JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 3, 2026/APO Group/ –Ghana has moved to boycott the upcoming Africa Energies Summit in London this May, a decision that reflects growing frustration across the African oil and gas industry over discrimination, exclusion and the marginalization of African voices at events that claim to represent the continent’s energy future. Energy Chamber Ghana has released a statement calling on Ghanaian energy authorities to reconsider their participation in the summit, expressing deep concerns regarding discriminatory hiring practices and the continued exclusion of African professionals. The move sends a strong signal: Africa’s energy industry must be shaped with African institutions and companies at the center of the conversation.

 

The decision to withdraw mirrors similar actions taken by other African industry stakeholders in recent months and reflects a broader shift across the sector, where governments, national oil companies and indigenous firms are increasingly pushing back against platforms that exclude African participation. Mozambique made the decision to withdraw from the summit in March 2026, while petroleum ministers from the African Petroleum Producers Organization also moved to boycott the event. Ghana’s boycott is not simply about one event; it is about principle, representation and ensuring that African countries are treated as equal partners in discussions about their own resources.

The announcement by Energy Chamber Ghana follows careful consultation with stakeholders across the country’s petroleum, gas and broader energy ecosystem, with the Chamber calling on Ghanaian institutions, policymakers, engineers, investors and academics to take the approach – at least until corrective action is demonstrated by Frontier Energy Network, the organizers of the summit. The Chamber highlighted that “Ghana is not a spectator in Africa’s energy story,” and that, “Africa cannot be treated as a marketplace for attendance while Africans are treated as optional participants in execution.”

“Ghana has invested heavily in building engineers, economists, regulators and nnovators who are shaping this continent’s energy trajectory. Platforms that carry Africa’s name must reflect Africa’s people. Until we see transparency and measurable inclusion, it is both reasonable and responsible for stakeholders across our ecosystem to reconsider participation,” Joshua B. Narh LLM, MBA and Executive Chairman of the Energy Chamber Ghana said on LinkedIn.

Ghana’s decision to boycott the event comes at a critical time for the country. With goals to stabilize oil production, monetize gas and shift capital toward infrastructure that anchors long-term industrial growth, the country is promoting African-led investment and development across its market. In 2026, the country is seeing consolidation by IOCs as well as accelerated expansion by indigenous operators. Around $3.5 billion has been committed to infill drilling and reservoir management to stabilize output, while efforts are underway to unlock new frontiers in the Voltaian Basin. The Jubilee and TEN licenses have been expanded to 2040, while advancements at the Second Gas Processing Plant, the 1.2 GW Thermal Power Plant and downstream LPG are anchoring Ghana’s gas strategy. These projects showcase a market that is moving in the right direction and eager to unlock more value from its resources.

Despite this momentum, the actions of international conference producers to continue excluding African professionals’ risks undermining the very partnerships and growth the industry is trying to build. At a time when African countries are working to attract capital, build local capacity and strengthen regional energy cooperation, industry platforms should be supporting these goals – not creating barriers to participation. Energy Chamber Ghana highlighted valid concerns surrounding Frontier’s discriminatory approach to hiring Black professionals, emphasizing that Africa must not be invited to events to simply attend conversations about itself. According to the Chamber, local content must not be positioned as a conference theme, but reflected in practice by conference organizers themselves.

“Africa’s energy sector cannot accept a future where conferences built on African participation exclude African professionals from meaningful roles behind the scenes,” he noted.

Ultimately, Ghana’s call to boycott the Africa Energies Summit is about more than a single summit in London. It reflects a broader industry movement toward African-led development, African-led dialogue and African-led investment strategies. If Africa is to fully develop its oil, gas and energy resources, the continent must not only control its resources, but also its narrative, its platforms and its partnerships.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 31, 2026/APO Group/ –The industry-wide boycott of the upcoming Africa Energies Summit will continue as the conference organizers Frontier Energy Network refuse to abandon their policy of discrimination. The Mozambique oil industry alongside petroleum ministers from the African Petroleum Producers Organization have already withdrawn from the conference, citing concerns over the treatment of Black professionals and broader local content issues. With Frontier – led by Daniel Davidson – refusing to address the company’s decision to not hire Black professionals and the continued exclusion of Black voices, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) calls on the continued boycott of the event.

