Linking Lithium batteries and volcanoes When one visits a volcanic region, the last thing one would think about is lithium batteries right? By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions There is something very powerful about walking atop an active volcano tracking magma flow and lava tubes. One can feel the restless […]
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Power gap could constrain Namibia’s growth New mining projects and beneficiation will need reliable and affordable electricity. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions For Namibia’s current exploration boom to become a mining boom, the country will need a lot more electricity. Local beneficiation and more desalination plants will also require substantially more
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Five years of road tripping across Africa This year WhyAfrica will undertake our 5th overland road trip with Remote Exploration Services. Over the last four years we’ve spent a total of 145 days on the road, covered close to 36,000km, visited more than 100 different projects in 11 African countries, interviewed 120 stakeholders and handed
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A year of milestones It has been another busy and exciting year for WhyAfrica with several milestones along the way. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Earlier this year we undertook our first WhyAfrica Business Trip, in collaboration with our sister company Endorphin Expeditions & Tours. We travelled to Zambia to explore
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French beneficiation roadmap opens opportunities in Gabon A new MoU strengthens Gabon’s downstream mining ambitions and investment appeal. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions The MoU signed in Paris between French mining group Eramet and the Gabonese government two days ago, will create opportunities across the construction, engineering, energy, logistics, manufacturing and
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Africa’s Mediterranean connection While at the Port of Palermo in Sicily last week I spotted this famous vessel. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Saipem 1000 is one of the world’s most remarkable offshore drilling vessels. Owned by Italian engineering giant Saipem, the semi-submersible vessel has spent many hours working on
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First Europe-Africa power link established The Mediterranean will serve as the first direct electricity bridge between Africa and Europe By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Europe and North Africa are taking a historic step towards energy integration with the construction of the first direct electricity interconnection between the two continents. Running beneath
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Zambia’s perceptions versus realities Accurate country assessments require engaging people away from boardrooms and conference halls. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions One of the dangers of assessing a country’s investment potential is relying too heavily on social media posts, conference presentations, government announcements, corporate investor briefings and press releases. While
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Partner with WhyAfrica and live the Africa story WhyAfrica doesn’t just tell Africa’s story, we invite you to live it. Partnering with WhyAfrica gives your company direct access to project sites across Africa and to on-the-ground information and business intelligence about the continent. Our specialist country and site visits, in-depth analysis and interviews with
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Five years of reflection and looking ahead Often the most powerful stories are found on the ground, or in an unexpected reflection. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions. Captured in the mirror on one of our mine visits during a previous WhyAfrica Road Trip through Africa, is our tried and tested
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Bond buyback powers Zambia’s growth ambitions Reliable electricity is Zambia’s biggest investment advantage for future growth. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Zambia is one of Africa’s fastest-growing mining destinations, but reliable electricity is still a major constraint. However, earlier this week, Zambia completed an innovative USD1.36-billion sovereign Eurobond buyback, unlocking USD275-
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New investment fund targets Africa’s energy gap A new fund aims to expand access to electricity across sub-Saharan Africa. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Cape Town based investment firm Inspired Evolution yesterday announced the commercial launch of Zafiri, a blended finance vehicle with an initial capital base of USD176-million. The fund
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Burundi’s first mover advantage Early movers in infrastructure development, mining and energy are set to benefit in Burundi. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Frontier market investors might see Burundi, still one of Africa’s poorest countries, as an opportunity. But risks are high in a country where infrastructure and geography remain the
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Preparations for the 5th WhyAfrica RES Road Trip underway This year the annual WhyAfrica Road Trip celebrates its fifth birthday! This year marks a special milestone for WhyAfrica as the WhyAfrica Road Trip celebrates its fifth birthday. The occasion is made even more significant by the 20th anniversary of our premier sponsor and long-term partner,
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The role of medium sized hydro projects in Angola. Hydropower is an important driver of growth in Angola’s easter provinces. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions During the 2023 WhyAfrica Overland Road Trip, we visited the Chiumbe-Dala Hydroelectric Power Plant. Chiumbe-Dala is located at the Chiumbe Falls between Luena, the capital
