Ethiopian Airlines plans to buy between 10 and 15 Boeing 777-8s to increase the size of long-range fleet, announced the CEO of the firm, Tewolde Gebremariam, on June 2. A Boeing 777 is considered as standard in terms of long-range large carriers. Launched in 1995, the 777 series includes six versions of which a cargo plane. Ethiopian Airlines which currently serve close to hundred...

In Burkina Faso, bread and pastry makers will go on strike from June 9 to 12, 2016. According to their national federation, the move aims for the provision of better working conditions. Among the workers’ claims, there is the respect of syndical freedom and the signing, by all bakeries’ owners, of a collective convention adopted by all of the sector’s actors. Due to absence of this...

Iranian car manufacturer Saipa will open in Tiaret (in the Western part of Algeria) a car assembly unit in collaboration with the local firm Tahkout, said official Algerian press agency APS, citing a high official from the ministry of industry. “Construction works for Saipa’s car assembly unit will start before the end of 2016,” announced the director of industry and mines, Djameleddine...

Equatorial Guinea, has launched bids for 37 oil and gas exploration blocks of which 32 are offshore, till November 30, 2016 and plans to grant licences in January 2017. According to the Minister of Mines, Industry and Energy, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima (photo), the country wants Exxon Mobil Corp. to continue as an operator in the country, even though the company has not renewed its licence for...

Ophir Energy Plc has announced that it is in negotiation with a range of shareholders as well as gas buyers to assist in funding its Fortuna FLNG project in Equatorial Guinea, following Schlumberger’s exit. “We've done all the work in a very difficult environment to deliver a very investable project, (including) bringing down the capital costs of first gas by half to what they were 12 months...

The former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan (photo), has said that dialogue is the best way to end the conflict with the Niger Delta Avengers in the Delta region. Jonathan has said he is confident that the authorities can arrive at an agreement with the militants to stop their activities, which have made Nigeria’s production drop tremendously. “Definitely, it will be resolved. Yes,...

Ghana's oil production is expected to reach 110,000 bpd in 2016, as output is being increased at Tullow Oil's Jubilee field, a senior government official revealed. According to the Chief Director at the Ministry of Petroleum, Thomas Mba Akabzaa, output at the Jubilee field was halted at the beginning of 2016, as a result of a technical problems but was resumed in May at 30,000 bpd. He added...

In Libya, Eni’s CEO Claudio Descalzi (photo) met with the Prime Minister, Fayez Serraj, to confirm the company’s commitment in ensuring the continuity of its Libyan operations as well as support the National Oil Corporation (NOC) in its struggles to boost production. “Eni has also been cooperating with NOC to sustain the Libyan economy by contributing to increase domestic gas consumption,...

On June 3, Tunisia signed with the USA a loan guarantee agreement to obtain $500 million at low cost on international financial markets, minister of finance, Slim Chanker announced. “It is a $500 million loan which is to be reimbursed over five years. The American guarantee should bring the interest rate to 2% or less, instead of 6 to 7% if we had gone to the loan market...

Distribution group Leader Price should implant in Morocco at the beginning of this month. Landing in the country is part of group’s expansion strategy which plans for the opening of 50 shops across it, by 2020. In a statement published by the French company, Nicolas Belleste, Vice-President of Leader Price, said: “We wish to receive Moroccan consumers in warm shops, with international...