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Oliver Buchannon
Stephen Lecha

Managing Director of LECHA Energy, a diversified investment company.


Global Trade: Humanity’s Greatest Collective Project – And Why Turning Inward Is So Dangerous

Nov 26, 2025

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8 min read

Global Trade: Humanity’s Greatest Collective Project – And Why Turning Inward Is So Dangerous

Look around you.The phone in your hand, the clothes you’re wearing, the food you ate this morning – they are the result of a global system of exchange that links farmers, engineers, designers, truck drivers, seafarers, coders, and financiers across continents.

The Engine of Human Progress is Under Attack

Nov 25, 2025

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4 min read

The Engine of Human Progress is Under Attack

Why the rise of protectionism isn’t just bad economics—it’s a moral crisis. A crime against humanity.

Where Is the Money?: A Practical Guide to Raising Capital in Africa

Nov 24, 2025

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13 min read

Where Is the Money?: A Practical Guide to Raising Capital in Africa

Across Africa, more than a trillion US dollars sits in banks, pension funds, insurance companies, DFIs, and private investors, actively looking for bankable projects. Yet many entrepreneurs, CEOs, and policymakers still say, “There is no money.” The problem is usually not the absence of capital – it is the mismatch between the kind of capital a project needs, and the way that project is prepared, structured, and presented. This article lays out the main sources of capital available to three groups: Small businesses and startups, Established corporates, Governments, and state-owned enterprises

Africracy for a Sovereign Africa as Democracy has failed Africa

Nov 22, 2025

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4 min read

Africracy for a Sovereign Africa as Democracy has failed Africa

Democracy has resulted in the underdevelopment, disempowerment, and disenfranchisement of a continent with over 1.4 billion people. To this day, Africa does not have a seat at the UN Security Council.

Africa’s Industrialisation Isn’t Just “Development” – It’s a Threat to the Global Economic Order

Nov 22, 2025

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9 min read

Africa’s Industrialisation Isn’t Just “Development” – It’s a Threat to the Global Economic Order

A fully industrialized and sovereign Africa threatens the global economic order because it disrupts the dependency system that enriches Western economies. For centuries, Africa has been positioned as a supplier of cheap raw materials and a consumer of expensive finished goods—a structure that guarantees Western profit and African underdevelopment. But an industrialized Africa would produce its own goods, control value-chains, set prices, and negotiate from a position of strength. That shift would weaken Western economic dominance, challenge global trade hierarchies, and empower a continent whose population, resources, and markets are too significant to ignore. In short: a sovereign Africa doesn’t just rise—it forces the world to rebalance.

Sovereign Africa: Lighting Our Own Path, Reclaiming Our Power.

Nov 21, 2025

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4 min read

Sovereign Africa: Lighting Our Own Path, Reclaiming Our Power.

"Sovereign Africa" is a political, economic, and ideological concept asserting that African nations—and the continent as a collective—must possess total authority over their own destinies, free from external interference, coercion, or dependence on foreign powers.

Why Africa's Development Must Be Private Sector-Led: Lessons from History and the Pitfalls of Government Dependency

Nov 19, 2025

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2 min read

Why Africa's Development Must Be Private Sector-Led: Lessons from History and the Pitfalls of Government Dependency

History reminds us that true progress is pioneered by entrepreneurs and innovators – the private sector. From the Dutch East India Company's colonial ventures to Cecil John Rhodes' enterprises in Africa and the industrial titans who built the Americas, commerce and innovation always preceded government. Governments were invented to regulate, level the playing field, and provide stability – not to lead.

Security vs. Sovereignty: Why Africa Must Change Its Narrative on Food, Energy, and Finance

Nov 19, 2025

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6 min read

Security vs. Sovereignty: Why Africa Must Change Its Narrative on Food, Energy, and Finance

In our strive toward a self-reliant Africa, words matter. We've often heard our leaders speak of "food security," "energy security," and "financial security" as the goals for our continent. But what if the real target should be sovereignty? Western nations have long pursued sovereignty in these areas, building systems of control and independence, while Africa has focused on security – a more defensive stance that often leaves us vulnerable to external forces.

Building the Africa We Want: A Roadmap to Sovereignty in Finance, Energy, and Food

Nov 18, 2025

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6 min read

Building the Africa We Want: A Roadmap to Sovereignty in Finance, Energy, and Food

As Africans, we've long dreamed of "the Africa We Want" – a continent sovereign in finance, energy, and food production, free from over-reliance on FDI and aid. Our diaspora and local communities hold the capital and ingenuity to fund our own projects, but we must address the gaps: lack of trust, integration, liquidity, and cross-pollination of innovation.

Why African Capital Must Build Africa.

Nov 14, 2025

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3 min read

Why African Capital Must Build Africa.

For decades, the blueprint for African development has been written in a foreign language: the language of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). We've been taught that validation and viability come from offshore. While FDI has a role to play, this over-reliance has created a dangerous paradox: we are begging for foreign capital to build our futures, while our own vast pools of domestic capital—our pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and insurance reserves—sit on the sidelines or are shipped abroad.This must end.

