| In 2021, when the African Energy Chamber (AEC) announced the inaugural African Energy Week (AEW) in Cape Town, many raised skeptical eyebrows. The conventional wisdom was clear: world-class energy summits belonged in Dubai, Houston, or London – not in Africa. Yet, NJ Ayuk, the AEC’s Executive Chairman, saw a different story -one rooted in possibility and pride. “Africa has the resources, the talent, and the vision to lead,” he often reminds audiences. What others dismissed as ambition; Ayuk embraced as a calling. He imagined corridors buzzing with dealmakers, innovators, and policymakers, all converging on the continent to shape its energy future. From that first leap of faith, what started as a modest gathering has since blossomed into Africa’s largest energy event, now moving billions in potential deals and drawing the world’s attention to a continent redefining its energy destiny. “They told us it couldn’t be done in Cape Town,” Ayuk recalls. “But with huge support from the City of Cape Town, the South African government, international oil companies, national oil companies, and even alternative energy firms, we proved Africa can host a world-class, continent-wide energy event. And we did it in the middle of a pandemic.” The inaugural AEW was more than a conference – it was a declaration. Ministers from South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Mozambique, Libya, South Sudan, and beyond arrived with a united front: Africa would not be sidelined in global energy dialogue, especially discussions related to the global energy transition. Gwede Mantashe, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, set the tone: “Natural gas will be part of the transition, and yet we are told that all fossil fuels are bad. Africa must position its oil and gas at the forefront of global energy… When we commit to net zero, we do so with the reality that energy can guarantee economic growth and industrialisation.” It wasn’t just rhetoric. Deals were struck, partnerships formed, and a new platform for African energy diplomacy was born. By the time the event closed, the AEC knew it wasn’t a one-off. The AEW conference would return – bigger and bolder. Billions in Play, Billions at Stake Fast forward to 2025, and AEW has evolved into the largest energy gathering on the continent. This year’s edition – scheduled for September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town – is expected to facilitate more than $25 billion in potential deals. The transformation has been remarkable: African capital expenditure in the energy sector jumped 23% in 2024 to $47 billion, with projections climbing to $54 billion by 2030. Exploration spending alone exceeded $6 billion, while rig demand is forecast to rise to 46 rig years in 2025. Meanwhile, international eyes are turning toward the continent’s natural gas reserves, particularly in Nigeria, Mozambique, Mauritania, Senegal, and Tanzania, as the global energy landscape seeks new reliable sources. “Africa is not only rich with resources but with opportunities,” Ayuk says. “Gas will be central to electrifying Africa, driving socio-economic growth, and ensuring a just transition.” Key financing breakthroughs have been critical to this surge. The $5 billion Africa Energy Bank, spearheaded by APPO and Afreximbank, aims to close the funding gap left by retreating Western financiers. Likewise, the $100 million China-Africa energy fund, developed with Tima Networks, promises to back both fossil fuel and renewable projects. Add to this the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s $4.7 billion loan to Mozambique LNG, and the momentum becomes unmistakable. “These are not abstract commitments – they’re real money, moving into real projects,” Ayuk stresses. Beyond figures, it’s about confidence: companies and governments are now taking Africa seriously as a reliable, competitive energy player. From small beginnings in Cape Town, what started as a bold gamble has become a continental showcase, blending high-stakes deals with the lived ambition of a continent determined to shape its energy future. In every corridor of AEW, you can feel the pulse of possibility – billions in play, billions at stake, and a story still being written. Diplomacy, Politics, and the Push for Sovereignty Behind the billions lies a deeper ideological battle. For Ayuk and the AEC, the issue isn’t just about drilling wells or signing MOUs; it’s about Africa’s sovereign right to develop its resources on its own terms. “Drill, baby drill. Invest, baby invest,” Ayuk told audiences in Suriname, London, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and China during a whirlwind of global engagements. The message is deliberately provocative, a counterweight to what he sees as paternalistic climate rhetoric from some in the West. Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, put it bluntly during AEW 2021: “It is unfathomable that I will go to Houston or Dubai to discuss problems about electricity in Africa because they will not understand. Africa is the least polluter.” This insistence on localizing Africa’s energy debate has shaped AEW’s identity. It’s not just an exhibition floor; it’s a forum where African ministers, CEOs, financiers, and innovators sit at the same table, often hammering out positions ahead of global forums like COP27 and COP28. The political climate is also shifting. Governments from Nigeria to Djibouti have rolled out reforms to improve ease of doing business in energy, a trend Ayuk credits for attracting fresh capital. “Political will is Africa’s biggest renewable resource,” he quips. “When leaders create enabling environments, investment follows.” From Cape Town to the World AEW’s rise mirrors a broader recalibration of Africa’s role in the global energy conversation. It has become the annual moment when Africa presents not just its resources, but its vision for the future: a hybrid model blending oil, gas, renewables, and new technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture. In 2025, AEW will debut the National Oil Company and International Oil Company Forum, designed to spark joint ventures, technology transfers, and regional integration. The event will also host panels on innovative financing – introducing African stakeholders to nontraditional capital sources and showcasing case studies from recent successes. The scope is ambitious. Alongside the business of signing deals, AEW has evolved into a networking juggernaut. Side events bring together energy ministers and start-up founders; deal rooms hum with last-minute negotiations; and industry veterans swap war stories over Cape Town sunsets. But Ayuk is quick to note the stakes are higher than ever. “Making energy poverty history by 2030 is not just a slogan; it’s a necessity,” he says. “Without affordable, reliable energy, Africa cannot industrialize, cannot create jobs, cannot compete.” The AEC’s international footprint continues to expand, with high-profile events planned in Suriname, London, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and China in the first quarter alone. Each is an opportunity to “reframe the narrative” and secure allies. It’s a far cry from the skepticism of 2021. Then, the idea of hosting Africa’s biggest energy event on African soil seemed audacious. Today, it’s the epicenter of a movement – one that blends the pragmatism of resource development with the urgency of economic transformation. “We are not just talking about fossil fuels,” Ayuk reminds his critics. “We’re embracing renewables and innovative technologies that will power our future. But we’re doing it the African way – on our terms, with our resources, for our people.” |
![Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) today announces the Colorado XL-series, a new platform of 3.4m printers that extends the proven advantages of Canon's UVgel technology to the 3.2m graphics market. Available in hybrid and roll-to-roll configurations, the modular, field upgradable platform powered by UVgel technology delivers great versatility and exceptional productivity for both flexible and rigid media applications from signage and décor to point of sale and packaging. The Colorado XL-series comprises two easy-to-operate models: the Colorado XL7 roll-to-roll printer and Colorado XL7 hybrid printer. The new series brings the benefits of UVgel to a new market segment with exceptional application versatility across a comprehensive range of media – from banner, paper, vinyl and films to soft signage, heat-sensitive materials, foam board, fluted polypropylene, acrylic, aluminium composite boards and cardboard – providing the flexibility to tackle diverse customer requirements. With print speeds of 70m² per hour in quality mode, 106m² per hour in production mode and up to 211m² per hour in express mode, the system delivers the productivity needed for demanding production environments while accommodating substrates up to 52mm/2 inches thick for rigid applications. The new platform includes multiple technology innovations, such as the UVgel 860 ink set, which has been optimised to cover a wide variety of both rigid and flexible applications. It also provides the proven benefits of UVgel: odourless and instant-dry prints, high mechanical and chemical robustness, dimensional stability due to low-temperature curing, excellent colour consistency, TPO [1] - and VCL [2] -free, and matte and gloss finish without the need of a separate varnish. The Colorado XL-series also incorporates new UVgel 850 PrintHeads. Each printhead has 4,544 nozzles and features automated built-in nozzle performance monitoring and compensation. A single printhead supports two colours simultaneously, so that only two printheads are required to print CMYK, plus an optional third if white is configured. Additionally, the Colorado XL-series has an agile and precise printhead carriage that features UVgel DynamicMotion Control to ensure exceptional print quality even with challenging media. Taking the UV LED curing process to the next level, the Colorado XL-series introduces UVgel FullBeam Curing. This technology uses a unique 3.4-metre-wide LED curing array that, combined with an ingenious mirror system, delivers consistent UV light dosing across the entire print width, guaranteeing exceptional print uniformity over large surfaces and enabling a wider colour gamut. Media handling is optimised by the new UVgel TRIdrive vacuum belt system, which features three interactive rollers and multiple powerful vacuum zones that reduce wrinkling and skewing by automatically detecting and correcting the media positioning. This results in highly repeatable media transport through the printer, ensuring accurate positioning both longitudinally and laterally and enabling razor-sharp applications. Optional features for the Colorado XL-series, which are already available on the highly successful and modular Colorado M-series, include: UVgel White for hassle-free white printing, FLXfinish+ for creative effects using matte or gloss or mixed matte and gloss on the same print without additional varnish, and FLXture for textured finishes that mimic materials like leather, wood or fabric. Mathew Faulkner, Director, Marketing & Innovation, Wide Format Printing Group, Canon EMEA, comments: "For the past decade, Canon has been at the forefront of the inkjet evolution in large format, with market-leading technologies including the Colorado roll-to-roll printer series powered by UVgel technology and the Arizona flatbed printers. Large format print providers are looking for systems that deliver high productivity, versatile applications and reliable quality while addressing the challenge of finding skilled operators – which is why Canon is launching our new, breakthrough Colorado XL-series, an addition to our portfolio that will set a new standard in productivity and versatility. “This innovative solution brings the proven advantages of our unique UVgel technology to the 3.2m market for the first time, combining it with extensive automation and a modular design that will enable customers to extend their application possibilities into markets such as packaging and décor. Print service providers already producing high-value signage and graphics can now leverage UVgel's distinctive finishes, including mixed gloss and matte effects and textured printing, at scale to stand out in these new markets. And with its hybrid capabilities, users can print both roll-to-roll and rigid applications on the same device, using the same ink, the same colour profiles and the same unique features and finishes. For brands, for example, this translates to seamless campaigns that span the full spectrum of applications, ensuring perfect consistency across campaign assets whether they're roll-fed graphics, rigid signage, packaging, or décor elements. This is particularly valuable when these different applications appear side by side in-store, where maintaining that consistent quality and finish elevates the entire brand experience that today's brands demand." The Colorado XL-series will be available from the beginning of 2026 via Canon’s direct sales organisations as well as from accredited partners. For more information about the Colorado XL-series, please visit: https://apo-opa.co/3WltKtM](https://businessinsights.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/canon_prograf-696x385.png "Canon expands large format graphics production portfolio with new 3.4m Colorado XL-series")
