Conference Agenda

The AOW Ministerial Symposium brings together African governments and energy leaders around the solutions and deals that will build the African energy sector of tomorrow. This year’s Symposium is organised in cooperation with the African Union’s African Energy Commission (AU-AFREC) and focused on regional corridors and cross-border energy dialogue. It brings together governments and leading public and private sector players around the opportunities of developing and expanding African energy corridors. 

We bring to the stage a unique discussion between and oil & gas and a coal mining company that have embraced the energy transition to expand and integrate their portfolio with new sources of energy.

Southern Africa's energy trade is in the middle of profound transformations given upcoming gas developments in Mozambique and offshore in Namibia. The region is already host to the continent's deepest and most integrated power pools, but gas trade offers significant opportunities to address energy needs and affordability across the region. We gather a wide range of private, public and institutional actors to understand the future of the region‘s energy cooperation and investments.

2024 is a special year for Tanzania as its semi-autonomous Zanzibar launched its 1st Licensing Round in March 2024, which will be followed by Tanzania’s own 5th Licensing Round from mid-2024.

Key Project Focus:
- Tanzania LNG
- Ntorya Gas Project

From Mauritania to Nigeria, West Africa is endowed with vast yet undeveloped gas resources that could support its industrialisation and the expansion of its power infrastructure. As large cross-border gas ventures take shape, we gather the public and private sector around a unique regional conversation unpacking the potential of virtual and physical gas pipelines, small- and large-scale LNG projects, and cross-border gas trade amongst Africa’s fastest-growing economies.

15min presentation on Congo LNG, Eni's leading gas monetisation venture offshore Congo-Brazzaville.
 

Africa‘s proven reserves of natural gas offer a tremendous opportunity to generate baseload electricity that can be reliable, affordable and cleaner than other alternatives such as coal, diesel or heavy fuel oil. However, gas-to-power remains a North African story with significant undeveloped potential in sub-Saharan Africa.

What are the risks associated with gas-to-power projects in Africa and how can stakeholders work together to unlock the potential of the sector to support Africa‘s energy transformation? This session explores the dynamics of gas-to-power in Africa from a both a switching and greenfield investment opportunity.

• The role of gas in Africa's energy mix: what is the potential of gas for baseload power generation and grid stability?

• Infrastructure development for gas-to-power projects: what strategies can we adopt to build pipelines and power plants across Africa?

• Financing gas projects in a carbon-constrained world: how can we addressing the challenges of attracting investment for gas projects in a climate-conscious era?

• Leveraging gas for renewable energy integration: Exploring how gas can support the integration of intermittent energies.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil market but requires additional investment to redevelop its producing assets, explore in frontier basins and expand energy infrastructure (especially processing, transportation, and storage).

Key Project Focus:
- Project Panther
- Bonga North
- Preowei & Owowo Field Developments
- UTM FLNG
- Aje & AKK Gas Projects

Rovuma LNG, Mozambique 

As local content requirements become more stringent, African countries must ensure that regulations strike an appropriate balance between building local-industry capacity and reducing costs without deterring foreign investments. In this conundrum, regional cooperation offers attractive opportunities for knowledge sharing, technology transfers and the sharing of best practices. We bring together African services companies and representatives from some of the continent's most active services associations to discuss the right balance between protecting and growing local industries while remaining attractive to foreign investments across the value-chain.

The Ministry of Hydrocarbons is launching a new Gas Master Plan and Gas Code and is keen to promote investments in gas infrastructure.

Also increased promotion efforts led by SNPC to promote the exploration of natural hydrogen and helium in the onshore Congo Basin.

Key Project Focus:
- Congo LNG

The pipeline of large, medium and small-scale gas projects has never been stronger in Africa. Over the past few years, gas development ambitions have grown, supported by renewed E&P activity and pragmatic energy transition plans. But as Africa develops its gas infrastructure, it must ensure that its value-proposition is relevant and future-proof to attract global capital. This session gathers project developers, engineering companies and technology providers to discuss about gas projects development trends and highlight the business models and operational strategies that can make African gas projects attractive to capital.

