, the world’s largest file-sharing, gaming and content streaming application, has been once ranked as the No.2 fastest-growing media publisher in Africa in the AppsFlyer (www.AppsFlyer.com)’s latest Performance Index (https://bit.ly/3eP3yBL), a tool for app marketers to see the performance ranking of mobile media sources. 
Interestingly, the data was released after the largest quarter of consumer spending in apps on record, a new report from App Annie (www.AppAnnie.com) indicates. AppAnnie says consumers in Q1 2021 spent $32 billion on apps across both iOS (https://apple.co/3xHYLdP) and Google Play (https://bit.ly/2PMtJR3), up 40% year-over-year from Q1 2020. Gaming, meanwhile, drove a majority of the quarter’s spending, as usual, accounting for $22 billion of the spend — $13 billion on iOS (up 30% year-over-year) and $9 billion on Android (www.Android.com) (up 35%). Gamers downloaded about a billion titles per week, up 15% year-over-year from 2020. The mobile gaming market saw game downloads outpacing overall downloads by 2.5x in 2020 with the report predicting that mobile gaming will reach $120 billion in consumer spending this year, or 1.5x all other gaming formats combined.
SHAREit’s growth in Africa can be attributed to its zero mobile data file-sharing capability, keeping costs to a minimum for those on this continent. It has established itself as a one-stop content platform, providing users with gaming, content discovery and consumption services. The app has a dedicated gaming centre, which offers HTML5 games, gaming videos and an option to download hot games. With games across all genres, it has one of the largest catalogues of mobile games from developers across the globe.
The achievement follows their remarkable performance in Edition XI (covering H1,2020) of the AppsFlyer Performance Index, according to which it ranked at the top in the Middle East and Southeast Asia with an impressive 160% growth rate in the app install pie in H1 2020. The rankings spotlight the app’s unique product offering and a wide array of features that not only make the application popular amongst customers, but also an indispensable resource for marketers.
Karam Malhotra, Partner and Global Vice-President at SHAREit, said: “The power of the user has never been as loud and clear as it is today, as they want choice, flexibility and anytime access to personalized digital content via their mobile phones. Our holistic platform offers a smart and unique blend of content discovery, consumption, gaming and sharing in line with heightened customer expectations as we strive after refining the experience to be useful, convenient and seamless. We’re thrilled to be named the fastest-growing media publisher in the Middle East and Southeast Asia– it’s another testament to our commitment to providing flexibility, autonomy and utility to our users while helping advertisers grow their business leveraging the SHAREit community.”
The app’s primary feature is the peer to peer file transfer, allowing users to share pictures, music, and more, with other devices without using an active internet or Bluetooth connection. Being the first app channel partner of Google Play, it also ensures secure application transfers with Peer-to-Peer Offline App Sharing – letting users share apps via SHAREit, adding them to the user&#39;s Play Library and updating when the device comes back online.
With consistent advances in terms of content, SHAREit has successfully leveraged the popularity of local regional content to establish itself as the hub for short-format videos and has hence seen its user base spike worldwide with growing engagement levels. SHAREit also ranked as a top media publisher in developed markets like Western Europe (rank #3), Eastern Europe (rank #4) and Latin America (rank #5) in its Growth Index, boasting a highly engaged user base of over 1.8 billion users globally in about 200 countries and regions. The application currently has more than 500 million monthly active users globally.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of SHAREit.
For more information, images or interviews please email julia@mediaweb.co.za, or visit: www.uShareIt.com.
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SHAREit Ranks #2 Fastest-Growing Media Publisher In Africa

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Total cases: 25,311 (+58) Recovered: 23,513 (+71) | 92.8% Active cases: 1,461 In critical condition: 1 Tests: 1,323,587 (+2,856) Test positivity rate: 2% Vaccinated: 350,223 (+82) Deaths: 337 (+0) | 1.3%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda.
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Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

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Further, Swiss-based downstream expert Philippe Cohen has joined the African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org)’s Advisory Board. Philippe will be mentoring and supporting the work of the African Energy Chamber by spearheading the newly established Downstream Committee. 

