West Africa

Nigeria's NNPC claims pipeline theft is almost eliminated

Nigeria's state-owned oil company NNPC Limited announced on Monday that nearly all pipeline theft had been eliminated following coordinated efforts of the country's defense and intelligence agencies. In the past three years, only 30% of the oil that was sent through certain pipelines reached Nigeria's terminals for export. This cost the government billions and led to investment being deferred. Bayo Ojulari, Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Group in Abuja, said: "Today I am proud to report that our terminal and pipeline receipts have reached close to 100 percent." He claimed that security was improved, especially in the Niger Delta
West Africa

Maersk contains fire onboard Marie Maersk vessel off Liberia; intensifies firefighting efforts
Exporters' association reports that Ivory Coast cocoa fell 31.2% in July compared to the same period last year.

The Ivory Coast cocoa grinding fell 31.2% on an annual basis in July, to 39,301 metric tonnes, according to data released by the exporters' association GEPEX. Grinders cited poor bean quality and low quantities of the mid-crop. From the beginning of the season 2024/25 in October to the end of July, the total grind of cocoa beans was 515,055 tonnes, a 4% decrease from the same period the previous season. The director of a San Pedro-based international grinding company said that the "quality of the beans" was the main reason for the dramatic drop in July's grinding this year. They
Transport Infrastructure

African Development Bank will lead efforts to raise $7.8 billion for new Ethiopian Airport
Lenders appoint receiver for major Nigerian power firms, notice shows

An announcement in the local media stated that lenders have appointed a Nigerian receiver to KEPCO Energy Resources, its subsidiary Egbin Power and other major players in the energy sector. This has added to the financial concerns of the industry. KEPCO is 70% owner of Egbin Power - Nigeria's largest electricity generator. The announcement comes at a time when the electricity sector is facing a cash crunch estimated at $2.01 billion. A trustee appointed Kunle Ogunba as receiver/manager of KEPCO on June 19th. The companies have denied the notice, and stated that the matter is in court. According to court
West Africa

Eight people killed in helicopter crash include Ghana Defence Minister

The government announced that Ghana's Minister of Defence Edward Omane Boamah, along with four officials and three members of the air force crew, died in a helicopter crash on Tuesday. Julius Debrah, the chief of staff to President John Mahama, said at a press briefing that the accident in which Boamah, Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and other victims were killed, was a tragedy for Ghana. Debrah stated, "The President and Government extend our condolences to the families and servicemen of our comrades who have died while serving the country." The authorities did not immediately explain what could have caused the
Nigerian court puts major power companies in receivership and deepens sector crisis

Transport Infrastructure

Cocoa grinders cut their purchases in Ivory Coast by 20 percent as margins contract

Sources from the industry said that cocoa grinders have cut their purchases of cocoa beans by 20% in Ivory Coast since January due to shrinking margins caused by a surge in global prices. Exporters and grinders have told us that the drop in cocoa production has also affected processing volumes. This has increased competition between exporters, processors and blenders. Five Ivory Coast grinders and eight Ivory Coast exporters claim that the beans of the current mid-crop are lower quality with less fat and butter, which prevents factories from operating at full capacity. The processors now only buy what they need...

Transport Infrastructure

Ivory Coast targets 50% cocoa production locally within two years

The head of the national regulator announced that Ivory Coast will increase its domestic cocoa production to 50% within two years. This is up from the current 42%, he said. Yves Brahima Kone, the managing director of Ivory Coast’s Coffee and Cocoa Council, said that cocoa processing was essential to boost local industry and support economic growth. Kone, who spoke at the opening of the Abidjan plant in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast's country, said that the Ivory Coast has invested to boost the domestic industry. He said that five plants will be completed and operational in two...

Transport Infrastructure

Ivory Coast cocoa imports are below exporter expectations, says regulator

Yves Brahima Kone said that cocoa arrivals in ports of Ivory Coast, the top producer, reached 1,540 million metric tonnes at the end May. This compares to exporters' estimated 1.624 millions tons for the same time period. Exporters reported that last month the quality of cocoa was low and buyers refused to buy more beans, resulting in low volume. Six exporters said that although some trucks carrying poor-quality cocoa were returned by exporters, their beans were still recorded in the records. This explains the 5% discrepancy between the figures supplied by the regulator and those of exporters. This is a...

Transport Infrastructure

Panama removes more than 650 vessels from its registry amid sanctions and stricter rules

Panama's Maritime Authority said that it has removed more than 650 ships from its registry since 2019, as part of a campaign to comply with U.S. sanction and enforce stricter regulations for the vessels it flags. The authority said that since last year, 214 ships have been removed from Panama's register, which is among the largest in the world with over 8,500 vessels. Once removed from the registry, ships cannot sail under Panamanian flag. Panama has responded to criticism from non-governmental group United Against Nuclear Iran. UANI, which said last week that Panama had taken insufficient action against sanction violations...

