Dangote Breaks Ground on Proposed $16 Billion Kenya Refinery
Kenya — September 30, 2026
Dangote Industries has moved forward with its proposed $16 billion refinery project in Lamu, Kenya, with Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto marking the beginning of the project on Wednesday, September 30.
The proposed refinery is planned with a processing capacity of approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, putting it in the same broad capacity class as the Dangote refinery in Lagos. The Kenyan project is intended to supply refined petroleum products to East African markets and reduce the region's dependence on imported refined fuels.
The project is expected to form part of a wider industrial development around Lamu, with potential links to petrochemicals, logistics, storage and other downstream industries. Dangote has indicated that regional governments could collectively take a 30% stake in the refinery, creating a potential ownership structure involving Kenya and other East African countries. The project is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs during construction and operation.
The development, however, is taking place alongside a legal dispute concerning the proposed site. A Kenyan court had ordered that the status quo at the disputed Lamu site be maintained pending further proceedings, following a petition by local residents concerning land ownership and other issues. Dangote said the groundbreaking would proceed despite the legal challenge.
Commercial Implications
The proposed refinery represents a potential regional downstream energy and industrial platform, rather than simply another refining project. If implemented at the proposed scale, its requirements could extend across crude supply, marine logistics, storage, utilities, engineering, construction, maintenance, petrochemicals and distribution. Potential opportunities could emerge for EPC contractors, engineering consultants, equipment suppliers, logistics companies, storage operators, financial institutions and downstream petroleum businesses.
Project Herald Intelligence
The project also illustrates the increasing movement of African capital and industrial groups across national borders. The project's legal, land and infrastructure requirements remain material considerations as development progresses.
Important Status Note: The September 30 groundbreaking is a project-development milestone. It should not be interpreted as evidence that the full $16 billion has already been deployed.
Zambia's 40MW Kafue Solar Project Reaches Financial Close
Zambia — September 29, 2026
Zambia's 40MW Kafue Solar Project has reached financial close under the country's GET FiT Zambia programme, marking another step in the government's effort to expand non-hydropower electricity generation.
The project is the first 40MW solar photovoltaic development under GET FiT Zambia to reach financial close and forms part of a broader 120MW portfolio being developed through the programme. The Ministry of Energy said the GET FiT programme was established to attract private investment into renewable-energy generation through competitive procurement, implemented with support from Germany's KfW development bank.
According to the ministry, the wider GET FiT portfolio has mobilised approximately $160 million of investment, supported by a €41 million German grant through KfW. The Kafue project achieved an average tariff of below $0.06 per kilowatt-hour, highlighting the role of competitive procurement in attempting to secure new renewable generation at commercially sustainable tariffs.
The Kafue plant is expected to generate approximately 123 GWh annually, with output equivalent to the electricity needs of roughly 200,000 people. Construction is expected to begin shortly, while first power is targeted for October 2027. Zambia is pursuing a much broader expansion of generation capacity, with ZESCO officials saying hundreds of megawatts of solar projects are in development.
Commercial Implications
Financial close is important because it moves Kafue from development and financing arrangements into the pre-construction execution phase. The next opportunity cycle is likely to centre on EPC mobilisation, solar equipment, civil works, grid connection, electrical infrastructure, operations and maintenance, and associated project services.
Project Herald Intelligence
The project demonstrates how Zambia is attempting to diversify its generation mix after the country's dependence on hydropower exposed the electricity system to severe supply constraints during drought conditions.
Zambia and Solarcentury Africa Advance 67MWp Industrial Solar Project
Zambia — September 29, 2026
Solarcentury Africa and Zambia's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) have signed Heads of Terms to co-develop a 67MWp solar photovoltaic project near Chisamba in Central Province.
The proposed plant will connect to the ZESCO transmission backbone near Chisamba and is designed partly around the electricity requirements of large industrial users associated with IDC. The structure is intended to allow electricity generated by the solar plant to be wheeled through the ZESCO network to industrial customers.
The development therefore sits at the intersection of renewable generation, industrial power supply and Zambia's broader effort to address electricity shortages. The proposed location near Chisamba also has strategic grid significance because the plant can connect to the existing transmission network rather than operating as a completely isolated power system.
Commercial Implications
Unlike a completed financing or construction award, the Heads of Terms represents an early commercial development milestone. Its industrial-offtake orientation is particularly significant, as the project is being developed around the electricity needs of large commercial and industrial consumers rather than a conventional utility procurement structure.
The project could create future demand for solar EPC services, modules, inverters, electrical equipment, transmission connection works, project finance, energy trading and industrial power-management services.
Project Herald Intelligence
The development also demonstrates the growing importance of private and corporate power arrangements in markets where public utilities face generation and transmission constraints.
