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The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) hosted its first virtual business opportunities seminar (BOS) of 2021 on 6 and 7 April.

The BOS seminars offer a one-stop shop for companies, civil contractors, manufacturers, consultants, and suppliers from the Bank Group’s regional and non-regional members seeking to provide goods and services to projects or to the Bank.
Held virtually as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, delegates were informed about the Bank’s strategy for supporting economic growth, its priority areas, rules and procedures for project and corporate procurement, and ongoing public and private sector operations.
During the sessions staff discussed the sectors that offer opportunities for partners and suppliers: climate change; infrastructure, cities and urban development; industries and trade; finance and SMEs; agriculture; health, human capital, youth, and skills development.
“The Bank’s 2021 Business Opportunities Seminar was an impressive learning experience and an open door to interact virtually with different experts and gain insights into best practices and directions for conducting effective business approaches within the Bank,” said David Andrés Rojas Mejía, Senior Business Development Specialist at Catalonia Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.
Private sector partners contributed richly to the discussion, sharing their experience around partnering and contracting with the Bank. They included Kwame Boate, country director of TechnoServe Inc., (Ghana) and Cletus Kayenwee of the Rural Enterprises Program at the Ghanaian Ministry of Trade, who shared their experience contracting with the Bank on Ghana’s “One District One Factory” Enable Youth Program. The program aims to build the entrepreneurial capacity of graduate youth. Participants also heard from Abdelillah Zenjari, Deputy General Director of TEKCIM. He shared his experience partnering and obtaining a loan of €45 million to build a cement factory with a capacity of 1.4 million tons in the region of d’El Jadida in Morocco.
Over the years, the seminars have hosted approximately 2,500 delegates from 55 countries, with an average of 75% of delegates from non-regional member countries and 90% from the private sector.
For the Bank, the seminars increase interest in Bank-financed projects and enhance competition, thereby promoting higher-quality offers that deliver optimal value for money for its regional member countries.
“The sessions have also helped me to understand how to find opportunities for my firm by being better able to navigate your procurement framework and processes,” said Dede Watkin, Business Development Manager at Beale &#038;Co, a participant.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Gershwin Wanneburg Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank email: g.wanneburg@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

African Development Bank’s first virtual business opportunities seminar of 2021, draws 450 global partners and suppliers

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New cases: 22 Cumulative confirmed cases: 33,827 Active cases: 1,086 Total recovered: 31,479 (119 new) Currently admitted in treatment units: 19 (2 new) New discharges from treatment units: 5 Total tests conducted: 223,964 (585 new) Total deaths: 1,128 (1 new) Total vaccinated to date: 209,353 (4,995 new)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi. Media files

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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Daily: Laboratory test: 8,083 Severe cases: 971 New recovered: 1,585 New deaths: 28 New cases: 1,741

Total: Laboratory test: 2,445,578 Active cases: 55,187 Total recovered: 170,633 Total deaths: 3,174 Total cases: 228,996
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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486 people have tested positive to the disease, from a sample size of 4,134 tested in the last 24 hours. Our positivity rate is at 11.8%. Total confirmed positive cases are now 145,670 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,561,838.

Distribution of new positive cases by age is as follows; 0-9 years (47), 10-19 years (22), 20-29 years (58), 30-39 years (92), 40-49 years (97), 50-59 years (83), 60 and above (87).
Nairobi has 264 cases, Kiambu 35, Kitui 20, Nakuru 19, Nyamira 17, Kajiado 14, Kilifi 14, Machakos 13, Mandera 12, Mombasa 11, Nandi 10, Uasin Gishu 10, Meru 9, Kisumu 9, Nyeri 8, HomaBay 5, Turkana 5, Kericho 3, Kisii 2, Laikipia 2, Lamu 1, Migori 1, Murang’a 1 &#038; Tharaka Nithi 1.
Today 490 patients have recovered from the disease, 318 from various health facilities, while 172 are from Home Based and Isolation Care. Total recoveries now are 99,095.
18 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, 2 occurred in the last 24 hours, 10 within the last one month &#038; 6 being late death reports from facility record audits. This now pushes our cumulative fatalities to 2,348.
New deaths by age; 0-9 years (0), 10-19 years (0), 20-29 (1), 30-39 years (1), 40-49 years (0), 50-59 years (3), 60 years and above (13).
Cumulative deaths by age; 0-9 years (45), 10-19 years (17), 20-29 (95), 30-39 years (210), 40-49 years (326), 50-59 years (527), 60 years and above (1,128).
A total of 1,660 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 5,994 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care. 
256 patients are in the ICU, 44 of whom are on ventilatory support &#038; 181 on supplemental oxygen. 31 patients are on observation.
Another 257 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 236 of them in general wards and 21 in High Dependency Units (HDU).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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Newly confirmed cases: 204 Recoveries: 85 Active cases: 1306 Deaths: 6
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namibia. Media files

