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Africa Investment Forum 2024: Turning Continent’s Potential into Bankable Opportunities

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Morocco

Private capital in Africa will be more attractive than other emerging markets in five years’ time

RABAT, Morocco, December 6, 2024/APO Group/ —

  • $15 billion in deals already originated
  • Private capital in Africa will be more attractive than other emerging markets in five years’ time
  • Africa has the lowest infrastructure default rates in the world—Moody’s Analytics

The Africa Investment Forum kicked off its 2024 Market Days in Rabat, Morocco, with leaders highlighting the continent’s bankability and readiness for investment.

In her welcoming remarks, Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui told more than 1,000 delegates that this year’s Forum was a critical moment for creating a prosperous Africa: “The long-awaited rise of our continent rests on securing financing and we must act collectively to achieve this”.

She further emphasized: “I’m deeply convinced that the Africa Investment Forum 2024 will be a privileged opportunity to enrich our common reflection, explore innovative solutions to persistent challenges, while strengthening the strong partnerships to make our aspirations a reality.”

The president of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, chairman of the Africa Investment Forum, said capital must be deployed to meet opportunities. “I am fully convinced that the accelerated development of Africa requires greater mobilization of private capital.”

Under the theme “Leveraging innovative partnerships to scale up (http://apo-opa.co/4iyOYOS),” this year’s Market Days event brings together over 500 business leaders and SMEs to discuss why Africa, with 39% of the world’s population under the age of 20 and a market of 2.5 billion consumers by 2050, is the place to invest today and in the future.

Adesina announced that $15 billion in deals have already been originated this year, with 41 boardrooms ready for follow-up discussions on diverse African investment opportunities spanning mining, water and sanitation, food and agriculture, renewable energy and transportation and seaports.

Our focus is on a triple mandate, to advance high-impact projects to bankability, raise capital and accelerate the closure of deals

“The theme of this Africa Investment Forum is leveraging at scale. It’s about how to make things happen at scale for Africa,” Adesina said. “Africa doesn’t have time for Mickey Mouse investments, we need investment at scale. We must make room for capital to be deployed to meet opportunities in Africa. At the Africa Investment Forum, this is the driving principle that brought us together as founding members.”

The forum is an initiative of nine development finance institutions—the African Development Bank, Africa50, Afreximbank, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, Trade and Development Bank the Africa Finance Corporation, and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.

A prime example of the collaborative partnership by the Forum’s founding partners is the Lobito Corridor in Angola, a $10 billion infrastructure project featuring rail, road, bridges, telecommunications, energy, and agribusiness developments. Key project partners include the African Development Bank which committed about $500 million, Africa Finance Corporation, serving as overall Project Developer and the Development Bank of Southern Africa which leads the first project phase. The corridor will create thousands of jobs and facilitate regional integration across Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. The United States (http://apo-opa.co/4fRM5qx) and the European Commission are among global partners who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (http://apo-opa.co/3ZFi8Ex) in October 2023 to mobilise resources for the Lobito Corridor.

Highlighting Africa’s mineral potential, he noted that the continent possesses 90% of the world’s platinum, 95% of its chromium, and two-thirds of global cobalt.

“With 30% of the world’s lithium Africa is a key part of the Electric Vehicle market. This $7 trillion market will grow to $59 trillion by 2050. With strategic investment, Africa can become a great energy hub for the world,” he added.

Citing an Asset Managers’ survey, Adesina revealed that 85% of managers expect to increase private capital allocation to Africa, while 52% anticipate Africa’s private capital becoming more attractive in the next five years.

“Our focus is on a triple mandate, to advance high-impact projects to bankability, raise capital and accelerate the closure of deals. By focusing on investment facilitation for Africa, the Africa Investment Forum has become the premier investment platform for Africa,” Adesina said.

Since its inception in 2018, the Africa Investment Forum has generated $180 billion of investor interests and closed transactions worth $30 billion.

During a panel discussion, representatives of the founding partners shared practical cases of projects their respective institutions have engaged in through partnership with private entities and governments.

With three days of market days now underway in Rabat, Adesina’s rallying cry resonates:

“Africa is bankable – let the deals begin!”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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