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Geopolitics and Energy Security: What Recent Moves Say about Africa’s Global Gas Role

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African Energy Chamber

With the European Union formalizing a ban on Russian LNG and gas imports from 2026 and 2027 respectively, Africa is uniquely positioned to leverage geopolitics to advance its energy development

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 9, 2026/APO Group/ –The Council of the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament signed a provisional agreement in early December 2025 to formally phase out Russian gas imports. Aligned with a broader strategy to diversify imports and strengthen security of supply, the agreement stipulates a full prohibition on both LNG and pipeline gas from 2026 and 2027 respectively. For African gas producers, this decision marks a strategic turning point: an opportunity to leverage geopolitics to attract long-term investment while prioritizing domestic energy needs.

European Diversification Creates Strategic Openings

The EU’s decision to introduce a legally binding prohibition on Russian gas imports forms a core pillar of the bloc’s REPowerEU roadmap – launched in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and aimed at safeguarding energy supply. Under the provisional agreement, short-term contracts concluded before June 2025 will expire in 2026, while long-term LNG contracts will be prohibited from January 2027. Long-term pipeline gas contracts will end by September or November 2027, contingent on storage targets being met. Amendments to existing contracts will be tightly restricted and cannot increase volumes.

The regulation also obliges EU member states to submit national diversification plans outlining how they intend to replace Russian supplies, while strengthening European Commission oversight. A parallel legislative proposal to phase out Russian oil imports is expected by the end of 2027. While Russian oil now accounts for less than 3% of EU imports, gas still represents around 13% – worth more than €15 billion annually – leaving Europe exposed to supply and security risks.

For African producers, this policy shift sends a clear signal: Europe is actively seeking new, reliable suppliers with the capacity to deliver long-term volumes under transparent, rules-based frameworks. The question is no longer whether demand exists, but how Africa positions itself to meet that demand on its own terms.

Africa: The Preferred Supplier

Africa’s gas resources must be developed in a way that serves Africans first – powering homes, driving industrialization and creating jobs – while responsibly supplying the world

With its geographic advantage and strong resource base, Africa is well placed to respond. North Africa is the clear market of choice, with established export infrastructure already in place. Algeria, Egypt and Libya account for two-thirds of the continent’s output, and while production is set to expand into the 2030s, North Africa’s share is projected to fall below 40% by 2035 as other regional producers emerge.

For Europe, this holds a strategic advantage. West and East African LNG producers sit astride both Atlantic and Indian Ocean trade routes, enabling them to function as swing suppliers. This optionality allows producers to respond to price signals in Europe and Asia, arbitrage spot-market fluctuations and provide resilience during global supply disruptions – precisely the flexibility European buyers now value.

The resource base is equally compelling. Africa holds an estimated 620 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas reserves. The Rovuma Basin off Tanzania and Mozambique alone contains 129 tcf, while Nigeria’s Niger Delta holds 113 tcf. While much of this potential remains underdeveloped, momentum is building. The year 2025 saw the start-up of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project in Mauritania and Senegal, Congo LNG Phase 2 and the resumption of Mozambique LNG and Rovuma LNG. These projects send a clear message: Africa is capable and ready to supply global markets.

Balancing Global Demand with African Priorities

As European demand continues to grow, Africa faces a strategic balancing act: how to become a preferred global supplier while ensuring investment serves the continent’s development needs. With more than 600 million people still without access to electricity and 900 million lacking clean cooking solutions, it is increasingly important to move beyond historical contractual models rooted primarily in extraction. By 2050, African gas demand is projected to rise by 60%, reaffirming the need to design contracts that support long-term economic growth rather than short-term export gains.

One mechanism already gaining traction is the integration of domestic market obligations into LNG projects. The GTA project offers a clear example. Developed as a cross-border LNG hub for Mauritania and Senegal, the project earmarks 35 million standard cubic feet per day of its output for domestic use in each country, supporting power generation and industrial development alongside exports to global markets. Rather than viewing exports and domestic consumption as competing priorities, this framework links them directly: as production and exports grow, so too does gas availability for local markets.