Coronavirus – Namibia: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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Platform Capital Group (https://ThePlatformCapital.com), Africa’s leading growth markets focused, sector agnostic investment and advisory firm collaborated with its global partners to provide free medical tests in eight countries across the world in honor of International World Health Day. The eight countries are Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, South Africa, Mexico, and the USA. This initiative is part of the group’s core focus on sustainable development and impacting the communities that it and its portfolio companies operate in. The in-country events were live streamed across social media in a first of its kind global healthcare outreach initiative.

To achieve this, Platform Capital partnered globally with Koniku, STRAP Technologies, SafeRoom Technologies, Flying Doctors, ESKA Foundation, Conex Petroleum, Koko Networks, Merge App, LipaLater and EliteCV. Each medial outreach location provided free health checks including blood pressure readings, COVID-19 rapid tests, eye tests &#038; BMI checks. These medical tests were accessed by residents of the local communities, raised awareness about common health challenges and provided information on how to address them. Attendees of the medical outreach were advised on next steps based on their results and directed to specialists for further evaluation and treatment if necessary.

Since 2020, Platform Capital through Diatom Impact, its impact vehicle, has reached more than 100,000 Africans through the deployment of over $3milllion across its five focus areas of Education, Gender Equality, Entrepreneurship, Health and Quality of life. This has been achieved through partnerships and a commitment to changing the practice of development and investment across Africa. Platform Capital and its portfolio companies fulfill 15 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. Akintoye Akindele, Chairman of Platform Capital Group said &#8220;As a company that has impact &#038; social responsibility at our core, we are passionate about health and we believe in the power of a healthier world. We are proud to collaborate with our partners and portfolio companies to make this project a success. At Platform Capital we pride ourselves in caring for the communities where we have the privilege to live and work. We are also committed to changing the African continent’s narrative and building a powerful village of global and local changemakers. This can only be achieved if Africans are healthy and fit. We strongly believe that in order to change the continent&#39;s narrative, Africans must be healthy to create wealth.&#8221;
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Platform Capital.About Platform Capital: Platform Capital is a growth markets focused, sector agnostic, principal investment and advisory firm. We deploy patient, value accretive capital alongside international and local value investors to create champion businesses with the potential for regional or global scale. Platform also provides end-to-end bespoke Corporate Finance &#038; Capital Markets advisory services. What makes us different is our obsession with changing the African narrative. Media files

Platform Capital celebrates 2021 International World Health Day with a synchronised global medical outreach across eight countries

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Tests conducted: 10,138,936 Positive cases identified: 1,558,458 Total recoveries: 1,483,296 Total deaths: 53,322 New cases: 931
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health. Media files

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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57 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

FCT-20 Lagos-19 Bayelsa-7 Kaduna-4 Rivers-3 Osun-3 Jigawa-1

163,793 confirmed 154,107 discharged 2,060 deaths
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Media files

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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Total cases: 23,426 (+83) Recovered: 21,243 (+171) | 90.6% Active cases: 1,868 In critical condition: 5 Tests: 1,220,068 (+6,047) Test positivity rate: 1.4% Vaccinated: 348,926 Deaths: 315 (+1) | 1.3%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda. Media files

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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As of 11th April 2021, we recorded 111 new cases out of 4,949 tests (2% positivity), 1205 recoveries and no new deaths for the 2nd consecutive day.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Media files

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (11 April 2021)

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Since the discovery of major hydrocarbon reserves between 2014 and 2017, Senegal has been a strong advocate for positioning local content and capacity building as the key to unlocking industry growth. While Senegal does have existing local content requirements under its New Petroleum Code (Law No. 01/2019), the emerging petroleum player differentiates itself from other producers because it has the lead time to create local capacity in support of its oil and gas sector before it happens, rather than as an afterthought. In this sense, the country has placed a major focus on developing in-country financing capabilities necessary for training, up-skilling and engaging local companies and individuals.