Exploration activity continues to recover onshore and offshore Africa, with frontier drilling overtaking infrastructure-led exploration (ILX) in 2023. While high-impact drilling used to be led by independents, IOCs have been leading the revival of African exploration since 2021. After yet another exciting year for exploratory drilling, AOW brings you Africa‘s most active exploration companies to discuss their discoveries, drilling results and upcoming campaigns from the continent’s most active frontiers.

Gabon is embarked on an ambitious natural gas monetisation strategy, commissioning of Perenco’s Batanga LPG plant at the end of 2023 and the construction of the Cap Lopez LNG export terminal slated for 2026

Adopted a new Hydrocarbons Code in 2019 to promote investments, Gabon remains under-explored, especially offshore where the Government has several open blocks up for grab.

Key Project Focus:
- Batanga LPG plant
- Cap Lopez LNG Terminal
- Mayumba Gas-to-Power Plane

The fundamental question remains: ‘How can the African continent attain sustainability and increase access to modern energy services for its people? This session unites Africa’s energy leaders to share new perspectives and solutions on the role of renewable energy in increasing access to modern energy. Areas for discussion include:

• Fast tracking the delivery of projects in support of the global energy community
• Policy moves by government and regulator perspectives
• Innovative solutions for energy and climate neutrality in the context of affordability and equality.
• Market design reforms and the future of energy procurement

African deepwater are not for the faint-hearted and reserved only for players and companies with the financial and technological capabilities to operate in challenging environments. With the number of deepwater FPSOs on the rise, how are operators and service providers working together to ensure project delivery in a time and cost-efficient manner?

This session focuses on strategies to improve the bankability of African power and energy projects. Discussions will explore credit enhancement mechanisms, mezzanine finance options, risk insurance, and the role of regulation, project structuring in attracting financing across power projects and overall funding of the energy transition. 

15min presentation on Eni's Baleine deep-water project offshore Côte d'Ivoire where Phase 2 will be commissioned in 2024.

With most IOCs exiting onshore African acreages over the past decade, the segment is perceived as a challenging and difficult environment to operate it with a myriad of ESG issues - particularly communities’ relations. In this session, we gather some of Africa’s most active and successful onshore players to debunk the myth, expose success stories on the African onshore, and discuss the latest development trends across African onshore markets.

A new wave of independent retail energy providers are emerging with the aim to develop and execute sustainable energy solutions. This has created a diverse range of energy potential buyers and transmission opportunities as well as innovative strategies and collaborative efforts to advance local storage capacities and foster regional trade.The session highlights recent market movements creating a ‘new’ type of utility.   Join this session to explore new tech, innovation, business and finance models that will help create market leaders in private energy procurement and trade.

Pecan Energies, owned by the AFC, is working on developing the offshore Pecan Field which would be Ghana’s first greenfield oil & gas project in several years.

Appetite to expand the country’s energy infrastructure is strong, especially when it comes to natural gas (storage, processing, pipelines, distribution etc) for industries and mines.

Key Project Focus:
- Volta River Authority
- Tema LNG
- Jubile Gas Monetisation Project
- Pecan Field Development

Showcasing regional initiatives are fostering cross-border energy trade, creating a more reliable and efficient electricity market for both IPPs and utilities. Discover the opportunities for project expansion, explore risk mitigation strategies within the Power Pool framework, and learn how to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape. The session put a spotlight on private investments in transmission infrastructure, prospects for increased interconnection, existing power pool initiatives, market structures and pricing that will enhance regional power trade. And further plans to build cross-boarder power interconnections.

African shallow waters are a vibrant space characterised by sustained M&A activity and a solid pipeline of projects across the Gulf of Guinea. It offers some of Africa‘s most attractive brownfield opportunities with large de-risked prospects and acreages and cost-efficient field development plans. AOW gathers the leading independent operators across the Gulf of Guinea to speak about the dynamics and trends of developing shallow-water assets offshore Africa.

