Africa Oil Week 2023 to welcome World Leaders to SA to chart Africa’s Energy destiny

Industry leaders from across the international oil-and-gas sector, government representatives, energy policymakers, financiers and dealmakers will converge in Cape Town in October, when Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2023 takes place, under the theme, “Maximising Africa’s Natural Resources in the Global Energy Transition”.

AOW 2023, billed as “Africa’s Leading Upstream Event” comes at a pivotal moment, as the world navigates a complex energy transition towards Net Zero. The event brings together major global decisionmakers to help map a sustainable, realistic transition path that supports Africa’s energy needs, stimulates socio-economic growth, and ensures Africa retains control of its own natural resources.

For more than a quarter of a century, AOW has been the premier global platform for sharing industry developments and stimulating transactions across the African oil-and-gas upstream, bringing together governments, national and international oil companies, independents, investors, the geological-and geophysical community and service providers.

“We are proud to provide a platform to discuss how Africa can develop its oil and gas sector through strong, sustainable carbon-management strategies,” says Ore Onagbesan, Head of Energy for AOW. “We remain committed to this event – as we have been for the past 29 years – as an energy forum that makes a positive global impact, and which leaves a legacy of socioeconomic development across the African continent.”

This year, more than 2000 industry leaders including African governments and the private sector will be attending the five-day event, which offers pioneering industry-leading insights, and unrivalled deal-making opportunities.

AOW 2023 will feature prominent, highly influential speakers at the core of energy-sector development. This year’s speakers include Maggy Shino, Commissioner for Energy, Ministry of Mines and Energy; Phuthuma Nhleko, Chairman of Tullow; Paulino Fernando de Carvalho Jerónimo, CEO of ANPG; Luca Vignati, Head of Upstream at Eni; Dennis Zekveld, Country Chairman, Shell Namibia; and Nina Koch, Head of Africa, Equinor.

A new platform at AOW 2023 is the Finance and M&A Forum, sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills, which will look at innovative project-financing models emerging to meet evolving ESG requirements. The forum will see banks, traders, advisors, and operators sharing knowledge on debt and equity financing in oil and gas during the transition, with practical examples from successful partners operating in challenging jurisdictions.

Another new feature is the Gas Forum, with Roger Brown, CEO of Seplat Energy; Unni Fjaer, Vice President and Country Manager for Tanzania, Equinor; and Duncan Wallace, Technical Director, Chariot.

The full day programme focusses on the potential of gas as Africa’s transition fuel, beginning with “Monetising Africa’s Gas in the Next 7–10 years”.

This year, Africa Oil Week again takes place alongside Green Energy Africa Summit 2023, billed as “the global platform for unlocking Africa’s sustainable energy potential”.

Africa Oil Week 2023, Africa’s leading upstream event, runs from October 9–13 at the Cape Town International Conference Centre.