THE EFFIMAX FRONTLINE

Disclosure frameworks and capital access in African upstream ESG reporting has entered the phase in which framework selection carries direct capital consequences. As of January 2026, 21 jurisdictions have adopted ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board) standards on a voluntary or mandatory basis, with rules mandating use of the standards now effective in Chile, Qatar, and Mexico, and 16 additional jurisdictions planning adoption in the future. Nigeria is already in the process of aligning with ISSB standards, and mandatory reporting timelines are being established. For upstream operators in West and Central Africa, the practical effect is that ESG disclosure is transitioning from a reputational exercise into a precondition for maintaining access to international financing, development finance institution (DFI) capital, and ESG-screened investment. Three frameworks underpin this transition: the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Stand...

  OVERVIEW Across Africa's most active basins, from the Niger Delta to the Lower Congo, from the Ruvuma to the Orange Basin, one truth holds constant: downtime is the most expensive line item in any drilling programme. A missing tool, a delayed mobilization, an asset that underperforms under formation pressure each of these costs far more than the rental itself. Our Drilling Rental Tools service was built with that reality front and centre. We maintain a strategically positioned inventory of premium, fit-for-purpose drilling tools available at pace, supported by technical expertise, and deployed with the in-country responsiveness that international suppliers simply cannot match. “You shouldn’t have to choose between speed and quality. With us, you don’t.” TOOL CATALOGUE Our rental inventory spans critical tool categories required across the full well construction and intervention lifecycle from spud to TD and beyond. Every asset is inspected, pressure-tested, an...

Angola’s National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) has formalized a principal agreement with ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies for the award of four ultra-deepwater blocks in the Benguela and Namibe Basins, opening a new chapter in the country’s frontier exploration drive. The signing ceremony took place on 26 February 2026 at ANPG headquarters in Luanda, covering Blocks 40, 41, 42, and 58. The agreement establishes the framework for negotiating and executing formal concession contracts between the agency and the future consortium to be led by both supermajors. ANPG Board Chairman Paulino Jerónimo described the deal as a direct expression of the government’s strategy to discover new hydrocarbon resources, noting that securing commitments from operators of this scale was significant not only for attracting fresh capital but for sustaining the confidence of established investors already active in Angola. ExxonMobil President and Chief Executive Brian Unietis said the signing reflected the ...

The Cabinda Refinery has confirmed Platinum Sponsorship of the Angola Oil and Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition 2026, positioning itself at the centre of Angola’s downstream investment conversation as it advances planning for a second phase that will double its processing capacity. AOG 2026 takes place on 9 and 10 September in Luanda, with a pre-conference day on 8 September.  The Cabinda Refinery’s elevation to Platinum level having participated as a Bronze Sponsor at AOG 2025 reflects the refinery’s transition from a project under construction to an operational facility with an active expansion agenda. Refinery Begins Operations, Eyes Capacity Doubling Developed by national oil company Sonangol, holding a 10% interest, and investment manager Gemcorp, which holds 90%, the Cabinda Refinery was built at a cost of $473 million and represents Angola’s second operational refining facility, the first constructed in the country in 50 years.  Phase 1 operations commenced in Septemb...

Angola’s National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) took its national biofuels strategy to one of the world’s premier bioenergy platforms in March, presenting the country’s energy transition roadmap before an international audience of industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers. The agency participated in BioTECH Fair, held from 18 to 20 March 2026 in Porto Alegre, Brazil considered the leading bioenergy and biofuels congress in Latin America, bringing together key technologies across biomass, biogas, biodiesel, ethanol, and green hydrogen.  ANPG’s presentation, delivered under the theme “From National Strategy to Implementation, A Path Toward Energy Transition and Economic Diversification,” outlined the steps Angola is taking to build a robust domestic biofuels sector.  The agency’s delegation was led by Vita Mateso, Coordinator of the Energy Integration and Biofuels Unit at ANPG, who described the congress as a valuable contribution to the operationalisation of Angola’s...

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol has moved to increase its direct stake in two producing offshore blocks, stepping into a pre-existing asset sale and restructuring the transaction to secure a share of the divested interests alongside independent buyers Afentra and Maurel & Prom. The deal centres on Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A, where Etu Energias had agreed in June 2025 to sell its combined interests representing 10% in Block 3/05 and 13.33% in Block 3/05A to Afentra. During the sale process, Sonangol, which already operates both assets, elected to participate directly in the acquisition.  Transaction Restructured to Admit Three Buyers The revised agreement distributes the acquired interests across three parties: Sonangol, Afentra, and France’s Maurel & Prom. Under the new terms, Afentra’s allocations have been reduced to 3.33% in Block 3/05 and 3.66% in Block 3/05A.  The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval from Angolan authorities, and no closing timelin...

Angola’s crude oil output remained marginally above the one million barrel threshold in February 2026, falling short of forecast but sustaining the country’s production above a psychologically and fiscally significant floor. Total oil production for the month reached 28,156,157 barrels, translating to a daily average of 1,005,577 barrels of oil per day against a projected 1,029,936 barrels per day. Combined with liquefied petroleum gas output, total production across oil and LPG stood at 28,788,804 barrels of oil equivalent, averaging 1,028,172 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Gas Output and Utilization Associated gas production for February totaled 72,306 million cubic feet, averaging 2,582 million cubic feet per day. Of that volume, 1,222 million cubic feet per day were reinjected for reservoir pressure maintenance, 928 million cubic feet per day were directed to the Angola Liquefied Natural Gas plant, and 315 million cubic feet per day supported power generation at oil facilities....