Offshore exploration within the Orange Basin straddling Namibia and South Africa has put back African on the global exploration map since 2021. The momentum is far from over and continues to build up as new operators announce discoveries and spud new wells. To understand the Basin’s true potential, map out future prospects and opportunities, and discuss its operating environment, AOW gathers the leading explorers to discuss the continent‘s hottest frontier.

The South African energy landscape is on the cusp of a historic transformation. The unbundling of Eskom, the national utility, is creating exciting new opportunities in Transmission and Distribution (T&D). This session dives deep into the upcoming market reforms, exploring the establishment of a separate T&D entity and the potential for private participation. We'll analyze the specific needs and challenges within the T&D sector, along with the regulatory framework governing private investment. Discover how your expertise can contribute to a more efficient and reliable grid and explore the path towards securing lucrative T&D contracts. This session is a critical opportunity for experienced T&D specialists to gain a competitive edge in the evolving South African energy market.

Emerging as West Africa’s exploration frontier after 3 major discoveries at Baleine & Calao, fast-tracking Phases 2 (2024) & 3 (2026) of the Baleine project – Africa’s first Net Zero upstream development project

Investment to bolster local content – focus is particularly on the significant opportunities to partner with local companies in servicing, fabrication, engineering, & construction sectors.

Appetite for the diversification of midstream/downstream gas sector is strong

Key Project Focus:
- Baleine Field Development
- Kudu, Eland & Gnou Gas Fields Development

The session will focus on the future of wheeling, the proliferation of corporate PPAs and new-look business models attracting the next generation of private investment. During this session we highlight strategies for private sector and utilities to co- exist, we look at power South Africa’s market including procurement (public vs private) trends.

Along with local content expectations, Africa is seeing the rise of several homegrown E&P companies that are set to become an integral part of Africa‘s energy future. Long dominated by Nigeria, the space is diversifying and several countries now boast their own local upstream operators. In this exclusive session, we gather established and upcoming African E&P operators to talk about their needs, strategies and growth ambitions in the coming decade.

The future of African energy is not just bright, it's getting distributed. This session spotlights the immense potential of large-scale Decentralized Power and Energy Storage projects exploring innovative strategies while ensuring stable and reliable power delivery. We'll explore countries with robust project pipelines, like Namibia with its focus on renewables and decentralized solutions, and Côte d'Ivoire, a leader in regional power integration. Delve into the technical aspects of integrating battery storage with renewable sources to create resilient energy supply. We’ll discuss further developments in battery storage systems and what they look like in the transmission space.

Long considered a by-product of oil production, natural gas is becoming a prized commodity across Africa. However, and while monetising gas has become an integral part of Africa‘s energy ambitions, the economics of gas make projects a lot more complex to finance and execute. To unpack the dynamics of Africa‘s gas sector, we bring together the leading gas explorers, producers, and asset developers on the continent.  

Energy transition plans and projects

Highlighting the ministry and the Autorité de Régulation du Secteur de l'Electricité (ANRE)

With a growing population and economic boom, Africa urgently needs reliable and sustainable energy. Its vast renewable resources and underdeveloped infrastructure present a significant investment opportunity. This opening keynote panel will explore Africa's power and energy needs, its role in the global energy transition, and how to attract investment to drive growth. Experts will discuss financing renewable energy projects, navigating Africa's carbon markets (including the VCM environment), and mobilizing capital at scale. 
 

The Prospect Forum is a unique platform for Oil Companies, Geoservice Companies and both NOCs & IOCs to promote prospects and data to commercial leaders from the oil and gas sector. In a series of 15-minute presentation + Q&A. This deal making platform is an opportunity to present farm out opportunities to decision makers, such as VPs & SVPs of Business Development, Commercial and New Ventures, who are looking to source investments and licenses across Africa.  

