Iran conflict pushes Brent above $105 as supply risks escalate

The ongoing escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, with Brent crude surging past the $105 per barrel threshold. For European entrepreneurs and investors with exposure to African markets, this development carries significant implications—both as a direct cost pressure and as a potential catalyst for reshaping continental energy economics. The conflict, now entering its third week, has fundamentally altered the risk calculus for global oil supplies. The Strait of Hormuz—through which approximately 21 percent of global crude oil passes daily—remains the epicenter of concern. Any sustained disruption through this chokepoint could cascade into a supply crisis affecting energy-dependent economies worldwide. While direct military action on shipping has yet to occur at scale, the mere threat has proven sufficient to drive energy prices higher, reflecting market participants' assessment that geopolitical risk premiums are warranted. For European investors operating across African markets, elevated oil prices present a paradoxical challenge. On one hand, higher energy costs increase operational expenses for manufacturing, logistics, and resource extraction ventures throughout the continent. Transportation costs, already significant in markets with underdeveloped infrastructure, become even more prohibitive. Companies involved in agriculture, mining, or import-export activities face margin compression unless they