Why Leapfrogging is Africa's Only Logical Path

Nov 13, 2025

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4 min read

Why Leapfrogging is Africa's Only Logical Path

The concept of leapfrogging means skipping over outdated technologies and systems to adopt more advanced, efficient solutions directly. For Africa, this is critical for several reasons if we are to achieve Vision 2063.

Powering Africa's Future: The $3 Trillion Investment Imperative by 2050

Nov 13, 2025

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4 min read

Powering Africa's Future: The $3 Trillion Investment Imperative by 2050

As we continue our mission to fuel renewable energy projects across Africa, it's crucial to zoom out and understand the monumental scale of the challenge ahead. Africa, home to the world's fastest-growing population and untapped renewable potential, is on the cusp of an energy revolution. But to meet rising demands and achieve universal access by 2050, the continent needs a massive influx of capital.

Africa's Crude Oil Resources and Refining Capacity vs. Projected Demand by 2063

Nov 12, 2025

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4 min read

Africa's Crude Oil Resources and Refining Capacity vs. Projected Demand by 2063

Africa possesses substantial crude oil resources, with proven reserves exceeding 130 billion barrels (7.2% of global total), providing a reserves-to-production (R/P) ratio of ~50 years at current levels. However, achieving self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products by 2063—meaning producing and refining enough domestically to meet demand without heavy imports—depends on the scenario. Current production (~4.5 million barrels per day, mb/d) and refining capacity (~3.35 mb/d nameplate, ~55% utilization or ~1.8 mb/d effective) fall short, with Africa exporting ~75% of its crude while importing ~56% of refined products.

LECHA ENERGY INSIGHTS | Building a Moat Around Your Business Idea

Nov 12, 2025

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2 min read

LECHA ENERGY INSIGHTS | Building a Moat Around Your Business Idea

Defending Your Vision: How Entrepreneurs Can Build a Moat Around Their IdeasIn today’s fast-moving marketplace, every entrepreneur lives with the quiet fear that someone, somewhere, will copy their “brilliant idea.” And the truth is — they probably will.Good ideas get copied.Bad ideas get ignored.What separates thriving businesses from struggling ones isn’t secrecy — it’s strategy.

Overview of Unitary Pricing in Botswana

Nov 11, 2025

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3 min read

Overview of Unitary Pricing in Botswana

The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) implemented unitary pricing for petroleum products effective November 8, 2025 (midnight Saturday). This replaces the previous zonal pricing system, where fuel prices varied by geographic zone to account for differences in transport and distribution costs (lower in urban areas like Gaborone, higher in remote rural zones). Under unitary pricing, a single national retail pump price applies to each product across all locations, regardless of region.

RMB's 2025/26 Top 10 African Countries for Energy Investors

Nov 10, 2025

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4 min read

RMB's 2025/26 Top 10 African Countries for Energy Investors

The RMB "Where to Invest in Africa 2025/26" report just dropped, and if you're like me, you've already bookmarked it for your next strategy session. This year's edition analyzes 31 countries, spotlighting resilient economies amid global headwinds like aid declines and trade shifts. The top 10? A mix of island powerhouses, North African giants, and East-West risers—Seychelles and Mauritius holding steady at the top, with Côte d'Ivoire and Tanzania climbing fast.

Illuminating Botswana's Future

Oct 6, 2025

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5 min read

Illuminating Botswana's Future

Solar Power, Regenerative Farms, and a Path to Sustainable Exports

What is Energy?

Sep 15, 2025

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2 min read

What is Energy?

A superpower that makes things happen!

Botswana’s Fuel Retail Market: An In-Depth Overview

Aug 19, 2025

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2 min read

Botswana’s Fuel Retail Market: An In-Depth Overview

Do you still want to build a filling station or fuel depot in Botswana? Here are key factors you have to consider before you start your project.

How to Build a Filling Station in Botswana

Aug 15, 2025

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5 min read

How to Build a Filling Station in Botswana

A comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to start a filling station or fuel depot project.

Why Walvis Bay Is Winning: A Smarter Route for Diesel Imports into Botswana

Aug 4, 2025

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4 min read

Why Walvis Bay Is Winning: A Smarter Route for Diesel Imports into Botswana

LECHA Energy leads the way with cost-effective fuel delivery from Walvis Bay

Why Haven’t Fuel Prices Changed in Botswana Since December 2024?

Jul 30, 2025

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4 min read

Why Haven’t Fuel Prices Changed in Botswana Since December 2024?

Botswana’s Fuel Prices: A Policy Choice, Not a Market Reaction

Why Are Fuel Prices So High in Botswana?

Jul 29, 2025

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5 min read

Why Are Fuel Prices So High in Botswana?

A Look Behind the Numbers

Diesel Prices Are Expected to Rise. Here’s What It Means.

Jul 28, 2025

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2 min read

Diesel Prices Are Expected to Rise. Here’s What It Means.

Here's How LECHA Energy Can Help You.

Diesel Price Volatility: Strategic Steps Businesses Should Take

Jul 22, 2025

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3 min read

Diesel Price Volatility: Strategic Steps Businesses Should Take

Strategic steps businesses should take to proactively manage economic fluctuations in fuel costs.

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