The massive and unprecedented intervention by many governments around the world appears to have halted the financial meltdown just in the nick of time. But while global banks were crashing all around it, the industry in Africa remained firm. Is it really stable or are there so far invisible tremors building up? Tom Nevin reports. More...

These are times of unprecedented opportunity for the African oil and gas industry. The continent’s proven reserves of all forms of hydrocarbons are increasing. Firms from Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, North America and Brazil are pouring investment into an increasing number of African states; and high prices for both oil and gas are generating buoyant revenues for further upstream development and wider government expenditure. But clouds from the credit crunch fall-out are threatening to darken this rosy scenario. Can Africa’s energy industry ride out the storm? Report by Neil Ford. More...

South Africa’s synthetic fuels giant, Sasol, together with other international energy companies, was heavily fined by the EU for breaching competition rules. This, says Tom Nevin, comes in the wake of tighter anti-competitive behaviour policing. More...