“By modernizing contractual structures and embedding development considerations into gas investments, African producers can ensure that rising global demand translates into accelerated progress at home. Africa’s gas resources must be developed in a way that serves Africans first – powering homes, driving industrialization and creating jobs – while responsibly supplying the world,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

This message will take center stage at African Energy Week 2026, where policymakers, producers and financiers will convene to redefine Africa’s role in a fragmenting global energy order. With Europe looking south for security of supply, Africa has a rare opportunity in 2026: to leverage geopolitics not just for capital inflows, but for a future where energy abundance translates into broad-based prosperity at home.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Energy

Siemens Energy Expands Angola Footprint as Senior Vice President (SVP) Waheed Abbasi Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

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Energy Capital

From FPSO power solutions to local service capacity, Siemens Energy is scaling its role in Angola at a time when the country is pursuing gas expansion

LUANDA, Angola, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –Waheed Abbasi, Senior Vice President, Gas Services: Europe and Africa at Siemens Energy, has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition as a speaker. Abbasi’s participation comes at a time when Siemens Energy is deepening its footprint in Angola through major power infrastructure and local capacity investments, positioning itself as a key enabler of the country’s evolving oil and gas market. At the event this September (9-10), Abbasi is expected to bring insights into how power technology and gas infrastructure are converging to support Angola’s next phase of industry growth.

With a long-standing presence in Angola, Siemens Energy has played a central role in strengthening power and infrastructure systems through projects in the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors. The company is currently developing an 80 MW power generation plant for the Kaminho FPSO – part of the first large deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin. The FPSO, currently 50% complete, will be installed in 2027 with first oil produced from the Cameia field in 2028. By integrating advanced power generation systems into offshore infrastructure, Siemens Energy is supporting more efficient, lower-emission production while ensuring reliable operations in deepwater environments.

At the same time, Siemens Energy has strengthened its on-the-ground presence with the launch of its Angola Service Shop in 2026. The facility brings service execution, project support, training and critical spare parts closer to customers, enabling faster response times and improving operational reliability across Angola’s oil and gas sector. By anchoring its services locally, Siemens Energy is not only supporting existing projects but also building the infrastructure needed to sustain long-term industry growth, reinforcing supply chain resilience and technical capacity within the country.

Siemens Energy’s activities in Angola form part of a broader continental strategy, with the company active in more than 50 African countries and leading initiatives across power generation, renewable energy and hydrogen development. This pan-African footprint positions Siemens Energy as a key partner for governments seeking to balance industrial growth with energy transition goals. In Angola, this is particularly relevant as the country looks to diversify its energy mix while leveraging its hydrocarbon resources to drive economic development.

Angola’s strategy to increase the share of gas in its energy mix to 25% is creating new opportunities for companies like Siemens Energy to deploy gas-to-power solutions. The start of key projects, including the country’s first non-associated gas project – led by the New Gas Consortium –, is expected to unlock greater gas flows, supporting both LNG exports and domestic power generation. As gas availability increases, the need for efficient power generation, grid infrastructure and industrial energy solutions will become more critical. Siemens Energy’s technology portfolio, spanning gas turbines, power systems and integrated energy solutions, positions the company to play a central role in enabling this transition.

Stepping into this picture, Abbasi’s participation at AOG 2026 comes at a time when Angola is aligning upstream growth with downstream and power sector expansion, creating a more integrated energy ecosystem. The event will provide a platform for discussions around gas monetization, power infrastructure and industrial development, areas where Siemens Energy is actively contributing.

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

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African Mining Week (AMW) to Showcase Emerging Mining Frontiers as Africa Ramps Up Geomapping

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Energy Capital

The upcoming African Mining Week will connect global investors with emerging opportunities across Africa’s mining sector amidst a surge in national geomapping exercises across the continent

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –State agencies the Ghana Gold Board and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority have signed an agreement to co-conduct geological surveys in the Funsi, Atuna and Bensere East regions. The initiative aims to expand national gold reserves, increase output and support the formalization of artisanal mining operations. The agreement is part of a growing trend across Africa, with mineral-rich countries embarking on national geomapping programs to strengthen mineral production, de-risk exploration projects and position the continent as a key player in the global mineral supply chain.

 

Acceleration in geomapping exercises will be a key focus at the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) Conference and Exhibition – The Most Influential Mining Conference in Africa, scheduled for October 14-16 in Cape Town. The event will connect global investors and geophysical technology providers with African regulators and project developers, facilitating strategic collaborations aimed at unlocking greenfield developments.

