CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Clotaire Kondja, Gabon’s Minister of Petroleum and Gas, has been confirmed as a speaker at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, bringing one of Central Africa’s foremost architects of upstream reform to the continent’s premier energy investment event. Since taking office in January 2026, Minister Kondja has accelerated efforts to attract international capital, unlock Gabon’s largely untapped offshore potential and commercialize its substantial natural gas resources.

Taking place in Cape Town from October 12‒16, AEW 2026 serves as the continent’s leading platform for energy investment, convening government leaders, operators, financiers and technology providers to drive deals across Africa’s oil, gas and energy sectors. With more than 2 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and significant untapped offshore acreage, Gabon continues to offer prolific investment opportunities that will be showcased to global investors in Cape Town.

Around 72% of the country’s deepwater acreage remains unexplored, and the government is actively opening new opportunities for investors. Speaking at the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris in April, Minister Kondja confirmed that Gabon expected to finalize PSCs with ExxonMobil and bp, converting MoUs signed in October 2025 into active deepwater exploration licenses. The government’s modernized Hydrocarbons Code and enhanced fiscal framework are further strengthening the investment case, creating competitive conditions for companies pursuing frontier exploration, mature field redevelopment and long-term production growth.

Upstream investors are targeting frontier offshore blocks and redevelopment of mature assets, while midstream opportunities include new pipelines, storage infrastructure and refinery upgrades. At the same time, the government’s gas modernization agenda is opening investment across LNG exports, gas-to-power projects and downstream industrial gas applications as Gabon positions itself as a regional petroleum and gas hub. The government has also eliminated signature bonuses for deepwater and ultra-deepwater blocks while launching a 2026 licensing campaign covering roughly 70% of the country’s available offshore acreage.

A new investor-friendly Gas Code is under development, complemented by plans for a 130‒150-km pipeline linking Gamba to Libreville by early 2028. The strategy is supported by Perenco’s $2 billion Cap Lopez LNG project, expected to begin operations in 2026 through an FLNG facility capable of producing 700,000 tons of LNG and 25,000 tons of LPG annually while significantly reducing gas flaring.

Investment activity is gathering pace across the sector. BW Energy, Panoro Energy and Gabon Oil Company approved the $300 million Bourdon offshore development in May 2026, targeting first oil in the first quarter of 2028 from approximately 25 million barrels of recoverable reserves. BW Energy and Panoro Energy are also progressing the MaBoMo Phase 2 development, expected to deliver first oil during the first half of 2027, while Assala Energy’s Magoga-A discovery confirmed 8m of net oil play in the Gamba Sandstone formation. Meanwhile, investment continues to accelerate across the midstream segment through planned gas gathering infrastructure, expanded storage capacity and refinery modernization, supporting the government’s ambition of building an integrated petroleum industry while capturing greater value from domestic gas production.

“Minister Clotaire Kondja is leading a new era of investment across Gabon’s oil and gas sector through competitive reforms, frontier exploration and strategic gas development. As Gabon opens new offshore opportunities and advances major infrastructure projects, his insights at AEW 2026 will be invaluable for investors looking to participate in one of Africa’s most dynamic energy markets,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

Beyond showcasing Gabon’s investment agenda, Minister Kondja’s participation will contribute to broader discussions on how African producers can remain globally competitive amid shifting capital flows, evolving energy demand and growing pressure to deliver long-term energy security. His perspective will add to high-level dialogue between policymakers, operators and financiers focused on accelerating investment and strengthening Africa’s role in the global energy landscape.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 27, 2026/APO Group/ –​Nominations are officially open for the 11th edition of the African Infrastructure Elites: Projects and People, brought to you by ESI Africa, part of VUKA Group (www.WeAreVUKA.com).

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)

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 27, 2026/APO Group/ –The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 – Africa’s Most Influential Mining Conference, taking place October 14–16 in Cape Town – will feature experts from leading market intelligence and advisory firms, including S&P Global Energy, Colibri Business Development and CLC Solutions, across high-level panel discussions and exclusive networking sessions.

 

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.