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African Energy Chamber (AEC) Commends Nigerian Government for Swift Action to Safeguard Indigenous Energy Investment

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African Energy Chamber

Nigeria’s swift regulatory response in the Dawes Island dispute underscores renewed commitment to investor protection, production stability and a predictable upstream investment climate

LAGOS, Nigeria, April 23, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.EnergyChamber.org) commends the Nigerian Federal Government for its decisive and timely intervention in the Dawes Island marginal field dispute, reinforcing the country’s commitment to protecting indigenous investment and sustaining momentum in oil and gas production growth.

 

Following the recent Federal High Court ruling concerning the Dawes Island field, the Office of the Attorney General has moved swiftly to coordinate a response, directing the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to initiate an appeal. The NUPRC has since formally filed an application for leave to appeal, signaling a clear and unified government effort to uphold regulatory integrity and ensure continuity for operators delivering tangible results.

This proactive intervention sends a strong message to both domestic and international stakeholders: Nigeria remains committed to fostering a stable and predictable investment climate where performance, capital deployment and production are recognized and protected.

At the center of the dispute is Petralon 54 Limited, the Nigerian-owned operator of the Dawes Island oil block, which assumed operatorship in2021 following a marginal bid process. Since then, the company has invested approximately $60 million to rehabilitate infrastructure, drill multiple wells and bring the field into production – an achievement that stands out within Nigeria’s marginal field landscape.

Within a short timeframe, Petralon successfully drilled two wells –  DI-2 to 9,740 ft and DI-3 to 10,193 ft – evacuating over 200,000 barrels of crude to the Bonny Terminal and remitting excess of $900,000 in royalties to the Federal Government by March 2026. These results underscore the importance of ensuring that operators who deliver on their commitments are supported through consistent and transparent regulatory processes.

This intervention reinforces Nigeria’s position as a serious and responsive energy investment destination

“The Nigerian government’s swift action demonstrates a clear understanding of what is at stake,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “Protecting investors who deploy capital, create value and contribute to national production is essential to maintaining confidence in the sector. This intervention reinforces Nigeria’s position as a serious and responsive energy investment destination.”

The development comes at a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s energy sector. Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the country has seen renewed investor interest, with over $8 billion in upstream investment commitments recorded since 2023. Major projects, including Shell’s $2 billion final investment decision on the HI offshore gas project, TotalEnergies’ Ubeta development and Shell’s Bonga North deepwater project, highlight the scale of capital being mobilized.

Additional financing, such as Chevron’s $1.4 billion for deep and shallow water infill drilling, further reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory and investment framework. Meanwhile, discussions around large-scale opportunities like the proposed Bonga South West development – potentially worth up to $20 billion – underscore the country’s long-term growth potential.

Indigenous companies remain central to this trajectory, now accounting for approximately 30% of Nigeria’s oil and gas production. Their role in driving output, creating jobs and strengthening local capacity continues to expand, making policy consistency and investment protection more critical than ever.

In parallel, downstream advancements such as Aliko Dangote’s 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lagos are enhancing regional energy security, with increased exports of refined products helping to stabilize supply across African markets.

The AEC emphasizes that the government’s coordinated response to the Dawes Island case reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s “drill or drop” policy is upheld – rewarding operators that actively develop assets while maintaining accountability across the sector.

The Chamber encourages all parties to support a swift and constructive resolution to the case, ensuring that ongoing operations are not disrupted and that Nigeria’s energy sector continues on its path toward increased output, energy security and economic resilience.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Africa Energy Forum 2026: Building Africa’s Industrialised Future

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Cape Town to host continent’s largest energy gathering as focus shifts from aspiration to execution

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 13, 2026/APO Group/ –The Africa Energy Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4ugdl9y) returns from 16-19 June 2026, bringing together the companies, investors and governments driving Africa’s move from energy access to industrial-scale infrastructure.

The companies gathering in Cape Town are deploying capital into transmission infrastructure, building mining corridors that will define trade routes for decades, financing baseload capacity that can power heavy industry, and developing renewable projects that will anchor Africa’s manufacturing future. Forum Sponsor Sun Africa leads a group of sponsors whose projects and investments are already shaping how the continent builds its industrial base.

“I am looking forward to joining the conversation in Cape Town this June. What excites me about this year’s Summit is the calibre of capital and commitment in the room — companies that are financing baseload capacity for heavy industry, building mining corridors that will define trade routes for decades, and deploying renewable projects that will anchor Africa’s manufacturing future. That is the kind of long-term, structural thinking that Sun Africa has always believed this continent deserves, and it is exactly the conversation we need to be having.” Sun Africa, CEO, Adam Cortese.