This session examines the growing role of sustainable finance in driving Africa's energy transition. Experts will discuss innovative financing solutions for renewable energy projects, deployment of capital using green bonds, insurance risk, and the role of climate finance in supporting the transition and closing the finance gap that currently exists.  The session will also highlight nature-related risks and opportunities highlighting performance and disclosures as well as impact reporting. 

 

The Prospect Forum is a unique platform for Oil Companies, Geoservice Companies and both NOCs & IOCs to promote prospects and data to commercial leaders from the oil and gas sector. In a series of 15-minute presentation + Q&A. This deal making platform is an opportunity to present farm out opportunities to decision makers, such as VPs & SVPs of Business Development, Commercial and New Ventures, who are looking to source investments and licenses across Africa.  

Energy transition plans and projects

Geothermal power

Highlighting the ministry, ERPA and KenGen

The Prospect Forum is a unique platform for Oil Companies, Geoservice Companies and both NOCs & IOCs to promote prospects and data to commercial leaders from the oil and gas sector. In a series of 15-minute presentation + Q&A. This deal making platform is an opportunity to present farm out opportunities to decision makers, such as VPs & SVPs of Business Development, Commercial and New Ventures, who are looking to source investments and licenses across Africa.  

This session dives into the concept of transition finance and its role in supporting Africa's move away from fossil fuels. Experts will discuss the types of transition finance instruments, blended finance solutions, and the role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in supporting the transition.

The Prospect Forum is a unique platform for Oil Companies, Geoservice Companies and both NOCs & IOCs to promote prospects and data to commercial leaders from the oil and gas sector. In a series of 15-minute presentation + Q&A. This deal making platform is an opportunity to present farm out opportunities to decision makers, such as VPs & SVPs of Business Development, Commercial and New Ventures, who are looking to source investments and licenses across Africa.

Africa’s oil production has dropped significantly over the past decade on the back of instability in parts of the continent and an increasingly challenging access to capital. The African Upstream is diversifying with new local and international entrants but all face the same common challenge of securing the financing for their exploration campaigns and field development plans. To address the financing needs of African operators, we gather financiers and CFOs from leading African E&P companies to find solutions that can bridge the financing deficit on the continent. What are the key challenges to financing African E&P projects?

This session delves into the continent's growing energy mix, highlighting key countries with robust markets and dynamic approaches that present lucrative investment opportunities. 

Solar 
This session dives into the continent's flourishing solar landscape, showcasing successful projects and charting a course for future development.
•    Enabling environments that accelerate investment incentives.  
•    Solar projects and grid infrastructure. 
•    Maximizing solar opportunities, including grid limitations, financing hurdles, and policy considerations.

Wind 
The continent's vast wind resource and competitive electricity generation costs continue to position wind power as a highly attractive investment. This session dives into the current landscape, exploring:
•    Obstacles hindering investment in wind projects across Africa.
•    Innovative strategies developers are employing to overcome these challenges and unlock investment opportunities.
•    Pathways for achieving large-scale wind energy implementation across the African continent.

As Africa’s biggest gas producing & consuming market and the continents third largest oil producer, Algeria has truly succeeded in monetising its natural resources, with strong commercial ties that continue to renew and expand its energy cooperation with investors.

State-utility SONELGAZ is also actively engaged in the expansion of energy infrastructure, Issuing a large 2 GW solar tender in 2023.

Key Project Focus:
- Skikda Refinary Expansion
- Hassi Messaoud New Refinery
- Tiaret New Refinery
- Arzew Petrochemicals Complex
- Skikda Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) plant

With African gas ambitions on the rise, the financing needs of drilling for gas, processing it and distributing it are on the rise and require a different approach to project financing and capital raising. What are the particularities of African gas projects and who will finance them? We bring financiers, investors and gas developers around a fresh and new conversation on the challenges and opportunities of financing a gas-enabled energy transformation in Africa.