Transport Infrastructure

Poor bean quality is a problem for weekly cocoa deliveries in Ivory Coast

Exporters estimate that cocoa arrivals in ports of Ivory Coast, the top producer, had reached 1,582 million metric tonnes by May 18 compared to 1.437 millions tons a year ago. The weekly arrivals in the two major ports of the country between May 12 and 18 were down sharply compared to the same period the previous season. This drop was attributed by buyers to the fact that they rejected more beans due poor quality. Between May 12 and 18, approximately 7,000 tons of bean were delivered to Abidjan and 15,000 to San Pedro, for a total 22,000 tons. This is...

Transport Infrastructure

Ivory Coast Port Operator to invest in inland logistic

Africa Global Logistics, the company that operates Ivory Coast’s main port plans to invest more than 60 million euros ($67million) in inland logistic over the next five year to enhance its position as a gateway and transport hub for landlocked West African countries. Regional Director Asta Rosa Cisse said that the company intends to develop dry warehouses with cooling facilities and establish operational hubs throughout Ivory Coast. Africa Global Logistics, which operates Abidjan, the main port of Ivory Coast - the world's largest cocoa and cashew producers - also handles shipments from and to landlocked neighbours Burkina Faso, and Mali....

Transport Infrastructure

Access to the back sea for landlocked Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger through Morocco

Morocco's official news agency reported that the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso and Niger, three Sahel-dominated states ruled by military forces, said they endorsed an initiative on Monday offering them access through Morocco's Atlantic port to global trade. It said that the foreign ministers of their respective countries expressed their positions during a meeting in Rabat with Morocco's King Mohammed VI. Last year, the West African nations run by juntas who have been in power through coups for the past few years withdrew themselves from ECOWAS and formed a new alliance called the Confederation of Sahel States. Morocco, a major...

Transport Infrastructure

Access to the back sea for landlocked Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger through Morocco

Morocco expresses interest in LNG terminal

Morocco, in an effort to diversify the energy sector that is heavily dependent on coal, made the first steps toward the location of a terminal for liquefied gas near the Mediterranean City of Nador. The Moroccan energy industry has expressed interest in the LNG terminal. Morocco is also pushing forward with a plan to increase renewable energy from 45% of installed capacity now to 52% by 2030. In a press release, the ministry announced that the terminal would be connected to an existing pipeline linking Morocco with Spain, as well as to industrial zones in Mohammedia, and Kenitra in the...

Bollore Group targeted by anti-corruption groups over old Africa assets and demanded restitution

Twelve anti-corruption campaigners filed a complaint with the French Financial Prosecutor against logistics group Bollore, and its former CEO. They accused them of using their connections and influence peddling to secure lucrative African Port concessions. The first step to a possible criminal prosecution in France is filing a complaint. The complaint of the campaigners, who demand restitution, claims that Vincent Bollore and the Bollore Group used their connections with leaders in West Africa for several decades to secure contracts and create a vast business network. According to the review of the complaint, "corruption and favouritism" were used to secure port...

Sources say that Ivory Coast Customs seizes 2,000 tons falsely declared cocoa bean.

Two customs sources, and one judicial resource, said that Ivory Coast customs seized around 2,050 metric tons (2,000 metric tonnes) of falsely-declared cocoa beans valued at around $19,000,000 in its main port Abidjan on Tuesday. Cocoa, which is the main ingredient of chocolate, is smuggled across the western border between Ivory Coast and Guinea, where the traffickers pay more than the local farm gate price. Last week, Ivorian Customs found that an exporter of cocoa had falsely declared to pay a lower tax at the port. Customs officers familiar with the case said that 110 containers were seized, which according...

After a tanker sinks, Russia's Ust-Luga Port continues to export fuel

According to industry sources, and LSEG ship-tracking information, Russia's Baltic Sea Port of Ust-Luga resumed fuel exports Tuesday following a tanker that ran aground after a weekend explosion in its engine-room. After the explosion, a Suezmax tanker named Koala that was carrying 130,000 metric tonnes of fuel oil ran into trouble near a berth in the Ust-Luga terminal. According to the Russian Ministry of Transport, no one from the crew was injured. On Tuesday, the ministry said that divers were inspecting the vessel and had not detected any fuel leaks. It added that the incident had been investigated. According to...

Arrivals of cocoa from Ivory Coast are on the rise, but the quality is disappointing

The arrival of cocoa at Ivory Coast ports increased during the week ending February 2 in comparison to the previous season. However, exporters claimed on Monday that the beans were not in good condition due to inadequate storage. West African nation has increased its efforts to prevent bean smuggling into neighbouring Guinea, and Liberia, where traffickers are paying higher prices than the local farm gate price for cocoa. Exporter in Abidjan, the capital of the West African nation, said that the tightening border security makes it harder for cocoa to escape. He added that this provides an incentive to ship...

Passenger Transportation Services

France and Spain agree to tax private jets and premium flyers

On Monday, a group of countries, including France, Kenya and Spain, pledged to tax private jets and premium-class flights in order to raise money for climate action. Despite the fact that many wealthy nations are reducing their official development assistance to developing countries and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, others have looked for new funding sources, such as taxing polluting industry. The announcement made on the first day of the U.N. Development Summit in Seville, Spain was the first from the "Sevilla Platform for Action", which aims to implement the new global financing framework that had been agreed...