The theme for AMW 2026 – Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value Chain – reflects a growing trend among African mining jurisdictions eager to unlock the continent’s $8.5 trillion worth of untapped mineral potential. This is backed by the launch of national geomapping initiatives, aimed at identifying new exploration frontiers and supporting investments.

Recent examples include Burundi’s mid-March partnership with U.S. companies Lifezone Metals and KoBold Metals to assess the Musongati Nickel project and other critical mineral prospects. The Democratic Republic of Congo has also engaged Xcalibur Smart Mapping to survey an area spanning 700,000 square kilometers as part of a strategy to unlock over $24 trillion in untapped mineral reserves, with 90% of its geology yet to be explored.

Zambia has also completed 55% of its national geomapping project, as the country seeks to identify new copper deposits to meet its 2031 target of increasing output to three million tons. Meanwhile, Nigeria is advancing its own geomapping efforts following approval of a N1 trillion budget for 2026, aimed at unlocking the country’s potential in more than 44 critical minerals. Several other countries, including Tanzania, are also implementing similar initiatives, while South Africa is providing technical support to nations such as Gabon, South Sudan and Nigeria.

Liberia has plans to geomap 80% of its largely unexplored geology. In an exclusive interview ahead of AMW 2026, Matenokay Tingban, Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, told organizers that “we are seeking geomapping and exploration partners. With Liberia’s vast but largely untapped mineral resources, access to geoscientific data will allow us to negotiate stronger investment deals and unlock downstream infrastructure development.”

The surge in geomapping initiatives highlights Africa’s commitment to unlocking its mining sector growth and presents lucrative opportunities for global exploration, drilling and geophysical technology providers. AMW 2026 will showcase ongoing geomapping progress, connecting African stakeholders with global partners to foster partnerships that will drive the expansion of Africa’s drilling and greenfield projects.

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

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African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) Pushes Regional Energy Hubs to Unlock Africa-Wide Investment Scale

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Energy Capital

APPO’s Secretary General outlines integration strategy, gas potential and financing tools reshaping Africa’s energy investment landscape at IAE 2026

PARIS, France, April 24, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) is promoting the development of regional energy hubs across the continent, aiming to remove trade barriers and strengthen infrastructure interconnections – from pipelines to refining and distribution networks.

 

Speaking at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2026 in Paris, Farid Ghezali, Secretary General, APPO, said the initiative is central to repositioning Africa in the global energy system. The strategy signals a structural shift for investors: away from fragmented national markets toward a unified, high-growth regional bloc of 1.4 billion people.

“For investors, this changes everything,” Ghezali said. “You are no longer investing in isolated national markets, but in an integrated regional market with scale, demand growth and long-term potential.”

We need long-term partnerships that justify large-scale investments and create stability for both producers and buyers

Ghazali framed the push for integration as a response to a rapidly shifting global energy landscape marked by volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. “Recent events have shown that energy security is not just about supply – it is about reliability and resilience,” Ghazali noted. “The world is looking for diversification and stability,” he said. “Africa can offer both – but only if we organize ourselves as a connected and competitive energy market.”

A key part of APPO’s vision is addressing the continent’s infrastructure gap. Despite holding more than 600 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, Africa continues to face constraints in monetizing its resources. “Resources in the ground are not enough,” Ghezali noted. “We need pipelines, LNG facilities, processing infrastructure – real assets that connect supply to demand.”

He emphasized that Africa must move beyond short-term, transactional energy deals, particularly in its engagement with Europe. “We cannot remain in the logic of short-term transactions,” he said. “We need long-term partnerships that justify large-scale investments and create stability for both producers and buyers.”

Financing remains a hurdle, especially as traditional capital sources become more cautious under ESG pressures. However, short-cycle exploration, near-field developments and optimization of existing assets offer immediate value, as recent successes in Namibia, MSGBC countries and Ivory Coast have shown. To support more projects, APPO has backed the creation of the African Energy Bank. At the same time, investors’ preferences are shifting toward integrated energy projects that combine upstream development with domestic power generation or LPG production. “The most attractive projects today are those that deliver both financial returns and development impact,” Ghazali said. “Gas-to-power projects respond to both energy security and sustainability.”

Ghazali underscored the need to boost intra-African energy trade. “We produce oil and gas, yet we import refined products,” he said. “This must change. Regional integration is the only path to a competitive and self-sufficient energy market.”

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

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