“Our continent has been engaged in commodity trading for decades, and we need to ensure that we trade African commodities like crude oil and LNG in Africa for our own industrialization and growth. Trading houses and governments must start seeing Africa as a market, and not just as a farm to supply other continents” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman at the African Energy Chamber.
The African Energy Chamber believes that the Downstream and Midstream Activities of our African energy sector are key drivers for change in the overall industry. Philippe is an accomplished and result-driven gentleman who understands the most pressing issues the downstream sector is facing today, from origination to financing and from organic growth to expansion via mergers and acquisitions.
Local content and African participation have to be an integral part of the downstream sector, especially with energy downstream trading companies. We need to change the face of trading firms when it comes to financing and trading commodities in Africa, as well as the operators’ jobs and in the executive suite. It is not correct that many of the commodity trading companies making billions of dollars in Africa with African resources have no Africans in senior management. This needs to change.
Our downstream committee has a responsibility to advocate for regulations and policies that promote growth and investment in Africa’s downstream sector. This will help drive a lot of African economies, create the needed jobs, work with governments on energy and maritime security and push Africa to remain competitive in the global economy.
Moving Africa towards our obligations for carbon neutrality is essential when it comes to the energy marketing and trading. The African Energy Chamber aims to be proactive in driving Africa’s downstream sector to make the necessary changes, especially given the available technology, rather than waiting for directions from bureaucrats or Western groups.
“With the AfCFTA Agreement, we need to urgently implement provisions that open and enable market access for African downstream players, who need to be respected and encouraged to grow in Africa by government cutting the red tape for them operate. We are honored to have Mr Cohen joining our board.” Added Mr Ayuk.
Our committee members, working with various African governments and national energy companies to communicate regularly about the policies which are working, and those which could be made to work better will only benefit African families and businesses.
Africa has been home to some of the most entrepreneurial commodity trading houses like Vitol, Puma, Vivo, Glencore, Trafigura, Litasco, Sahara Energy, Oando, Oryx Energies and Mocoh, just to name a few. We must encourage them and also open doors for new actors, including African home-grown companies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
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Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 Statistics in South Africa (3 May 2021)

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 daily update (3 May 2021)

APICORP: Middle East and North Africa (MENA) energy investments to exceed USD805 bn over next five years

African Messaging App Ayoba Celebrates Second Birthday With 5.5m Users, Launches Voice and Video Calling as well as Web Access

SHAREit Ranks #2 Fastest-Growing Media Publisher In Africa

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

African Energy Downstream Committee to drive African competitiveness, jobs, local content, energy, and maritime security

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Scottish business Network looks to deepen Africa relations across Angolan Energy Sector

US-based Outsource Monetic(TM), 1st Independent ATM Deployer (IAD) to operate in West and Central Africa (UEMOA and CEMAC)

Strong Sustainability Performance sees Perseus Mining deliver US$385 million to Ivorian and Ghanaian Economies in 2020

How can Mauritius take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)? (By Chido Pamela Mafongoya & Veedushi Mooloo)

AstraZeneca supports the local community in Kajiado in reforestation

Merck foundation partner with Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS) to build fertility care capacity and advocacy in Africa

Rosatom announces winners of the “Atoms Empowering Africa” Online Video Competition

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 reported cases in Ethiopia (3 May 2021)

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 Statistics in South Africa (3 May 2021)

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 daily update (3 May 2021)

APICORP: Middle East and North Africa (MENA) energy investments to exceed USD805 bn over next five years

African Messaging App Ayoba Celebrates Second Birthday With 5.5m Users, Launches Voice and Video Calling as well as Web Access

SHAREit Ranks #2 Fastest-Growing Media Publisher In Africa

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (3 May 2021)

African Energy Downstream Committee to drive African competitiveness, jobs, local content, energy, and maritime security

News Tips

Advertise With Us

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