ACWA Power, Infinity Power and AMEA Power are building gigawatt-scale renewable capacity across the continent. Globeleq and TotalEnergies are financing and operating projects that demonstrate how private capital can deliver industrial-grade infrastructure. British International Investment and IFC are structuring deals that blend concessional and commercial finance to unlock sovereign wealth fund participation. Nedbank CIB is providing the sustainable finance structures that allow projects to reach financial close.

“As Africa moves from aspiration to execution, this year’s agenda focuses on the hardware of industrialisation – the steel, concrete and transmission lines that will define Africa’s industrial future,” said Simon Gosling, Managing Director of EnergyNet.

The companies driving this shift face common challenges: structuring bankable projects where perceived risk exceeds actual performance, moving critical minerals from extraction to processing, building transmission corridors that serve both mines and cities, and deploying patient capital into long-term infrastructure.

As Africa moves from aspiration to execution, this year’s agenda focuses on the hardware of industrialisation – the steel, concrete and transmission lines

Cape Town provides the right setting. South Africa is navigating private transmission investment, energy trading, mining-driven renewable deployment, and tensions between industrial growth and climate commitments – challenges the rest of the continent will face. The city’s reforms offer a live case study.

The agenda reflects where these companies are focusing their resources. Critical minerals receive a two-day dedicated stream exploring downstream processing, transport corridors and value capture from reserves representing over 30% of global supply. Sessions examine the Lobito Corridor, Liberty Corridor and Simandou infrastructure as models for large-scale project finance.

Transmission and baseload themes address grid expansion, private investment structures and 24/7 availability for data centres and manufacturing. Energy trading sessions explore how sponsors are transforming project finance through creditworthy off-take, whole technology discussions will cover AI for revenue protection, data centre supply chains and CBAM compliance.

More broadly, the forum structure supports deal-making. The speaker programme includes closed-door roundtables bringing together DFIs, sovereign wealth funds, Middle East ministers, utilities, regulators and the private sector for frank discussions on capital deployment.

This will bring together senior public and private sector leadership, with notable speakers including H.E. Honourable Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity & Energy, South Africa; H.E. Honourable Samantha Graham-Marè, Deputy Minister of Electricity & Energy, South Africa; Dan Marokane, GCE, Eskom, South Africa; H.E. Honourable Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Vice President, Liberia; H.E. Honourable Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity & Energy, South Africa; H.E. Honourable Lerato Mataboge, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy; Precious Edward, Head, IPP Office, South Africa; Obaïd Amrane, CEO, Ithmar Capital, Morocco, Chair, Africa Sovereign Investors Forum (ASIF) & Chair, International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF); Mike Teke, Group CEO, Seriti Resources; and Jonathan Hoffman, CEO, Globeleq.

Regional fireside chats, meanwhile, will spotlight opportunities across North, East, South and West Africa. Day One features ministerial sessions with participation from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Energy and The Gambia’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources.

Additional sponsors driving the programme include AKSA as Exhibitor Sponsor, with lead sponsor support from Synergy Consulting, ATIDI, Engie, European Investment Bank, Standard Bank, Red Rocket, USP&E Global and Sungrow.

On the final day, YES! (Youth Energy Summit) takes place as part of the aef stream under the theme ‘Empowering Today’s Entrepreneurs – Building Tomorrow’s Industrialists’. Here, impact leaders will present scalable initiatives creating entrepreneurship opportunities in Africa’s energy sector, while industry partners lead interactive workshops building practical skills for 600 young people in attendance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EnergyNet Ltd..

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Rhino Resources Joins African Energy Week (AEW) as Gold Sponsor as Southern African Exploration Expands

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African Energy Chamber

Rhino Resources will participate at the 2026 edition of the African Energy Week conference and exhibition – Africa’s premier event for the energy sector – as a gold sponsor

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 8, 2026/APO Group/ –Exploration company Rhino Resources has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing its role as one of Africa’s emerging independents driving frontier and greenfield exploration across Southern Africa.

 

Scheduled for October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 comes as Rhino Resources accelerates exploration activity across Namibia’s Orange Basin while broadening its footprint into South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The sponsorship reflects the company’s strategy to deepen engagement with investors, service providers and policymakers as it advances multiple assets toward development readiness and future final investment decisions.

