NJ Ayuk’s Big Barrels Leads the Way forward to Africa oil and gas 2.0

APO News from Africa:

NJ Ayuk’s Big Barrels Leads the Way forward to Africa oil and gas 2.0:

As an exemplary African entrepreneur, NJ Ayuk has intimately witnessed the transformative impact of the oil and gas industry on the continent, being an active player in building countries, shaping economies and its societies. The launch of, Big Barrels: African Oil and Gas and the Quest for Prosperity (http://APO.af/1ogcte), co-written with João Marques, is long awaited; confronting the misinterpreted view that energy-rich countries undeniably suffer from and often victimized by the effects of the ‘resource curse’. The reality, the book argues, could not be further from it.

Big Barrels reads in the introduction: “The evidence makes it clear that the responsible and sustainable development of these resources is not only possible, but may be the quickest and most effective route to peace and prosperity for many of these nations. The question of how this can be done is central to this book.” Through nine chapters detailing case studies of what countries like Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania have done right, readers gain an alternative view of how developing petroleum resources positively impacts the continent.

Big Barrels (http://APO.af/1ogcte) lends a silver lining on Africa's petroleum sector and how their fates are inextricably linked. Mr. Ayuk and Mr. Marques emerge through this powerful depiction as a seminal voice for how Africa charters its course and manages its natural resources. Mr. Ayuk, the founder and CEO of the pan-African Centurion Law Group (CenturionLawFirm.com) and an outspoken champion of African entrepreneurship and leadership, describes the need to change the narrative on energy in Africa. “The simple fact is oil and gas provide African countries with the fastest route to prosperity,” he says, “Natural resources are a pedestal for building nations, building economies and building wealth.”

He added: “In 2017, we are forging our own ways of winning in this complex industry. Africa is not just a source of raw materials for the world. This book demonstrates the Why and How true value of oil and gas in Africa is a source of innovation and wealth (job) creation.”

Among the nine examples in the book, Big Barrels (http://APO.af/60GDc9) describes the rapid development of Equatorial Guinea from one of the world’s economic backwaters to a leading light in Central Africa; how Ghana turned to its active civic society to deal with its oil windfall only a few years ago; and how Tanzania is being shaped in response to global interest in its massive gas reserves.

Big Barrels: African Oil and Gas and the Quest for Prosperity (http://APO.af/60GDc9) will officially launch at the Africa Oil & Power (www.AfricaOilAndPower.com) conference in Cape Town on June 5-7, 2017. The book can be pre-ordered on Amazon (http://APO.af/60GDc9) for delivery after May 31, 2017. Limited editions signed by the author will be available at the event.

Distributed by APO on behalf of Centurion Law Group.

Contact:
NJ Ayuk
Chief Executive Officer
E: NJ.Ayuk@CenturionLawFirm.com
M: SA +27 836 669 681

About NJ Ayuk: 
A leading energy lawyer and a strong advocate for African entrepreneurs, NJ Ayuk is recognized as one of the foremost figures in African business today. A Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum, one of Forbes’ Top 10 Most Influential Men in Africa in 2015, and a well-known dealmaker in the petroleum and power sectors, NJ has dedicated his career to helping entrepreneurs find success and to building the careers of young African lawyers. As founder and CEO of Centurion Law Group, a pan-African law firm, NJ strives through his work to ensure that business, and especially oil and gas, impacts African societies in a positive way. NJ graduated from University of Maryland College Park and earned a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law and an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology.

About João Marques: 
Energy analyst and editor João Marques is a seasoned Africa specialist with in-the-field reporting experience from Africa’s petroleum hotspots. Now based in Lisbon, Portugal, João writes for numerous international publications and websites on issues of energy, policy and economics. In recent years he has published oil and gas industry reports on Gabon, Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar, São Tomé and Principe, and South Africa, covering the full spectrum of Africa’s petroleum markets from frontier exploration to trading and petrochemicals. João holds an Erasmus Mundus Double Master of Arts degree in Journalism and Media within Globalisation. 

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa

Investing in West African mining for sustainable regional development:

Over 80 West Africans who have previously attended Australian-funded mining courses met on 27 April in Accra to share knowledge and understanding of current challenges and opportunities in the region on attracting responsible mining investment and sustainable development.

The Honourable John Peter Amewu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, delivered the keynote speech at the “Investing in West African mining for sustainable regional development,” alongside several other notable speakers including Mr Henry Antwi, Head of Mining and Metals at Oman Oil Company, and Dr Kojo Busia Coordinator African Minerals Development Centre.