Uganda and South Sudan Launch 299km 400kV Power Interconnection
Uganda/South Sudan — September 29, 2026
Uganda and South Sudan have moved the South Sudan–Uganda Power Interconnection Project (SUPIP) into implementation following the technical launch of a major cross-border transmission development.
The project will establish approximately 299 kilometres of 400kV double-circuit transmission line between the two countries, alongside new and upgraded substations and related grid infrastructure. On the Ugandan side, approximately 150 kilometres of 400kV transmission line will run from the Olwiyo substation to Bibia near the South Sudan border, including a new 400/132/33kV substation at Bibia, an extension of the Karuma substation and upgrades to the Olwiyo substation.
The project is being implemented by Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), with the two countries expected to jointly procure the supervision consultant and the main EPC contractors. Financing includes approximately $121 million in African Development Bank support for Uganda, alongside counterpart financing.
The interconnection is intended to connect South Sudan more closely to the Eastern Africa Power Pool, while also enabling Uganda to export surplus electricity and improve utilisation of its generation capacity.
Commercial Implications
This is more than a transmission-line project. It is a regional electricity-trade asset that could eventually allow electricity generated in one market to serve demand in another. The forthcoming procurement of supervision consultants and EPC contractors is particularly relevant to engineering firms, transmission contractors, substation specialists, equipment manufacturers and infrastructure financiers.
Project Herald Intelligence
For South Sudan, improved access to regional electricity infrastructure could help address extremely low electricity access. For Uganda, the project provides a potential route for monetising additional generation capacity. The project will still need to navigate procurement, environmental and social safeguards, land acquisition and resettlement requirements.
Lagos Begins Work on 26MW Akute Independent Power Project
Nigeria — September 29, 2026
Lagos State and Fenchurch Group have commenced work on a 26MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) designed to provide dedicated electricity for the state's Akute waterworks.
The project is being developed through Aggregate Utilities Limited, a special-purpose vehicle under a concession arrangement with the Lagos State Government. The power plant is intended to supply the Akute Intake, Iju and Adiyan waterworks, infrastructure that supports water supply for millions of residents across Lagos. Lagos State has indicated that the waterworks affected by the project serve up to six million people.
Stakeholders inspected engines being prepared for the project at the Oregun fabrication yard of equipment partner Jubaili Bros, indicating that equipment mobilisation is progressing alongside the broader project execution. The state government has also emphasised performance-based contracting for service providers involved in the development.
Commercial Implications
The Akute project illustrates the increasing role of dedicated power infrastructure for essential public assets. Instead of relying entirely on the wider electricity network, a dedicated generation asset can provide a more controlled power supply to water-treatment and pumping infrastructure. Reliable electricity is a major operating requirement for water abstraction, treatment, pumping and distribution.
Opportunities may arise across gas or fuel supply, generation equipment, electrical systems, EPC services, maintenance, water infrastructure and long-term operations.
Project Herald Intelligence
The project is also relevant to investors examining concession-based infrastructure models in which power generation is directly linked to a public-service asset.
Nigeria Signs €256 Million Bioethanol Plant and 15,000-Hectare Cassava Programme
Nigeria — September 29, 2026
The Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority and 3D NNPC Biofuels Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of a proposed €256 million bioethanol plant at Itokin in Lagos State.
The agreement also provides for the cultivation of cassava across approximately 15,000 hectares of agricultural land in Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo states. The river basin authority is expected to provide 200 hectares of land at its Itokin project site for construction of the processing plant, while a further 15,000 hectares from its land bank will support cassava production to supply feedstock to the facility.
The structure links agricultural production directly to industrial processing. Instead of treating cassava primarily as an agricultural commodity, the project proposes to establish a large-scale conversion chain in which agricultural output becomes an industrial feedstock for bioethanol production. The proposed development also has implications for logistics, irrigation, agricultural inputs, storage, processing equipment and rural infrastructure.
Commercial Implications
The key feature of the proposal is the integration of feedstock production and industrial processing. A 15,000-hectare cultivation programme creates a substantial upstream requirement that must be coordinated with the proposed processing facility. Potential opportunity areas include agricultural development, farm machinery, irrigation, fertiliser and crop inputs, logistics, storage, processing equipment, engineering, construction and biofuel distribution.
Project Herald Intelligence
The commercial viability of the project will depend not only on plant construction but also on dependable feedstock supply, agricultural productivity, transport and processing economics. Status Note: The €256 million figure represents the proposed project investment associated with the MoU; it should not be treated as capital already deployed.
FCT Approves ₦5.7 Billion Dawaki–Bwari Power Line Contract
Nigeria — September 29, 2026
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has approved a ₦5.7 billion contract for construction of a 33kV electricity supply line from Dawaki to Tukulo and adjoining communities in Bwari Area Council.