 

“Our narrative and voices matter. Any company that wants to operate in the continent with a mindset of excluding Africans will fail. That’s why Africans are staying away from Africa Energies Summit 2026 and I am pleased that the petroleum ministers I have talked to have supported us by staying away from being part of the anti-African meeting in London,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC. “We thank the leadership of African ministers in their fight against this unjust behavior.”

Frontier’s discrimination sends an important message to the industry: now, more than ever, we have to prioritize local content and continue fighting for equality, skills development and fair practices. Several large-scale projects across the continent have already embedded local content within their developments. In the Republic of Congo, Wing Wah committed to boosting local content through the development of a training center aimed at equipping Congolese with skills to access to new jobs across the industry. Namibia’s cabinet approved an Upstream Local Content Policy to ensure that oil operations are inclusive and Africa-focused.

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline – spearheaded by TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation – has taken a holistic approach to local content by prioritizing three pillars: employment and training, procurement of local goods and services and proposals for technology transfer and capacity building. Recent industry moves reflect the impact of local content in Africa, with African entrepreneurs buying IOC assets. Oando acquired operatorship of Angola’s Block KON 13. Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings acquired Shell’s Nigerian assets. These highlight a growing trend of IOC-trained entrepreneurs taking over projects.

Nowhere has local content been more visible than Africa’s emerging natural gas sector. As Equinor looks at developing the $42 billion Tanzania LNG project, the company is already integrating local content within the project dynamics. Engagement with the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authorities is underway to develop Local Content Plans, while efforts to prioritize local contractors, suppliers and employees are in motion. The Greater Tortue Ahemyim project in Senegal and Mauritania – operating since 2025 – also featured specific local content components. A national technician training program was established, over 300 local companies were contracted with 3,000 jobs created, while community investment and knowledge transfer formed the backbone of the project.

Mozambique is showing similar momentum. All of the country’s major LNG projects – Coral, Mozambique LNG and Rovuma LNG – are prioritizing local content. Mozambique LNG alone plans to spend $4.5 billion on services contracted by Mozambican suppliers. South Africa’s recently introduced Draft Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Regulations reinforce mandatory local participation, requiring operators to submit plans for skills development, employment equity and procurement. These moves signal a continental push towards inclusion and collaborative energy partnerships.

“Across all of these projects, the AEC has been there fighting. International oil companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, bp and Eni have been some of the greatest champions of local content and STEM in Africa. Imagine if, after all the work they have done, conference producers send a message that the industry has no place for someone because of their skin color?” states Ayuk, adding “Seismic companies should also do their part. They have a horrible track record of not hiring and promoting Africans. I hope they change.”

During times such as this, legacy producers such as Angola, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo and Libya must continue championing local content, setting a strong example for other countries. On the other hand, emerging and frontier markets such as Liberia, Namibia, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and more have a strategic opportunity to embed local content within their regulatory and energy systems from the start. They must avoid the mistake of starting on the wrong foot.

“We can’t stop our relentless support for the oil industry. We must be 100% pro oil and pro local content,” Ayuk concluded.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 31, 2026/APO Group/ –Mining Review Africa has released Issue 2 of its digimag, focusing on the role of mining in the green energy transition and the growing importance of sustainable mining practices across the continent.

As demand for minerals increases to support the global energy transition, the mining industry is under increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions while contributing to socio economic development in host countries. This issue explores the companies, technologies and initiatives working to build a more sustainable mining future, while also highlighting key project developments across West Africa and the ongoing challenge of powering mines across the continent.

The latest issue includes a range of features and industry insights, including a cover story on Sulzer and its work in managing operational risk across complex mining sites. The issue also puts the spotlight on the Africa Gold Council and its role in supporting the development of the continent’s gold sector.

Project development remains a key theme, with a feature on the Assafou project and its role as a principal driver of organic growth for Endeavour Mining. Energy infrastructure is also in focus in the “Powering the Pit” feature, which examines why transmission remains one of Africa’s biggest mining bottlenecks.

In South Africa, the issue highlights the work of the Council for Geoscience in advancing critical minerals exploration, while SLR Consulting discusses how responsible mining initiatives are helping to empower artisanal and small scale miners across Africa.

Readers can download the free digimag here: https://apo-opa.co/3NRckVm

To stay up to date with the latest mining news, projects and industry insights, readers are also encouraged to join the Mining Review Africa community and sign up for news and views: https://www.MiningReview.com/