A new local content law was set to be signed by H.E. President Macky Sall in the first quarter of 2020, yet COVID-19 has since delayed the implementation of the reform, and the country has turned its attention to its Economic and Social Resilience Program, which seeks to encourage public-private partnerships, lend macroeconomic and financial assistance and support private sector recovery. With first oil and gas set to flow in 2022, many local financial institutions have yet to put in place a strategy to leverage Senegal’s growing hydrocarbons market. To satisfy operators’ needs and international performance requirements, companies operating locally require funding to up-skill the indigenous labor force, yet very few local banks are able to provide viable terms and conditions, forcing local companies to find alternative financing methods. Improving access to funding for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be critical to assuring local participation in the country’s emerging hydrocarbon sector and enabling them to compete for offshore service contracts.
“Financing economic opportunities for local content will help meet the goals and vision of the Local content policies advocated by President Macky Sall. The road to shared economic prosperity in the oil and gas industry and Senegal travels through two-way streets, where all are included, and none are left in the margins of the marketplace”. Stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
&#8220;The quantifiable gaps in opportunity and in access to capital for local companies should define the agenda of the oil and gas industry execution of the upcoming projects”. Concluded Ayuk
In an effort to increase financial inclusion, Senegal has taken advantage of its strong mobile penetration, in which over 32% of adults has a mobile money account. Meso-finance aims to serve as the missing link for financing in emerging African economies by targeting companies whose needs cannot be met by microfinance or commercial banks. Meso-finance is an attractive model for SMEs that struggle to invest in training and new equipment due to limited access to financial resources.
Several commercial banks – including Bank of Africa and Orabank – are currently implementing specific offers to target SME development across sectors, with the underlying goal of fuelling demand for petroleum-related services. Access to financing for SMEs is also being developed by the private sector and foreign partners.
Invest in Africa (IIA) is an organization comprised of major operators Woodside Energy, BP, Cairn and Kosmos Energy, aimed at developing local content capacity across the energy value chain. IIA unites several partner banks and financial institutions in an effort to lower the risk associated with backing local ventures, thereby increasing their own access to affordable, well-equipped local service providers and suppliers. As the market moves forward and more local players are called in, synergies between the private financial sector and the government will be critical to achieving shared local content goals.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. Media files

Fostering Financial Inclusion for Senegalese Local Companies in the Energy Sector

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Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), parent company of the Ecobank Group (www.Ecobank.com), is pleased to announce the appointment of Akin Dada as Group Executive, Corporate and Investment Bank. He joined Ecobank in 2017 as the Executive Director for Corporate Bank in Nigeria, and prior to his new appointment was Group Head, Corporate Banking for the Ecobank Group.

Akin has over 30 years of banking experience in client coverage, strategic transaction initiation and advisory dialogues across various client segments, including public sector, telecoms, FMCG and oil and gas.
Prior to joining Ecobank, Akin was the Managing Director for Citigroup Cameroon. He worked for Citigroup for 26 years in Corporate &#038; Investment Banking as Senior Transactor, Senior Relationship Banker and Business Development Manager. While at Citi, he handled a wide array of transactions in Loan Syndications, Project Finance, Corporate Finance and Advisory. Akin also worked briefly with Access Bank Nigeria Plc as Group Head, Oil &#038; Gas.
Ade Ayeyemi, Ecobank Group CEO said: “Akin’s valuable and varied experience over many years in corporate banking as well as his broader knowledge of banking, credit and risk management position him appropriately to lead our Corporate and Investment Bank. There are huge opportunities for the Ecobank Group with the implementation of the AfCFTA, which heralds burgeoning demand for trade finance, advisory services and cross-border payments.”
Akin has an MBA from the University of Warwick, UK, and a degree in Political Science from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
He succeeds Amin Manekia, who retired from the Group in 2020.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ecobank.
Media Contact: Adenike Laoye Group Head, Corporate Communications/ Chief of Staff to the Group Chief Executive Officer groupcorporatecomms@ecobank.com Tel: +228 22 21 03 03 
About Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’ or ‘The Group’): Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’) is the parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading independent pan-African banking group. The Ecobank Group employs over 14,000 people and serves about 24 million customers in the consumer, commercial and corporate banking sectors across 33 African countries. The Group has a banking license in France and representative offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Beijing, China; London, the UK and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The Group offers a full suite of banking products, services and solutions including bank and deposit accounts, loans, cash management, advisory, trade, securities, wealth and asset management. ETI is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchanges in Lagos, the Ghana Stock Exchange in Accra, and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières in Abidjan. For further information please visit www.Ecobank.com.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated appoints Akin Dada as Group Executive, Corporate & Investment Banking

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Direct carrier billing (DCB) is the safest and most suitable payment technology for the new mobile economy; the two companies announced the launch of DCB Index to measure industry maturity in different regions.

