Speakers - AOW Energy

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The Voices Driving Africa’s Energy Transformation

Celebrating the leaders and innovators shaping the future of oil, gas, and energy across the continent.

At AOW:Energy, we take immense pride in welcoming some of the most influential and forward-thinking leaders from across the global energy landscape. The calibre of speakers who have committed to AOW:Energy 2025 is a testament to the event’s position as the premier platform driving upstream development across Africa. These are the visionaries, dealmakers, and technical experts whose insight and leadership are shaping the future of the continent’s oil, gas, and energy sectors.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the industry for its unwavering support over the years and for entrusting AOW:Energy as the gathering where ideas become action and partnerships take shape. To our 2025 speakers, thank you for lending your voices, thank you for sharing your experiences, and thank you for your vision in what promises to be an unforgettable year. We look forward to hosting you in Accra for a week of collaboration, inspiration, and real progress for Africa’s energy future.

Alhaji Abdulmalik Halilu Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu was appointed Director, Planning, Research, and Statistics of NCDMB, on May 1, 2023. As Director PRS he is responsible for corporate planning and development of policies for the effective implementation of the NOGICD Act. He is also responsible for maintaining the repository of statistical data on local content indicators, administration of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System, in addition to managing the Research & Development mandate of the Board, coordination of activities of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, Expatriate Quota administration and the operationalization of the E -Market place.

He was previously the General Manager, Research, Statistics and Development and was credited with championing transformational initiatives such as the Nigerian Content Research and Development Roadmap, Nigerian Content R&D Fund, driving the framework for the establishment of Technology Innovation and Incubation Center,  as well as serving as the Project Coordinator for Project 100. He also coordinates NCDMB Special Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Interventions as well as Pan-African collaboration aimed at deepening local content and hydrocarbon & mineral development in Africa.

Prior to joining NCDMB in 2011, Alhaji Abdulmalik worked for Accenture, a global management consulting, technology, and outsourcing firm, where he was involved in many transformation projects including the development of the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 economic transformation blueprint, the NNPC transformation project “PACE”, the National biofuels policy and renewable energy program, and the roll out of the Unique Taxpayer Identification Number (UTIN). He has been a teaching instructor at the Center for Professional Development St. Charles, Chicago, USA.

Mr. Halilu brings extensive expertise in oil and gas, development banking, utilities, agribusiness, manufacturing, renewable energy, supply chain management, and project management to the NCDMB. He was the pioneer Head of Strategy and Policy Development at NCDMB, and he was instrumental to the conceptualization of key Board initiatives such as the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS), the Equipment Component Manufacturing Initiative (ECMI), the Marine Vessel Strategy, the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund), and others.

A change management practitioner, certified project management professional and a policy development specialist, Mr. Halilu holds a master’s degree in development studies, a postgraduate diploma in management science, and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural technology. He is a member of the Kaduna golf club, a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, member of Project Management Institute and the International Facility Management Association. He holds the traditional title of Gado damasun Nupe in the Nupe Emirate of Niger State and is married with children.

Eng. Charles J. Sangweni is the Director General of the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) and serves as the Secretary of the PURA Board of Directors. With over two decades of multidisciplinary expertise across the public and private sectors, Eng. Sangweni has been instrumental in shaping the regulatory and operational architecture of Tanzania’s upstream petroleum industry.

He holds an MSc in Gas Engineering and Management (with Distinction) from the University of Salford in the UK and a BSc in Chemical and Process Engineering from the University of Dar es Salaam. His career spans a wide range of technical, commercial, and leadership roles, including senior research and planning positions at the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and executive roles in the private sector with multinational energy firms such as Caltex Tanzania, Marshal Fowler Tanzania, and GAPCO Uganda.

As a Senior Research Officer at TPDC, Eng. Sangweni played a key role in the design and implementation of the National Natural Gas Infrastructure Project (NNGIP), coordinated Tanzania’s Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV) initiative, and contributed to several landmark initiatives, including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and fertilizer plant projects.

Since assuming leadership at PURA in 2017, he has overseen the development of operational frameworks and institutional structures aligned with the Petroleum Act of 2015, and has successfully positioned PURA as a central regulatory authority in the upstream sub-sector.

Eng. Sangweni has also contributed to national energy and sustainability policy through participation in high-level technical Bodies and Committees, including the Energy Regulators Association of East Africa, Society of Petroleum Engineers, National Biofuels Task Force, ISO Sustainability Criteria for Bioenergy, and Bulk Procurement Technical Committee. He is also a Board member of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Africa Advisory Board since October 2024 to date.

From February 2021 to April 2025, Eng. Sangweni served as the Chairperson of the Government Negotiation Team for the Tanzania Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project, a transformative initiative poised to reshape the country’s energy landscape and elevate Tanzania as a key LNG exporter in the global market.

His work continues to shape Tanzania’s path toward sustainable and regulated energy development.

Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa, CON, Group Chief Executive Officer, Oilserv Group, is a seasoned Engineer, administrator, entrepreneur and visionary leader who was born on August 19, 1961 at Jos, Nigeria.

Engr. Okwuosa, a 1982 graduate of Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Osun State, Nigeria, has been riding the Nigerian economy like a colossus, with focus on his chosen fields of socio-economic investments, engineering, entrepreneurship, administration and care for the less privileged.

With 40 years in the oil and gas sector, he has vast experience in different fields of engineering including maintenance and operations, teaching, wireline logging and interpretation, seismic acquisition, processing and interpretation, procurement and construction, EPC, project management, drilling and drilling service spanning across Europe, North Africa, West Africa, Gulf/Central Africa and Indonesia in positions ranging from Field Engineer to Technical Manager.

Engr. Okwuosa’s varied experience is not limited to the oil and gas industry, he started his career as a management trainee (engineering) with the Nigerian Breweries Limited before joining Schlumberger Energy Services as a field engineer, a year after. He worked with Schlumberger as an international staff in different parts of the world; and held various positions in Schlumberger as base manager, equipment/tool test coordinator and technical manager.

Engr. Okwuosa is the founder and Chairman of Oilserv Limited, Frazimex Engineering Limited, FrazPower Limited, FrazOil E&P Limited, Ekcel Farms Limited, EnviFraz Limited and Crown Energy Resources Ltd. His flagship Company; Oilserv, is Nigeria’s EPC giant that has been delivering turnkey projects using top notch quality and safety standards since inception. The company has currently commissioned the 48-inch x 127km OB/OB-OBEN Gas Transmission Pipeline (OB3 LOT B Project), the largest pipeline in Nigeria with the associated Gas Treatment Plant (GTP) which is the largest of its type (capacity of 2 billion scf/day) for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

Emeka is passionate about development of human capacity in high technology areas of Oil and Gas Industry. This is being achieved via various schemes that have been instituted through the companies and Foundation that he has founded and runs.

Together with other key practitioners in the Oil and Gas Engineering, Exploration and Production sectors, Emeka contributed to the enactment of Nigerian Oil and Gas Local Content Law about ten years ago. This Law has helped to institutionalize the development of sustainable local capacity in the Oil & Gas industry.

He is a registered member of COREN (Council for the Regulation of Engineering) and belongs to the following local and international Professional bodies;

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Society of Professional Well Log Analysts (SPWLA)

Pipeline Professional Association of Nigeria (PLAN).

Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN)

Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) – Fellow

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)

Nigerian Gas Association (NGA)

Institute of Directors (IoD) – Fellow

In addition to the awards of Honorary Doctorate Degree in Engineering (D.Eng) by Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) and Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration by University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) in 2016, for his exceptional leadership, integrity and dedication to duty, Emeka Okwuosa has won several awards namely:

US Africa International Oil & Gas Leadership Award, Best of Africa – 2013

Lifetime Achievement Award by Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) – 2015

Award of Excellence by the Nanotechnology Research Group of the Physics Department, University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021.

Nigeria Advancement Award for Creativity and Enterprise – 2016

International Socrates Award (UK) – 2016

Award of Excellence by Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) – 2016

PETAN Corporate Social Responsibility Award – 2016

PETAN Capacity Development Award – 2016

Industrialist of the Year Award – 2016

Agro Entrepreneur of the Year Award – 2016

Award of excellence in Engineering, Association of Anambra State Development Union – 2017

Award of excellence in Engineering, Nigerian Institution of Highway & Transportation Engineers – 2017

Oil & Gas Organization of the Year Award by African Entrepreneurs Foundation – 2017

National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM) by President Muhammadu Buhari – 2017

Investor of the Year Award by SUN Newspaper 2017

OTC/PETAN) Offshore Technology Conference/Petroleum Technology Association) Awards of Excellence in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (in Houston, Texas)

Best Partner Award by the Ministry of Mines and Water/SEMICA, Republic of Benin, 2018

Distinguished Anambra State Commander Medal, 2022

Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2022

Dr. Emeka is the founder of Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation, which has recorded several contributions in education, road, erosion control, provision of portable water, electricity infrastructure, etc. The Foundation completed the building of a multi-billion Naira specialist hospital in Oraifite, Anambra State (Dame Nneka Okwuosa Medical Hospital) and a Four (4) floor Administration/Classroom block at the Dame Irene Nneka Okwuosa Memorial convent, Oraifite. In August 2023, the Foundation donated the Christ Church (Anglican Communion) Auditorium and facilities at Irefi, Oraifite in Anambra State, Nigeria for the public’s use.

Engr Emeka Okwuosa has contributed immensely to improving the lives of Africans through his businesses and continues to support over 2,000 staff and contractors through the Oilserv Group activities and Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation.

He is a Knight of St. Christopher (KSC) of the Anglican Communion.