The contract was approved by the FCT Executive Council and awarded to CGC Nigeria Ltd., with an expected completion period of eight months. The project is intended to improve electricity supply to communities in the Bwari axis while supporting infrastructure development in the expanding satellite-town areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
The project forms part of the FCT administration's broader infrastructure programme, which is focused on extending basic infrastructure into developing communities outside the central Abuja urban area. The 33kV system will require associated electrical infrastructure and distribution interfaces to deliver power from the transmission/distribution network into beneficiary communities.
Commercial Implications
Although smaller in value than some of the continent-scale infrastructure developments in this week's edition, the project is commercially relevant because it represents an actual contract award moving toward execution. Electrical contractors, cable and transformer suppliers, civil works companies, equipment providers and maintenance specialists may participate through the main contractor and associated supply chains.
Project Herald Intelligence
Power infrastructure in rapidly expanding satellite communities can unlock additional development. Reliable electricity supports housing, commercial buildings, small industries, telecommunications infrastructure, water systems and other urban services. The eight-month completion period means the project has a relatively short execution window compared with major transmission developments.
Nigeria Creates Off-Grid Coordination Secretariat as DARES Expansion Targets 17 Million More People
Nigeria — September 28, 2026
The Federal Government has established an Off-Grid Coordination Secretariat to improve coordination of renewable-energy and off-grid electricity projects across Nigeria.
The new mechanism was unveiled in Abuja during the relaunch of the Off-Grid Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership Forum, organised by the Rural Electrification Agency. The government said more than 7.5 million Nigerians have gained electricity access through off-grid solutions, while the country is now targeting another 17 million people through the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) programme.
The Secretariat is intended to address project duplication, improve information sharing and strengthen coordination among government agencies, development partners, financiers and private-sector operators. DARES builds on the Nigeria Electrification Project and is designed to support the deployment of distributed renewable-energy systems including solar mini-grids and other off-grid solutions.
Commercial Implications
The establishment of a dedicated coordination mechanism signals an attempt to move Nigeria's off-grid market toward a more structured project-development environment. Solar developers, mini-grid operators, battery suppliers, EPC contractors, financiers, metering companies and technical consultants could benefit from a larger and more coordinated pipeline of projects.
Project Herald Intelligence
The government's 17-million-person target indicates a substantial prospective market for distributed electricity infrastructure. The key commercial question will be how quickly coordination translates into bankable projects, procurement opportunities and deployed capital.
Gambia Signs $14.2 Million Electricity Expansion Contracts for 241 Communities
The Gambia — September 28, 2026
The Government of The Gambia has signed electricity expansion contracts worth approximately $14.2 million to extend electricity infrastructure to 241 communities in the Upper River Region and Central River Region.
The project is fully funded through the national budget and will be implemented through the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC). The infrastructure package includes approximately 377 kilometres of medium-voltage lines, 248 kilometres of low-voltage networks and 219 distribution transformers.
The Central River Region component covers 148 communities and has a contract value of approximately $8.8 million, to be implemented by Alpha TND. The Upper River Region component covers 93 communities, with Power Factor Limited responsible for implementation under a contract valued at approximately $5.35 million. The works are expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.
The project responds to electricity-access gaps in communities that were not covered by earlier national electrification programmes.
Commercial Implications
The scale of the physical network is significant relative to the project's total contract value. More than 600 kilometres of medium- and low-voltage networks combined with hundreds of transformers will require coordinated civil, electrical and logistics activity. Opportunities extend across distribution transformers, cables, poles, switchgear, construction, installation, transport, testing and commissioning.
Project Herald Intelligence
The project demonstrates the continued importance of distribution infrastructure even as African markets invest in large generation projects. The project's local-content requirement could also create opportunities for local contractors and suppliers alongside international equipment providers.
Tanzania Secures $6.7 Million to Prepare Three Strategic Infrastructure Projects
Tanzania — September 28, 2026
Tanzania has secured approximately $6.7 million in grants to support preparation of three strategic infrastructure projects: the 400kV Tanzania–Malawi Power Interconnector, the Songwe Basin power generation and transmission project, and the proposed Tanzania–Burundi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
The funding is being channelled through multilateral development-finance institutions, including the African Development Bank and the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance. The announcement was made by Tanzania's Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar at a meeting of finance ministers serving as governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
The Tanzania–Malawi interconnector is intended to strengthen cross-border electricity trade, while the Songwe Basin project links generation and transmission development to the broader energy requirements of the region. The Tanzania–Burundi SGR represents the transport component of the package and could strengthen rail connectivity between Tanzania and its land-linked neighbour.
Commercial Implications
Project-preparation capital can be an early indicator of future infrastructure procurement. Engineering firms, transaction advisers, environmental consultants, rail specialists, power-sector consultants and infrastructure financiers could become involved as the projects progress from preparation into procurement.