European technology companies Evina (www.Evina.com) and Telecoming (www.Telecoming.com) have signed a global alliance to work hand in hand in promoting DCB as the safest and most appropriate payment method in the new mobile economy and, in particular, for the fight against fraud.

The agreement deals a body blow to the mobile fraud that cost the African continent over USD 4 billion last year. DCB is the most suitable payment technology for millions of unbanked Africans who appreciate its unparalleled reach and convenience. The agreement between Evina and Telecoming; both with operations in 15 African, Middle Eastern and European countries; now makes mobile-based transacting even safer.

Telecoming is the leading expert in DCB since 2008 and Evina is the reference in the fight against digital fraud. With this alliance, both organizations combine their expertise to develop the industry and boost mobile payment security.

Roberto Monge, COO of Telecoming, states &#8220;Direct carrier billing has been growing in the new digital economy. It is a technology with enormous potential that benefits all players in the mobile environment. With this alliance, we want to place DCB at the forefront of the payments industry and reinforce our commitment to the development of a transparent, secure and stable mobile economy&#8221;.

David Lotfi, Evina’s CEO: “The potential of DCB is widely underestimated by mobile operators and other market players. This is mainly due to the fact that DCB is currently adversely affected by fraud. By protecting the mobile payment ecosystem, we aim to sustain DCB’s growth and help all players flourish in this ecosystem.” 

The alliance aims to educate on the vast potential of direct carrier billing through the DCBMaster service that allows users to measure their exposure to fraud, as well as their market and regulations knowledge.

The alliance will also enable the launch of the first global DCB indicator. This DCB Index will measure the maturity of the DCB market in different regions, based on the analysis of four indicators: Fraud protection, Innovation, Penetration in the Digital Industry and Growth Potential.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telecoming.
Telecoming’s Press Contact: Bárbara González barbara@bg10.es M. +34 603 578 654
Evina’s Press Contact: Communication@evina.com
About Evina: Evina offers the most advanced cybersecurity for mobile payment. Evina’s anti-fraud technology was created by a group of passionate engineers and monetization specialists for MNOs, merchants and payment gateways to fend off fraud and conquer new markets. Evina&#39;s anti-fraud solutions secure over +16 million transactions each day, decrease complaint rates, maximize the number of legitimate transactions, and increase revenues.
About Telecoming: Telecoming is an international company deploying a complete suite of technologies for digital services monetization. In a scalable, flexible and secure platform, it integrates seamlessly revenue generation tools based on User Acquisition, User Engagement and Business Optimization. Leader on the economics of digital content since 2008, Telecoming currently operates in 27 countries. The London Stock Exchange has acknowledged the firm as one of the most inspiring European organizations. Moreover, it’s among Europe’s fastest-growing companies, according to Morningstar’s Inc.5,000 ranking.

Telecoming and Evina sign a global alliance to enhance security in Direct carrier billing (DCB) payments

Telecoming and Evina sign a global alliance to enhance security in DCB payments

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Africa Oil &#038; Power (AOP) (www.AfricaOilAndPower.com) will officially launch its Africa Energy &#038; Mining (AEM) conference and exhibition, the definitive single event for African energy and mining, on 29-31 March 2022; AEM is the only event in Africa that unites the entire mining and energy value chain. It will emphasize the role that renewable energy plays in advancing Africa’s mining sector, the value of mining in facilitating a continent-wide energy transition and the investment opportunities available in privatized power, natural gas and oil development; the flagship event continues AOP’s Cape Town event series, uniting the entire energy value chain and the African continent under one roof once again.

