Lobito invitation does not amount to an investment decision

Angolan President João Lourenço has invited Namibia to consider taking an equity stake in the Lobito oil refinery, The Namibian reported. The refinery, under construction and led by Angola’s state-owned Sonangol, is intended to process 200,000 barrels of crude oil a day. Lourenço made the invitation at the end of Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s visit to Angola on Monday.

Namibian presidential spokesperson Jonas Mbambo stressed that the invitation did not amount to a formal proposal or an investment decision. He told The Namibian that Namibia would need project details, a feasibility assessment and a determination of whether participation would serve the country’s interests. Mbambo said similar invitations were understood to have been extended to Botswana and Zambia.

Sonangol has committed US$1.6 billion to construction, according to Energy New Network as cited by The Namibian. The company has sought financing partners since the project restarted in 2023. Energy analyst Gawie Kanjemba told The Namibian that any Namibian participation would require scrutiny of the valuation, financing, expected returns, remaining construction costs and terms governing fuel access and pricing.

Graphite producer calls for aligned export processes

In Mozambique, Twigg Exploration & Mining has called for a dialogue platform linking producers, exporters, customs authorities, ports and shipping lines. AIM reported that company representative Laura Mateus said coordinated procedures were needed to reduce repeated administrative steps, delays and export costs. She spoke on Wednesday during a mining logistics panel in the port district of Nacala.

Mateus said customs, port and shipping procedures should complement rather than contradict one another. She also identified road conditions as an added logistics burden for graphite transported from the Balama mine. According to her account, the Balama-to-Nacala journey has lengthened from about 10 hours to more than 15, while travel to Pemba has risen from between six and eight hours to more than 11. She said the longer trips increase trucking and maintenance expenses and complicate fulfilment of customer contracts.

Twigg, a wholly owned subsidiary of Syrah Resources, operates the Balama mine in Cabo Delgado province. AIM said the operation has annual natural graphite production capacity of about 350,000 tonnes.