Uche Cecil Izuora Africa’s downstream and midstream energy industry will converge at the Lagos Oriental Hotel from 25–30 October 2026 for the 20th anniversary edition of OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week, under the theme “Secure Energy, Shared Prosperity.” The strategic conference and trade exhibition will run from 26–29 October, bringing together policymakers, regulators, operators, investors and service providers from across Africa and beyond. This year’s gathering will address a central question for African economies: how can the continent translate its energy resources, growing refining capacity and expanding markets into dependable supply, competitive businesses and tangible benefits for consumers? The…
Author: Orientalnews Staff
Uche Cecil Izuora In a move to reduce perennial vandalism of power sector infrastructure and further deepen efforts to guarantee stable and reliable electricity supply for households, businesses and industry, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has convened a ministerial committee on the prevention of vandalism of power infrastructure. The committee brings together security and power sector stakeholders and is tasked with ending attacks on assets across the electricity value chain. The committee was constituted in response to attacks on generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, which disrupt supply to consumers, increase repair costs and erode the investment on which…
Francesca Odimgbe The Lagos State government is working hard to overhaul its land and urban planning system with digital mapping, LiDAR technology and artificial intelligence (AI). The state’s new geospatial initiative was revealed at the inaugural Lagos GIS Day, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inspected a range of digital systems designed to provide the government with accurate information on land, properties, roads, communities and physical development across the state. With the new initiative the government seeks to eliminate land-related bottlenecks, improve infrastructure planning and make public services more data-driven in tandem with current global realities. The event, themed…
Uche Cecil Izuora Top energy companies from Africa and major international oil companies would be engaging in a conversation around projects, investment plans and exploration strategies shaping the continent’s next phase of energy development. This will happen as Africa’s leading energy operators are returning to Cape Town for African Energy Week (AEW) 2026. From deepwater developments in offshore oil production in Nigeria, Deepwater activities in Angola and Ivory Coast to gas projects in Mozambique and Mauritania and Senegal, Africa’s biggest energy players are targeting Africa’s next growth phase in Cape Town. “The companies coming to Cape Town are not…
Uche Cecil Izuora The Federal Government is building a web of investor collaboration to create strong partnerships ahead of its next phase of Nigeria’s power sector reform, with accelerated metering and enhanced gas supply at the centre of efforts to turn existing assets into electricity delivered and paid for. The position was laid on the table at the National Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) Energy Conference 2026 in Lagos, under the theme “Access to Assets: Empowering Players and Driving Growth.” The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, in a remark at the event said the value of an…
Uche Cecil Izuora Ogaga Ifowodo’s Why Does God Need a Gun? has won The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2026, securing one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honours and its $100,000 cash award. Meanwhile, Beyond Tarkwa Bay by Peter Oghenetega Oke and Mara Mania by Feranmi Abiola have been named joint winners of the inaugural edition of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, which carries a $20,000 cash award. The winners were announced at NLNG’s Grand Award Night in Lagos on Friday, 9 October 2026. The winning poetry collection was selected from 223 entries, while the two winning documentaries emerged from 98…
Uche Cecil Izuora The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has pledged to provide more support to the Eastern Africa Power Pool, as African nations embark on expanded energy projects to close wide energy gap. Also, the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) a similar initiative adopted by countries in West Africa has so far achieved major milestone giving hope for million of people and businesses in the region. Countries across East Africa have taken an important step towards improving the joint planning and sharing of electricity across the region, following a two-day workshop on the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP)…
The Federal Government digital initiative is scheduled to deploy and deliver over 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre across the 36 states of the federation by 2028. When completed, the project is expected to take Nigeria’s combined backbone from about 35,000 kilometres to around 125,000 kilometres and connect more than 200,000 schools, health facilities and other public institutions in the country. This was disclosed by the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, during a virtual executive session with the Chief Executive Officers of the information technology industry on Wednesday. Professor Yilwatda, in a statement…
FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and leading financial inclusion services provider, is leading as the host and sponsor of the West Africa International Banking Dialogue & Awards Gala 2026, scheduled to hold on 14 October 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria. The event will bring together banking leaders, regulators, policymakers, industry experts and key stakeholders from across the region to discuss the future of banking and financial services in West Africa. Discussions will focus on key issues shaping the industry, including digital transformation, financial inclusion, regulatory developments, sustainable finance and regional economic integration. The event will also celebrate FirstBank’s continued…
Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes place each year during October. This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is calling for collective action to ensure that every woman has the opportunity to detect breast cancer early and access the kind of timely, quality, compassionate care that offers the best chance of full recovery. This year’s theme, “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters”, foregrounds how each woman’s experience with breast cancer is different. Breast cancer affects entire families, impacting the lives of children, partners and loved ones. While many breast cancer journeys end with…