Africa Oil &#038; Power (AOP) is proud to announce that it will host its fourth flagship Cape Town event, the Africa Energy &#038; Mining (AEM) 2022 Conference and Exhibition on 29-31 March 2022, under the theme ‘Investing in the World’s Future Energy Value Chain.’ The event represents the only hybrid mining and energy event focused on Africa – with both in-person and online attendance – and will bring together public and private sector executives for three days of networking and deal-making.
Focusing on Africa’s energy transition and prioritizing a post-COVID-19 industry recovery, AEM will create an enabling environment for business by bringing together industry leaders, top government representatives, key international companies and stakeholders, as well as private sector executives from all facets of the continent’s energy and mining sectors. The event continues AOP’s pan-African flagship Cape Town series, but with a more inclusive program welcoming mining, oil and gas, power, renewables, and new industry segments such as energy storage and hydrogen.
“Africa is the final energy frontier and we are seeing a considerable amount of investment being directed towards large-scale resource developments across the continent,” says Kelly Mealia, Chairperson, AOP. “AEM 2022 represents the optimal investment conference for the entire African energy and mining value chains. By integrating multiple sectors into one conference, AEM is focusing on the potential of collaboration and synergies in fast-tracking growth and success for petroleum, mining, power and renewables.”
AEM 2022 is proud to play host to the first-ever Women in Industry Assembly, a forum dedicated to celebrating the role of women in Africa’s advancing energy and mining sectors. “Women have an integral role to play in the expansion and transformation of the African energy and mining sectors,” says Yolisa Nyoka, Program Director, AOP. “AEM 2022 is the single most important forum for the celebration of and engagement with women industry leaders.” The Women in Industry Assembly will include an invite-only investor breakfast and dedicated conference sessions.
By building on integration opportunities among the renewable energy and mining sectors; and recognizing the role that the mining industry has to play in facilitating a continent-wide energy transition, AEM 2022 will drive investment and deal-making in the energy and mining value chains across Africa.
“Foreign investment will play the most vital role in supporting economic growth and eliminating energy poverty in Africa for years to come,” notes NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. “AEM 2022 will present foreign investors with the valuable opportunity to identify meaningful investment opportunities that will not only initiate long-term and sustainable project developments, but will generate multiple economic benefits through job creation, local content, and industrialization.”
Key discussion points will include Africa’s energy transition; renewable energy in mining; energy storage, battery metals and the future of African mining; synergies between mining and energy in the post-COVID environment; the role of oil and gas in Africa’s economies; Africa as a global LNG leader; the future of African power grids and utilities; funding for gas-to-power projects; independent power producers, privatized power and Africa-wide electrification; and the hydrogen revolution and electric vehicles.
“AOP recognizes the mutual value creation and synergies of the energy sector and the mining industry and AEM 2022 provides the pan-African networking and deal-making platform for increased integration between these sectors,” said James Chester, Senior Director at AOP.
The conference will be hosted in partnership with South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources &#038; Energy, the African Energy Chamber, the South Africa Oil &#038; Gas Alliance, the South Africa-China Economy and Trade Association and Russia’s AFROCOM and will take place in accordance with all government and COVID-19 protocols.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil &#038; Power Conference.
AEM 2022 presents various partnership, sponsorship, and attendance opportunities. To secure your place at this event and learn more, visit www.AfricaEnergyAndMining.com and to sponsor or exhibit, email sales@africaoilandpower.com.
Media files

Africa Oil & Power unites Mining and Energy at All-Africa Event in 2022

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.
Direct carrier billing (DCB) is the safest and most suitable payment technology for the new mobile economy; The two companies announced the launch of DCB Index to measure industry maturity in different regions.

European technology companies Evina and Telecoming (www.Telecoming.com) have signed a global alliance to work hand in hand in promoting DCB as the safest and most appropriate payment method in the new mobile economy and, in particular, for the fight against fraud.

The agreement deals a body blow to the mobile fraud that cost the African continent over USD 4 billion last year. DCB is the most suitable payment technology for millions of unbanked Africans who appreciate its unparalleled reach and convenience. The agreement between Evina and Telecoming; both with operations in 15 African, Middle Eastern and European countries; now makes mobile-based transacting even safer.

Telecoming is the leading expert in DCB since 2008 and Evina is the reference in the fight against digital fraud. With this alliance, both organizations combine their expertise to develop the industry and boost mobile payment security.

Roberto Monge, COO of Telecoming, states &#8220;Direct carrier billing has been growing in the new digital economy. It is a technology with enormous potential that benefits all players in the mobile environment. With this alliance, we want to place DCB at the forefront of the payments industry and reinforce our commitment to the development of a transparent, secure and stable mobile economy&#8221;.

