NEWS Around Africa in seven stories… OIL & GAS
Sonatrach to invest $40 billion in oil and gas
E D U C AT I O N
SCHOOLS REOPEN IN UGANDA AFTER LONG COVID-19 SHUTDOWN UG ANDA HAS finally reopened school gates to students, ending the world’s longest closure of learning institutions since the COVID-19 pandemic began. According to figures from the UN cultural agency, schools in the East African country were either fully or partially shut for more than 80 weeks, affecting more than 10 million students.
Schools were first shut in March 2020, and for many parents, the reopening has been long overdue with the future prospects of young people at stake. Uganda has received foreign support to assist with the reopening of schools, including from UNICEF, though it remains to be seen how long they will stay open for if COVID-19 cases rise.
MINING
BHP commits to Tanzanian nickel T HE WOR L D ’S biggest mining company, BHP, has invested $40 million in a nickel project in Tanzania. With the global nickel market expected to rapidly grow due to the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, BHP’s investment comes as it seeks to access the metals and 6 | Africa Outlook issue 94
BY 2 02 6 , Algeria’s state-owned oil and gas group Sonatrach plans to invest $40 billion in oil exploration, production and refining, as well as gas exploration and extraction. The four-year investment plan includes the construction of a refinery in Hassi Messaoud, the largest oil field in the country, and an extension of the Skikda refinery in order to convert certain by-products into fuels. Meanwhile, a fourth turbocompressor for the Medgaz submarine natural gas pipeline, which transports Algerian gas to Spain and Portugal, is set to be put into service in January this year. Steps towards Sonatrach’s return to Libya, where the company has suspended most of its activities since 2014, have also been announced as part of the plan.
minerals required to electrify the global economy. Having not been active in Africa since 2015, it marks a significant strategic shift for BHP, who traditionally focus on less risky, more developed mining jurisdictions such as Australia and Canada. The investment is recognition of the fact that BHP will have to operate in more challenging parts of the world in order to access the best untapped mineral deposits.