Project Herald Intelligence
At this stage, the $6.7 million should not be confused with construction financing for the three projects. Rather, it is intended to move them toward investment readiness. The three projects also show Tanzania's continued effort to position infrastructure as a regional connectivity platform rather than solely as domestic infrastructure.
Egypt Draws 403 Mining Offers as Government Pushes Toward Mineral Processing
Egypt — September 28–29, 2026
Egypt has reported 403 investment offers from 119 companies covering 118 mining blocks, as the country seeks to attract greater investment into mineral exploration and processing.
The figures were disclosed during the fifth edition of the Egypt Mining Forum, held September 28–29 in the New Administrative Capital. The offers followed the introduction of Egypt's new Open Blocks system, under which companies can apply for available exploration areas without waiting for a single periodic tender window.
The 118 blocks receiving offers are among 335 blocks made available under the system and cover almost 45,000 square kilometres. The opportunities include gold, phosphate, talc, kaolin and other minerals. More than 14 foreign companies were among the 119 applicants, according to Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi. The government is targeting an increase in mining's contribution to GDP to around 6%, while simultaneously seeking to increase mineral processing and domestic value addition.
Egypt is also developing a number of phosphate-processing projects. The first phase of a phosphoric-acid complex in Abu Tartour, for example, is planned at a production capacity of 250,000 tonnes per year, with reported investment of approximately $650 million and production targeted for 2028.
Commercial Implications
The pipeline could create opportunities across geological services, exploration, drilling, laboratory services, mining equipment, infrastructure, mineral processing, engineering and project finance.
Project Herald Intelligence
The 403 offers demonstrate investor interest, but they are not equivalent to awarded mining licences, committed project finance or operating mines. The next stage will be the conversion of exploration interest into licences, work programmes, drilling, resource definition and ultimately commercially viable mining developments.
SLB OneSubsea Wins Major Subsea Contract for Mozambique's Rovuma LNG
Mozambique — September 29, 2026
SLB OneSubsea has been awarded a major subsea systems contract by ExxonMobil Moçambique for the first phase of the offshore Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique.
The contract covers subsea production systems for development of deepwater resources in the Rovuma Basin Area 4. The scope includes subsea trees, manifolds, umbilicals and associated control systems, with SLB OneSubsea responsible for engineering, procurement, manufacturing and installation services.
The contract supports the first phase of the offshore Rovuma LNG development and involves the Area 4 partners, including ExxonMobil, ENH, CNPC, Eni, KOGAS and XRG. The award represents a significant move within Mozambique's LNG project chain because subsea equipment and services sit between offshore field development and the downstream gas-processing and LNG infrastructure.
Commercial Implications
Engineering and specialist service companies may find opportunities through the wider contractor ecosystem supporting Rovuma LNG. Equipment manufacturing, offshore installation, fabrication, logistics, inspection, testing, maintenance and subsea services can all form part of the wider supply chain.
Project Herald Intelligence
Mozambique's LNG opportunity is not limited to the construction of an LNG plant. A large offshore development creates a parallel procurement ecosystem covering subsea systems, drilling, floating and marine infrastructure, pipelines, fabrication, logistics and specialist engineering. For investors and project-finance participants, the award is another indicator of progression in the physical development of Mozambique's offshore gas resources.
IFC Commits $50 Million to InfraCredit to Expand Nigerian Infrastructure Financing
Nigeria — September 29–30, 2026
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed a $50 million subordinated, unsecured 10-year debt facility to Nigeria's Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Plc (InfraCredit).
The facility is structured in two $25 million tranches and is intended to strengthen InfraCredit's capital base and increase its capacity to support infrastructure transactions. InfraCredit provides credit enhancement for infrastructure projects, helping project sponsors access long-term local-currency financing from domestic institutional investors.
The company said the IFC facility will support its ability to mobilise long-term local financing across sectors including renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, healthcare, transportation and other productive sectors. The development comes as Nigeria continues to seek larger pools of domestic capital for infrastructure, including pension and institutional investment.
Commercial Implications
The sectors identified by InfraCredit span several of The Project Herald's core coverage areas. Developers of renewable-energy assets, digital infrastructure, transportation projects, healthcare facilities and other productive infrastructure could potentially benefit from expanded credit-enhancement capacity.
For banks, pension funds, institutional investors and project developers, the development is relevant because credit enhancement can influence the bankability and financing structure of long-term infrastructure assets.
Project Herald Intelligence
The importance of the transaction lies not only in the $50 million itself but in the capital-mobilisation function of the facility. A stronger capital base can support a larger pipeline of guarantees and infrastructure transactions, aligning with the broader movement toward using domestic pension and institutional savings to finance Nigerian infrastructure rather than relying exclusively on foreign currency borrowing or government budgets.