David Lotfi, Evina’s CEO: “The potential of DCB is widely underestimated by mobile operators and other market players. This is mainly due to the fact that DCB is currently adversely affected by fraud. By protecting the mobile payment ecosystem, we aim to sustain DCB’s growth and help all players flourish in this ecosystem.” 

The alliance aims to educate on the vast potential of direct carrier billing through the DCBMaster service that allows users to measure their exposure to fraud, as well as their market and regulations knowledge.

The alliance will also enable the launch of the first global DCB indicator. This DCB Index will measure the maturity of the DCB market in different regions, based on the analysis of four indicators: Fraud protection, Innovation, Penetration in the Digital Industry and Growth Potential. 
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telecoming.
Press Contact: Evina communication@evina.com
Telecoming Bárbara González barbara@bg10.es M. +34 603 578 654
About Evina: Evina offers the most advanced cybersecurity for mobile payment. Evina’s anti-fraud technology was created by a group of passionate engineers and monetization specialists for MNOs, merchants and payment gateways to fend off fraud and conquer new markets. Evina&#39;s anti-fraud solutions secure over +16 million transactions each day, decrease complaint rates, maximize the number of legitimate transactions, and increase revenues. More info at: www.Evina.com.
About Telecoming: Telecoming is an international company deploying a complete suite of technologies for digital services monetization. In a scalable, flexible and secure platform, it integrates seamlessly revenue generation tools based on User Acquisition, User Engagement and Business Optimization. Leader on the economics of digital content since 2008, Telecoming currently operates in 27 countries. The London Stock Exchange has acknowledged the firm as one of the most inspiring European organizations. Moreover, it’s among Europe’s fastest-growing companies, according to Morningstar’s Inc.5,000 ranking. For more information please visit: www.Telecoming.com.

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.
ESCOM, Malawi’s national power utility, made timely payments to the Ruo-Ndiza Hydroelectric power plant for 22,578 MWh of electricity supplied to the utility throughout 2020; The payments have been collected and recorded by the Transparency Tool, a joint initiative of ATI (www.ATI-aca.org) and KfW; This is the first report being published by the Transparency Tool since its launch in 2019.

The Transparency Tool, an online platform that collects and provides information on the payments of national power utilities to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) across sub-Saharan Africa, has recorded an impressive payment trend in Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Limited (ESCOM). The utility’s payments were to the Ruo-Ndiza hydroelectric power project, the country’s sole operational renewable energy IPP.

The Ruo-Ndiza power project is an 8.2 MW Run-of-the-River plant in south-eastern Malawi at the foot of Mt. Mulanje. Owned and managed by Mulanje Hydro Limited, it was conceived and built by Nyangani Renewable Energy (Pvt) Ltd, Zimbabwe’s largest IPP. The IPP has been supplying electricity to the grid since reaching its Commercial Operations Date (COD) in May 2019 and in 2020 delivered 22,578 MWh into the national grid. This is 1% of Malawi’s electricity generation equivalent to approximately 40,300 households. Electricity consumers in the Mulanje area have commented very favourably on the improved grid stability as a result of the project location adding diversity to the National power Grid. The project was developed on the site of an existing small powerhouse, first installed in 1934, that supplied power to a tea farm and the surrounding areas.

The payments by ESCOM to Mulanje Hydro, for electricity generated and supplied between 1st January and 31st December 2020, were made on average 28 days after the invoicing date &#8211; within the 30 day credit period provided in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) entered into between the two institutions. This is particularly remarkable given the challenges faced by power utilities in the region following the COVID-19 pandemic and will hopefully send a positive message to potential investors in Malawi’s electricity sector.

Launched in June 2019 at the African Energy Forum (AEF) held in Portugal, the Transparency Tool’s primary objective is to address the perceived poor payment behaviour of African power utilities. Alongside the Regional Liquidity Support Facility (RLSF), the Transparency Tool is a key initiative in the ongoing partnership between the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) and the German Development Bank, KfW, to encourage additional investments in renewable energy projects on the continent. The tool is developed and hosted by Dun &#038; Bradstreet (D&#038;B).

ATI and KfW, with financing from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), launched the RLSF in 2017. The facility was created to help tackle climate change and attract investments by supporting renewable energy projects in Africa. The facility can be accessed by IPPs located in countries that sign onto RLSF’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). To date, seven countries have signed up – Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia.

