How One Controversial African Pipeline Reveals the State of the Global Fight Over Oil
March 11th, 2025
Via The Washington Post, an article on who gets to decide whether African countries can exploit their natural resources? For its first 88 completed miles, the world’s most controversial oil pipeline system runs in a bulldozed path through the Ugandan countryside. The pipeline runs past elementary schools lacking electricity. It cuts through the banana groves […]
Read more »Exploring Africa’s New Energy Frontiers: 5 Markets to Watch
January 1st, 2025
Via Energy, Capital and Power, a report on five (5) promising African energy markets: Africa’s energy landscape is rapidly evolving, with several markets emerging as key frontiers for oil, gas, and renewable energy development. In 2024, intensified cooperation with global partners drove significant advancements, positioning these nations as pivotal players in shaping the continent’s energy […]
Read more »Could Ugandan Rail Deal Convince China To Help Get Kenyan Project Back On Track?
October 23rd, 2024
Via South China Morning Post, a report on a recently announced rail project in Uganda could have wide-ranging implications for neighbouring Kenya: A Ugandan construction deal could provide the impetus needed to see China hand over extra financing to a stalled rail project in Kenya, according to observers. On Monday last week, Uganda awarded Turkish construction firm Yapi […]
Read more »Africa’s EV Revolution: Two Wheels, Not Four
October 22nd, 2024
Via The Economist, a look at why Africa’s EV revolution has two wheels not four: With his electric motorcycle resting on the curbside, Stephen Omusugu explains the economics. The two-wheel-taxi man from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, went electric a month ago, after watching several of his colleagues do the same. He took out a loan for the […]
Read more »God, Bars, Roads, and The Struggle for The African Economy
October 9th, 2024
Via Pan African Review, commentary on how a drive into Africa’s heartland serves up endless churches and loud roadside bars rather than factories or other businesses: Some years ago, the Uganda government rebuilt and widened the road from the western region city of Mbarara to Kabale onwards to the border with Rwanda. It was a […]
Read more »Vroom, Vroom: Cheap Asian Motorcycles Are Transforming African Cities
August 19th, 2024
Courtesy of The Economist, a look at how inexpensive Asian motorcyles are transforming African cities: At the Haojue showroom in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, Gaston Kamo dusts the latest model’s ruby-red fuel tank. “With motorcycles you can go everywhere, even muddy roads,” says the salesman for the Chinese manufacturer. The gleaming 125cc bike costs 1.25m Rwandan francs […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.