Angola Upstream Gas Milestone: Sonangol and ANPG say the Katambi-2 appraisal well in Block 24 (Benguela Basin) confirmed a high-quality non-associated gas reservoir and delivered Angola’s first full drill stem test on such a target, with initial results of 41 million scfd gas and 1,160 bpd condensate. Angola Energy & Industry Partnerships: The U.S. and Angola held a second DEFCOM defense cooperation meeting in Luanda, while Türkiye’s TPAO expansion strategy highlights growing cross-regional energy partnerships that could shape future regional supply and services. Regional Trade Pressure: Namibia’s trade deficit widened to N$5.5bn in June as imports hit a record N$18.3bn, with petroleum products and vehicles among key import drivers—an indicator of cost and demand pressures across southern Africa. Africa Energy Access Watch: Sierra Leone still has about 5.98m people without electricity access, underlining the scale of power-sector investment needs. Critical Minerals Race: Washington announced $3bn in government-backed critical minerals and battery investments, with Africa flagged as a key supply source—raising the stakes for local processing and jobs. Data Centres in Angola’s Orbit: Raxio says it is expanding regional data-centre capacity, operating facilities including Angola, as demand grows for secure local hosting.