African Energy Week 2026: $17bn in Commitments as Projects and Partnerships Advance
African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 closed in Cape Town with more than $17 billion in investment commitments, new licensing opportunities and corporate agreements spanning Africa’s oil, gas and power industries.
Held from 12–16 October at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the African Energy Chamber-organised event attracted more than 12,000 delegates, bringing together governments, energy companies, financiers and technology providers to explore commercial opportunities across the continent.
The focus was on converting investment interest into viable projects, with dedicated dealmaking platforms connecting developers with potential financiers and partners.
Investment Platforms Target More Than $16bn
The Premier Invest Deal Room showcased 15 oil, gas, infrastructure and power projects seeking more than $16 billion in funding. Opportunities ranged from upstream exploration and liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure to gas-to-power and downstream developments.
The African Farmout Forum, organised with Moyes & Co, Farmout Angel and Envoi Ltd, presented 23 investment opportunities across established and frontier basins. The platform facilitated discussions on asset acquisitions, equity farm-downs and joint ventures.
Governments Expand Licensing Opportunities
National investment strategies featured prominently, with several countries seeking capital for exploration, production and infrastructure development.
Côte d’Ivoire outlined a $10 billion energy expansion strategy supporting its ambition to become a regional energy hub by 2035, highlighting the Calao and Calao South blocks. Liberia launched its 2026 Direct Negotiation Petroleum Licensing Round, offering 15 blocks across the Liberia and Harper basins.
Gabon presented petroleum code reforms designed to improve investment conditions, while Senegal promoted 104 blocks spanning onshore and deepwater acreage. Algeria also signalled opportunities through seven onshore exploration blocks.
Uganda reaffirmed its first-oil ambitions for the Lake Albert developments and outlined plans for a 60,000-barrel-per-day domestic refinery targeted for completion by 2030.
Strategic Partnerships Across the Value Chain
Corporate agreements reflected growing interest in energy intelligence, offshore development, digitalisation and lower-carbon fuels.
The African Energy Chamber and S&P Global Energy signed a five-year partnership focused on improving African energy data transparency and market intelligence. Angola’s Etu Energias, Chariot and BW Energy agreed to collaborate on offshore development, while the South African National Petroleum Company and SLB established a partnership focused on digital transformation and subsurface technologies.
Sasol and White Desert formalised a sustainable aviation fuel offtake agreement, and Imbono partnered with the University of Cape Town on infrastructure research and investment.
Gas and Exploration Projects Progress
Project updates highlighted continued activity across Africa’s upstream sector. Senegal’s Petrosen is targeting a final investment decision on the Yakaar-Teranga gas project by the end of 2027.
Eni confirmed that drilling for its Coral North floating LNG project in Mozambique would begin in November 2026. TotalEnergies also secured a deepwater drillship for a forthcoming exploration and appraisal campaign offshore Nigeria.
Developing Africa’s Energy Workforce
Beyond investment and project development, AEW 2026 featured initiatives to strengthen technical skills and industry capacity. The Future Leaders Student Challenge recognised university teams presenting engineering solutions and financial models, while the ExxonMobil Foundation STEM Africa Challenge showcased student-led concepts addressing energy access and decentralised power.
The week’s investment forums, licensing announcements and commercial agreements underscored the breadth of opportunities across Africa’s energy markets. The challenge now lies in translating commitments and partnerships into financed projects, infrastructure development and additional energy supply.