Southern Africa's energy transition hinges on finding the right balance between energy security and clean energy goals (and availability for financing gas ambitions). This session will explore the role of natural gas and highlight generation plans. Panellists will discuss recent plans, the expertise needed to meet upcoming gas-to-power projects. They will also weigh-in on what infrastructure is required to accelerate gas-powered generation.  We'll also analyse the economic impact of gas to power across industries. A key part of this discussion will highlight innovation in finance with a special mention on the role of mezzanine finance and how can we accelerate access to capital that will allow positive market movements.  

•    What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of using gas as a fuel source? 
•    What are the opportunities and challenges for regional cooperation on gas development and utilisation 
•    How will gas fit into Southern Africa's energy transition and efforts to restore energy security? 
•    Which gas-to-power project bid windows are open and are there any more gas-to-power projects in the works?  
•    How can gas help Southern Africa achieve its decarbonization goals?  
•    How can we ensure that gas development aligns with Africa's climate goals and sustainable development objectives? 
 

Africa’s largest refining market, Egypt has a comprehensive drilling & exploration plan in place until 20230, which looks to attract $17bn of investments.

Egypt is reportedly working on the launch of new international bids for oil, natural gas, and gold exploration during 2024.

The country’s upstream promotion efforts largely rely on Egypt Upstream Gateway (EUG), managed by SLB and EGPC

Dealmaking remains strong across Africa‘s oil & gas sector, with farm-in/farm-out and mergers & acquisitions happening across several established and new frontiers. AOW brings back one of its most flagship sessions gathering bankers, CFOs and investors to discuss M&A trends.  

Deep Dive Session 1:Unlocking Geothermal Energy in Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Africa, with its abundant geothermal resources, stands at the cusp of a clean energy revolution. Join us for an engaging panel discussion where experts delve into the world of geothermal energy, its challenges, and opportunities the role of technology and innovation, and its direct use applications beyond electricity generation. 
 

Deep Dive Session 2: Accelerating Africa’s Mineral Resources and Value Chains 
Accelerating Africa’s Mineral Resources and Value Chains 
This session delves into the dynamic economic opportunities brought about by mining for the green economy. Especially highlighting possibilities that exist in the critical and battery minerals value chains. As the global market for battery energy storage systems grows and collaborations begin to take off, we highlight investment needed and market dynamics as well as spotlight regional and intra-African trade.  We also highlight perspectives from the mining industry and how the complex link between minerals, energy security and future prospects for the mining sector. 

Key discussion points: 
•    The global shortfall in mineral supply and investment for energy transformation
•    Mineral demand implications of a rapid shift to clean energy technologies.
•    Far-reaching implications for the metals and mining sector
•    What collaborations are underway and where is investor confidence placed?
•    Who is investing? What are the challenges?
•    Increasing infrastructure spending in the areas surrounding Special Economic Zones
•    Building capacities for people and technology


 

ESG has become an integral part of any investor or financier‘s due diligence but means different things across segments and asset classes. We discuss the ESG considerations and factors that make African oil & gas deals competitive in 2024 and how operators and asset owners can better embrace ESG standards to be competitive in today‘s market.

Mozambique’s gas sector has made progress in recent years, with the commissioning of the Carol Sul FLNG at the end of 2022, and a new onshore discovery at the PT50C well in 2023.

With this, the country is slowly coming back to the centrer stage as preparations are made for work at Mozambique LNG.

Key Project Focus:

- Rovuma LNG
- Mozambique LNG
- Matola FSRU
- Carol Sul & Carol Norte FLNG

The energy industry has focussed most on the ‘E’ in ESG, however the ‘S’ is critically important. Social factors encompass many aspects including how we infuse people into the fabric of our businesses, as well as how we build equitable spaces in the value chain. It also includes the question of integrating innovative practices led by future leaders who are unlocking new clean and renewable energy solutions while navigating today’s complex regulations. So, industry agrees on the importance and urgency of fostering a culture of inclusion that empowers all voices. During this session we will highlight initiatives tied to accelerating innovation, trailblazers leading these initiatives that inevitably address Africa energy transition.
 

