The annual initiative celebrates the visionary leaders, emerging talent and transformative projects making a measurable difference across Africa’s power, energy, water and transport sectors. From utility executives and engineers to project developers, innovators and financiers, the Elites recognises those helping to expand access, strengthen infrastructure and accelerate sustainable development across the continent.

Access and Affordability empowers security for All

This year’s theme, Access and Affordability empower security for All, speaks directly to one of Africa’s most pressing development imperatives. Reliable and affordable access to energy and power, clean potable water and sanitation, and sustainable and clean transport remains fundamental to economic growth, social wellbeing and long-term resilience.

Nominations are invited across a range of categories, including:

• Leadership and Rising Stars
• Grid-tied and Off-grid Projects
• Smart and Digital Solutions
• Clean Transport and Energy at Mines
• Water and Sanitation
• Finance and Investment

Successful nominees will be considered for inclusion in the African Infrastructure Elites 2026/2027 publication, supported by exposure through ESI Africa’s multimedia platforms, industry events, webinars and dedicated social media campaigns.

Organisations and individuals may nominate colleagues, industry partners, innovative projects or their own work. Strong submissions should clearly demonstrate the project or leader’s achievements, impact, innovation and the potential for the work to be replicated elsewhere in Africa.

All entries will be independently evaluated on merit by the African Elites Advisory Board, comprising respected experts from across the industry.

Nominations close on 2 October 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Nominate an outstanding person or project and help celebrate the African visionaries building a more reliable, inclusive and sustainable future.

Submit a nomination: (https://apo-opa.co/4wo3CyF)

With the continent holding around 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, these firms are providing strategic insights into market trends, policy reform and investment opportunities while supporting governments in developing competitive regulatory frameworks that attract international capital.

Experts from S&P Global Energy will lead several strategic discussions throughout the event. As African governments prioritize mineral beneficiation and downstream industrialization, building competitive value chains has become central to mining policy. Atul Arya, Chief Energy Strategist, will join the Strategic Minerals: Developing a Value Chain that Works for Africa ministerial panel, offering insights into the policy and investment strategies needed to strengthen regional value chains.

Regional infrastructure development will also feature prominently at AMW 2026. Rahul Kapoor, Vice President and Head of Shipping & Metals, will examine investment in transport corridors and cross-border infrastructure during the Regional Connectivity: Financing Africa’s Mineral Infrastructure panel, highlighting projects such as the Lobito Corridor and TAZARA Railway and their role in supporting regional industrialization.

Addressing operational challenges across the sector, Gavin Montgomery, Critical Minerals Market Lead, will participate in the Accelerating Mineral Production: The Energy, Water & Waste Nexus panel. He will explore strategies to improve mining competitiveness through reliable energy supply and sustainable resource management as operators increasingly adopt renewable power purchase agreements, onsite generation, power wheeling and long-term fuel supply agreements to strengthen operational resilience.

Broader geopolitical dynamics will also take center stage at AMW 2026. Thomas Rodriguez, Local Content Director and Developer at CLC Solutions, will participate in the Africa’s Mining Opportunity in the Geopolitical Sphere session, examining how global competition for critical minerals is reshaping investment flows and creating new opportunities for African mining jurisdictions.

As governments intensify efforts to increase in-country value addition, local content and supplier development have become central to mining policy. Ileana Ferber, Founder and CEO of Colibri Business Development, will join the Strengthening Local Content in Africa’s Mining Supply Chain panel to discuss strategies for expanding local procurement, developing competitive supplier ecosystems and increasing the participation of domestic businesses across Africa’s mining value chain.

By convening market intelligence firms, advisory experts, policymakers, investors and mining leaders, AMW 2026 provides a platform for informed dialogue that supports investment decisions and advances the sustainable development of Africa’s mining sector.

Released earlier this year, Crude Oil debuted as a Top Amazon New Release. A Portuguese edition was also released in July, expanding access to readers across Angola and the wider Lusophone market. Blending political history, industry analysis and first-hand perspectives from key decision-makers, Crude Oil traces Angola’s evolution through periods of production decline, economic pressure and structural change to its emergence as one of Africa’s most attractive upstream investment destinations. The book features perspectives from Diamantino Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, alongside Sonangol Chairman of the Board Sebastião Gaspar Martins and National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) Chairman Paulino Jerónimo.

At the center of the book is Angola’s reform agenda and the role it has played in restoring investor confidence and stimulating exploration. Under efforts to curb production decline and attract capital into both mature and frontier basins, the country established a dedicated upstream regulator (ANPG) and downstream regulator (IRDP), while embarked on a multi-year licensing round targeting 50 concessions by 2025. The introduction of a Permanent Offer Regime further opened the market to international capital while policies such as the Incremental Production Decree and Marginal Field program further stimulated investment.

These measures have been accompanied by renewed investment from international and independent operators alike. TotalEnergies, Azule Energy, ExxonMobil and Chevron have since expanded their portfolios through license extensions at legacy assets and forays into Namibe and Benguela, while Shell and Petrobras returned to Angola’s deepwater basins in 2025. Onshore, independents are leading drilling and seismic campaigns, led by Afentra, Corcel, Etu Energias, Oando and more. Following a restructuring, Sonangol strengthened its status as an operator through projects spanning both onshore and offshore margins.

The investment push is translating into new production. Begonia and CLOV Phase 3 came online in 2025, collectively adding 60,000 barrels per day, while the commissioning of the Agogo FPSO supported the next phase of the Agogo Integrated West Hub Development. The Kaminho deepwater development is advancing toward a 2028 start, reinforcing the role of large-scale offshore investment in Angola’s long-term production outlook. With up to $70 billion in upstream investment planned over the next five years, the book argues that Angola’s experience offers lessons beyond its own borders: regulatory predictability, competitive fiscal terms and institutional reform can turn resource potential into sustained capital deployment.

“Angola has demonstrated that reform is most powerful when it is followed by execution. The country made difficult decisions, listened to investors, strengthened its institutions and created mechanisms that allowed capital to return to exploration and production,” states Ayuk.

The September 2 launch in Luanda will provide a platform to reflect on the industry’s transformation while looking ahead to the next phase of Angola’s oil and gas development. As new exploration, major projects and billions of dollars in investment move forward, Crude Oil presents Angola’s turnaround not as a completed chapter, but as a reform playbook whose ultimate success will be measured by sustained investment, production and economic impact.

To register, click here https://apo-opa.co/4wnVNZP.