In addition to potential access to RLSF, IPPs operational in these countries are able to register for the Transparency Tool as the MoU entered into between ATI and the respective host governments and power utilities allows ATI to record and occasionally publish the payment information without breaching any confidentiality agreements in the PPAs and/ or government support documentation. IPPs interested in using the Transparency Tool are not charged.

QUOTE from Manuel Moses, Chief Executive Officer, ATI “We are excited to be in a position to publish the first country report from the Transparency Tool. The tremendous efforts made by the Government of Malawi along with various external stakeholders in improving the investment climate in Malawi’s power sector is bearing fruit as evidenced by ESCOM’s track record in meeting its payment obligations in a timely manner and the number of IPPs that are at an advanced stage in their development and construction. Going forward, we are confident that the publishing of similar reports in Malawi and in our other member countries will encourage greater investment in renewable energy projects by correcting a long held perception that African national power utilities do not pay operational IPPs on time.”

QUOTE from Mr Clement Kanyama, Acting Chief Executive Officer, ESCOM “The recent Power Sector reforms in Malawi have opened up participation of private investment in Power Generation, and Mulanje Hydro Limited (MHL) have been the first IPP to become operational with a long term PPA.  ESCOM is delighted to be part of the success story in as far as timely payment of bills to MHL, is concerned. It is our intention to maintain the good payment record to MHL and other upcoming IPPs. As an off-taker, we appreciate the contribution that the MHL plant is making to the Malawi power Grid. The positive impact of the MHL plant to the local Grid, with extended contribution to the entire National Grid, is quite significant. MHL plant is contributing to reduced system losses, as it feeds directly into the Distribution Network, close to consumers. Its contribution to the national GDP is ten-fold comprising of taxes, salaries and spending on local goods, services and works. Malawi electricity industry is open!”

QUOTE from Ian McKersie, Managing Director, Mulanje Hydro Limited “Mulanje Hydro Limited have found ESCOM to be a very competent and reliable counterparty. The Ruo-Ndiza power station is the first IPP to come on line in Malawi and for ESCOM it is the first renewable electricity generator to have been commissioned into the national grid for many years. ESCOM have worked hard to minimise transmission outages. ESCOM have complied in full and on time with all their payment obligations as enshrined in the PPA. As an operator of other renewable generators in the region, it is gratifying to have an offtaker in ESCOM that fully understands and adheres to the terms of the agreed commercial contract.”

ATI will be hosting a virtual energy workshop which will focus on Malawi’s renewable energy sector, on Tuesday, 20th April, 2021 from 1500 – 1630hrs (CAT). A panel of private sector experts and representatives from the key government entities active in the sector has been lined up to discuss and explore the country’s renewable energy space. Please send an e-mail to press@ati-aca.org to receive the registration details for the virtual event.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI).
Press Contact: Sheila Ongas Communications Officer African Trade Insurance Agency sheila.ongas@ati-aca.org Mobile +254 728 600 180
Follow African Trade Insurance Agency on: Twitter: https://bit.ly/3uzf8Y0 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3wATxjz LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/39POvFZ
About The African Trade Insurance Agency: ATI was founded in 2001 by African States to cover the trade and investment risks of companies doing business in Africa. ATI predominantly provides Political Risk, Credit Insurance and, Surety Insurance. In 2019, ATI closed the year with exposures of USD6.4 billion and continued to post record results for the eighth consecutive year with 132% growth on the net profit over 2018 owing to strong demand for ATI’s insurance solutions from the international financial sector and from African governments. Since inception, ATI has supported USD62 billion worth of investments and trade into Africa. For over a decade, ATI has maintained an ‘A/Stable’ rating for Financial Strength and Counterparty Credit by Standard &#038; Poor’s, and in 2019, ATI obtained an A3/Stable rating from Moody’s.
About KfW &#038; KfW Development Bank: KfW is one of the world´s leading and most experienced promotional banks. Established in 1948 as a public law institution, KfW is owned 80 per cent by the Federal Republic of Germany and 20 per cent by the federal states (“Länder”).
KfW Development Bank is Germany’s leading development bank and an integral part of KfW. It carries out Germany´s Financial Cooperation (FC) with developing countries on behalf of the Federal Government. The more than 600 personnel at headquarters and 370 specialists in its 68 local offices cooperate with partners all over the world. Its goal is to combat poverty, secure the peace, protect the environment and the climate and make globalisation fair. KfW is a competent and strategic advisor on current development issues. www.KFW-entwicklungsbank.de

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