At the core of Rhino Resources’ upstream momentum is its multi-well deepwater drilling campaign in Namibia’s Orange Basin – one of the world’s most prolific frontier exploration hotspots. The company is targeting FIDs between late 2026 and early 2027 across operated and partner-led assets, including the co-development of the Volans and Capricornus discoveries in Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 85.

Rhino Resources represents a new generation of African-focused independents that are willing to take on frontier risk to unlock long-term energy value

Recent drilling results have strengthened the commercial case of these Namibian assets. The Volans-1X well delivered strong gas-condensate flow rates in February 2026, while the earlier Capricornus-1X well confirmed the presence of light oil, positioning Rhino Resources among the key players contributing to Namibia’s ambition of achieving first oil production by 2030.

Beyond Namibia, Rhino Resources is broadening its portfolio through onshore exploration in South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The company is advancing a six-well campaign targeting helium, methane and hydrogen resources in the Free State Province – a move that reflects both geographic diversification and a wider strategy to support a more resilient and diversified regional energy mix.

This expansion comes at a time when Southern African economies face energy security challenges due to ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes, reinforcing the importance of unlocking domestic resource potential to support industrial growth and reduce external vulnerabilities.

Rhino Resources’ role as Gold Sponsor at AEW 2026 therefore comes at a pivotal stage in its growth trajectory. The event provides a platform to showcase its exploration progress, strengthen partnerships and position its projects within the broader African energy investment landscape.

At AEW 2026, Rhino Resources’ executives are expected to participate in high-level panel discussions, offering insights into frontier basin development, cost-efficient exploration strategies and pathways to fast-tracking project commercialization across emerging African markets.

“Rhino Resources represents a new generation of African-focused independents that are willing to take on frontier risk to unlock long-term energy value,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The company’s recent discoveries in Namibia and expanding exploration strategy in South Africa highlight the scale of opportunity across the continent and the critical role independents play in translating resources into production, investment and economic growth.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Levene Energy Joins African Energy Week (AEW) as Gold Sponsor Amid Regional Expansion and Market Diversification

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Levene Energy

Levene Energy is scaling its presence across Africa through strategic investments spanning gas infrastructure, upstream development and renewable energy solutions

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 8, 2026/APO Group/ –Nigerian integrated energy company Levene Energy has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing its position as an emerging pan-African energy platform focused on infrastructure expansion, energy access and long-term market diversification.

 

Taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, AEW 2026 comes as Levene Energy accelerates its transition from a project-focused developer into a long-term energy infrastructure investor with interests spanning upstream, midstream, downstream and renewable energy segments.

A key milestone of this strategy was reached in January 2026 when the company secured a $64 million facility from the African Export-Import Bank to acquire a 30% stake in Axxela Limited. The transaction marks the company’s entry into Nigeria’s regulated gas infrastructure space, strengthening its position in gas processing, distribution and industrial energy supply.

Africa’s energy future depends on building integrated, locally anchored energy systems that can withstand global volatility while delivering reliable and affordable power

The investment also aligns with Nigeria’s Decade of Gas initiative, which seeks to monetize the country’s estimated 600 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves while expanding energy access, supporting industrialization and improving access to cleaner cooking solutions nationwide.

Beyond gas infrastructure, Levene Energy continues to strengthen its upstream portfolio. The company holds interests in multiple producing and exploration assets in Equatorial Guinea, including Blocks EG-03, EG-04, EG-19 and Block P, alongside bitumen assets in Nigeria. This upstream footprint supports a broader strategy to increase resource development and supply in response to rising regional demand for hydrocarbons.

At the same time, the company is advancing its renewable energy business as part of a diversified energy mix strategy. Through its subsidiary LPV Technologies, Levene Energy operates a 200 MW solar panel manufacturing facility in Lagos, supporting both rural electrification initiatives and commercial and industrial adoption of solar power. The focus on distributed energy solutions and local manufacturing reflects Levene Energy’s growing emphasis on energy access, grid resilience and local value creation.

“Africa’s energy future depends on building integrated, locally anchored energy systems that can withstand global volatility while delivering reliable and affordable power,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Levene Energy’s expansion across gas, renewables and infrastructure reflect the kind of long-term, value-driven strategy needed to unlock the continent’s full energy potential.”

The company’s participation at AEW 2026 builds on its recognition as a Local Content Champion at AEW 2025, highlighting its commitment to local capacity building, inclusive growth and the development of African-led energy solutions. AEW 2026 provides a platform for the company to engage with policymakers, investors and industry stakeholders to forge new partnerships and advance its regional expansion strategy across Africa’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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