To stay relevant and attractive, the African Upstream must find ways to produce cheaper barrels with a lower carbon content and scale up technology adoption across the supply-chain. We gather upstream regulators, government officials, operators and service providers around the challenge of keeping capital and operational expenditures under control and the opportunities it presents to adopt new policy frameworks and technologies.

 

Angola is continuing its 2019-2025 licensing strategy implementation with the last bidding round planned for 2025, whilst several blocks are under open acreage and promoted year-round.

Meanwhile, Angola seeks investments in expanding the value-chain midstream and downstream, including via the construction of large in-country refineries in Soyo.

Key Project Focus:
- Quiluma and Maboqueiro gas project
- Soyo Refinery
- Opaia Fertilizer
- Lobito Refinery
- Angola-Zambia Oil Pipeline

PANEL DISCUSSION:  
Hydrogen Commercialisation for a Clean and Secure African Energy Future 
Hydrogen is emerging as a game-changer in the global energy transition. This session explores the potential of "green" and "blue" hydrogen for Africa, showcasing key project opportunities, key successes in grey hydrogen. The panellists feature African energy leaders, hydrogen project developers, and technology providers, will delve into the exciting possibilities hydrogen presents for decarbonizing various sectors and fostering energy security.  
Key discussion points: 
•    Green hydrogen from renewables, "blue" from natural gas with CCS and those that are best suited for different African countries and applications (heavy industries, transportation, power storage) 
•    Opportunities that will open up in the commercialization of hydrogen. 
•    How can African nations foster partnerships with international stakeholders to develop a robust hydrogen ecosystem? 
•    Financing and regulation needed for growth in the offtake market.

 

African governments and regulators concur that the continent must reduce the emissions from its oil & gas sector to remain competitive in today‘s world. But with Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and Metal Organic Frameworks (MOF) deemed expensive and still at its pilot stage, what options and avenues can African stakeholders explore to benefit from emerging technology trends and decarbonise the value-chain? We gather solutions and services providers to discuss investment and technology opportunities around methane monitoring and management, carbon emissions reduction, and air emissions mitigation.

 

The future of Africa's energy security hinges on innovative solutions. This session delves into cutting-edge technologies that are transforming the way we build and manage energy infrastructure. The session highlights advanced grid management systems, mini-grid acceleration, distributed generation and storage and digital transformation to streamline infrastructure development.

A presentation showcasing how innovation and technology are improving margins and reducing carbon emissions in African E&P 

Most African markets have endorsed or supported the World Bank‘s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 while new initiatives and ventures are being proposed by the private sector to monetise associated gas. How do these ambitions and targets translate into projects and technology trends on the continent and what can African operators do to decarbonise their E&P activities in the short and medium terms?

Uganda expects to become an oil producer from 2025, exportation will happen via the EACOP, linked to the Tanzanian Port of Tanga, whilst it also negotiates for financing of the Albertine Graben Oil Refinery

New PSCs have recently been signed to boost exploration, including with its state-owned company UNOC.

Key Project Focus:
- Tilenga & Kingfisher Oil Projects
- Albertine Graben Refinery

Africa's transition to a green economy requires a strong partnership between public and private sectors. To achieve this, there needs to be a focus on how to better engage private businesses in activities that support climate action and biodiversity preservation.

This session welcomes clean tech startups, climate tech experts and investors to the stage, to share insights on the role of private sector engagement towards accelerating good governance as we move towards green economy of the future. 

 

Currently Africa’s most sought-after frontier, significant interest remains in exploration of Namibia’s Orange Basin, with several discoveries since 2021. Onshore exploration is also ongoing, with campaigns in the Kavango & Owambo.

As Namibia continues to make headlines, the market needs are geared towards raising capital for exploration while planning for future developments.

Key Project Focus:
- Kudu Gas Project