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Unlocking Namibia and Botswana’s desert wealth Resources abound in southern Africa’s arid regions but execution failures slow growth. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions. Namibia and Botswana combined is a powerful regional hub with immense opportunities for investors. Between them they host huge copper, uranium and diamond deposits. Moreover, their beef production,
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Energy is a risk for DRC mining As in its neighboring country Zambia, energy is a major constraint in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Energy provision is still the Achillies heel of all new projects in the DRC. The DRC hosts an array of minerals for
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Zambia turns to China to bridge its energy gap A major deal with China will strengthen Zambia’s erratic electricity supply. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions It is hoped that a USD1.5 billion energy deal signed recently on banks of the Yangtze River in China’s Anhui Province will help reduce Zambia’s chronic
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Yesterday RBM and Voltalia commissioned the Bolobedu Solar Farm in South Africa. The Bolobedu Solar Power Station is a 148 MW solar facility in the Limpopo Province of South Africa developed to supply renewable electricity to RBM under a 20-year power purchase agreement. It will generate about 300 GWh of power annually. The project represents
A solar moment for Richards Bay Minerals Read More »
WhyAfrica magazine in the Royal Solwezi Hotel in Zambia The WhyAfrica magazine found a special place in reception at the Royal Solwezi Hotel. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions The Royal Solwezi is a landmark hotel in the bustling town of Solwezi located along Old Chingola Road about 10 km south of First
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The power of Africa’s regional electricity corridors Establishing Africa’s regional electricity corridors holds great potential and promise. By Taru Madangombe, Vice President for Power and Grid Segment, MEA at Schneider Electric The European Union’s electricity network spans over 11 million kilometres, making it one of the most extensive and resilient in the world. Today, these corridors enable
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An investment case for Zambia Zambia is a compelling investment case, but we need a balanced assessment. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions. I’ve spent the last 12 days on the road in Zambia as part of the 2026 WhyAfrica Business Trip. It is not my first time in Zambia. I’ve
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Recent disruptions of oil supply chains strengthen the case for alternative growth models. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions A hybrid model, with fossil fuels still as the foundation but supplemented by locally produced renewable alternatives, remains an attractive economic approach. The bio-economy blends natural resources with technology and innovation to
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Instability in the Middle East has placed Europe’s LNG supply under pressure. By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and Endorphin Expeditions Earlier this year Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of French oil giant TotalEnergies met Daniel Chapo, President of Mozambique in Afungi in the Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique to discuss onshore and offshore
Mozambique’s gas now Europe’s solution as drones hit Qatar Read More »
Europe and Africa are joined at the hip The Europe and Africa relationship that stretches back eons is now more strategic than ever. By Leon Louw for WhyAfrica Europe and Africa have never been distant neighbours. The Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco to Spain is only 14km wide. On a clear day one gets good
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Italy’s Africa plan gains further momentum Last week’s Italy–Africa Summit is another step in strengthening Ethiopia’s investment outlook. By Leon Louw for the WhyAfrica magazine. According to the Italian government more than 100 projects valued at between €1.3 billion and €1.4 billion across Africa are underway under Italy’s Mattei Plan. This includes mega projects in
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African mining’s transformative power Mining in Africa creates economic momentum for local markets and technology. This supports social transformation that can be enhanced by more effective dialogue between public and private sector players. According to Andrew van Zyl, managing director of SRK Consulting (South Africa), the mining sector is an important catalyst in fostering intra-Africa
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Europe in a corner and why Africa matters more than ever Europe’s fall out with Donald Trump could have positive consequences for Africa. By Leon Louw for WhyAfrica When European countries reduced their reliance on Russia’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in 2022 they turned to their trusted NATO ally the USA to keep the gas
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Europe and Egypt in a year of realignment Egypt and North Africa’s strategic position as a link between Europe and Africa is clear. By Leon Louw for WhyAfrica In a year only 10 days old but which feels like ages, geopolitical events have once again prompted us to try and look into the crystal
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Africa needs to confront oil and gas challenges To translate discoveries into development Africa must confront a number of challenges. By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber Two breakthrough offshore discoveries in Namibia in 2022 — one by Shell and one by TotalEnergies — marked an important milestone for the country’s future
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