The West African Alumni Forum focussed on themes of investment promotion, regulatory frameworks and incentives, political risks, social license to operate, local content, and transparency of information.

Alumni representing governments, civil society, academia and industry from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo were able to network and share experiences on mining investment and sustainable development in West Africa.

The forum was organised by a team of West African alumni and hosted by Australia’s Minerals and Energy for Development Alliance (MEfDA) with support by the Australian Government.

“Australia is pleased to support development of the necessary skills in Ghana through our various scholarship programs and exchanges. Through their studies and experiences in Australia, Australian alumni bring cutting edge knowledge and skills to their jobs in the mining industry to the huge benefit of their countries.” The High Commissioner noted that, “Ghana has much untapped natural resource potential.  If well-managed development of these resources could drive employment and growth and set Ghana up for a strong future. That is why we are very encouraged by the Akufo-Addo Government’s commitment to implement the economic and social reforms required to produce jobs and growth.” Mr Andrew Barnes, Australian High Commissioner, said in his opening remarks.

Australia has a long history of providing capacity-building support to countries across Africa. Participants at today’s event have benefitted from courses in mining and mining governance. The Alumni Forum was a significant opportunity to develop and strengthen the partnership between Australia and West Africa in this important sector.

Distributed by APO on behalf of Australian High Commission in Ghana.

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa

Addis Ababa to host 6th World Hydropower Conference:

The 6th World Hydropower Congress (WHC), a multi-stakeholder forum bringing together leaders and specialists with hydropower-related responsibilities from government, industry, finance, United Nations agencies, academia and civil society, takes place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 9-11 May.
 

Organised by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) with the support of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Union Commission (AUC) and other partners, this high-level event will chart the course for hydropower development and operation over the next 10 years, aiming to ensure reliable and resilient water and energy systems in the world and to spur sustainable development for all.

The biennial conference, which is coming to Africa for the first time, will emphasise environmental and social aspects to look into during hydroelectric project planning stages, and a commitment to better hydro in an age when resource management is more important than ever.

Acting ECA Executive Secretary Abdalla Hamdok says the ECA is delighted to co-organise the congress and offer a platform to accelerate the much-needed deployment of renewable energy across Africa.

“Achieving the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals will require that we demand more from an energy source that has historically been linked to economic growth on the continent,” said Mr. Hamdok.

Ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services as called for in goal 7 of the SDGs will only be possible in a better-connected world, one where synergies and partnerships are sought among a large number of stakeholders, he added.

Richard Taylor, Chief Executive of IHA said the congress brings together a diversity of perspectives and examines how initiatives from governments, businesses, finance and civil society can converge to help deliver better hydropower and ultimately better development for all.

“Hydropower's role is a dynamic that calls for an integrated approach, with a strongly connected sector, and a high level of collaboration,” he said.

Mr. Taylor stressed that with the right commitments, better hydropower will play an even greater role in delivering modern energy and water services in the world.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Seleshi Bekele, says his country is the ideal host for the congress as hydropower is its major energy source.

“Ethiopia aims to transform lives by creating economic and social opportunities through access to energy, enabling industrialisation, managing water supply and enhancing agricultural productivity,” he said.

World Bank Group Vice President for Sustainable Development, Laura Tuck, says without secure power, development efforts the world over are at risk.

“Our mission at the World Bank Group is to help eliminate extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. We can only achieve these goals if our clients have universal access to electricity and to a secure and stable power supply,” she said.

The Chair of the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), Liu Zhenya of China, says accelerating the implementation of global energy interconnections will promote the development, allocation and utilisation of large-scale clean energy, like hydro, wind and solar power.

“It will also provide a new platform, create opportunities, and inject energy into Africa’s economic takeoff,” said Mr. Zhenya.

The event seeks to build on a previous meeting held in 2015 in Beijing by bringing together leaders and specialists to examine how initiatives of governments, businesses, finances, civil society and academia can advance sustainable development.

Hydropower's role as a global energy source cannot be overstated, with hydro supplying 70 percent of the world's renewable energy to more than a billion people in 152 countries.

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress is organised by the International Hydropower Association in collaboration with the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission, the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organisation, the Economic Commission for Africa and the World Bank Group. The Ethiopian Government is co-hosting the congress.

Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa