WeLight to bring renewables to Nigeria: Nigeria has struck a USD 200 mn agreement — backed by the World Bank and the African Development Bank — with pan African Distributed Renewable Energy company WeLight to bring 400 renewable mini-grids and 50 MetroGrids to rural communities and areas surrounding urban centers, Reuters reported on Monday. The project would provide energy security to some 1.5-2 mn people, aligning with the country’s goal to increase renewables’ share in its electricity mix from 22% to 50%.

US + DRC in talks over minerals agreement: The US is in early discussions with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over a potential agreement granting American firms access to the African country’s critical mineral reserves, the Financial Times reported last week. The DRC — rich in copper, cobalt, and uranium — proposed an agreement last month that would allow US companies to extract resources and collaborate on a strategic mineral stockpile, according to a letter sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on behalf of Congolese Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi, according to FT.

The catch? Washington would provide political and security support to President Félix Tshisekedi, whose government is battling M23 rebels in the country’s mineral-rich east, FT reports. The group — allegedly backed by Rwanda — has seized key mining areas in recent months, and continues to profit from the coltan trade through taxing informal mining operations to fund weapons and supplies. The group has been reportedly responsible for several human rights violations against civilian populations, some of them reduced to de facto slavery, the Wall Street Journal reports.

IN CONTEXT- The discussions follow the Trump administration’s push to secure critical supply chains after the fallout of the Ukrainian agreement last week, while also reducing Chinese resource extraction and influence in Africa. No major US mining firms have operated in the DRC since Freeport-McMoRan exited the Tenke Fungurume copper mine in 2016, the FT added.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

  • Cosmo to launch Japan’s first domestic SAF production in April: CosmoEnergy Holdings will kick off Japan’s first domestic production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in April, using used cooking oil at its Sakai refinery in western Japan. The country’s third-largest refiner aims to produce 24k kiloliters in FY 2025, with most of the output already secured by Japan Airlines, ANA, and DHL. (Reuters)
Tags: