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Mozambique oil industry alongside petroleum ministers from the African Petroleum Producers Organization have already withdrawn from the conference, citing concerns over the treatment of Black professionals and broader local content issues.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.

LUANDA, Angola, April 2, 2026/APO Group/ –Diamantino Azevedo, Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, will once again headline the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition – taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference day on September 8. The event comes at a time when new projects, renewed exploration and downstream expansion are reshaping the country’s oil and gas outlook, positioning it on the precipice of a new production cycle. Minister Azevedo’s participation reflects the government’s commitment to engaging investors, tackling industry challenges and advancing the country’s $70 billion upstream investment pipeline.

 

AOG 2026 arrives at a critical time for Angola’s oil and gas market. With key project milestones achieved in the first few months of 2026, the country is entering a new phase defined less by decline concerns and more by production stabilization, gas monetization and new investment opportunities. Just this month, the New Gas Consortium achieved first gas delivery from the Quiluma field – part of Angola’s first non-associated gas project – with initial output estimated at 150 million standard cubic feet per day. This followed the start of operations at the Ndungu field in February 2026, marking a key step forward in the broader Agogo Integrated West Hub Development.

Offshore momentum continues to define Angola’s upstream sector, with redevelopment programs, new agreements and exploration campaigns underway. A principles agreement was signed between the ANPG, TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil for the allocation of four blocks in the frontier Benguela and Namibe Basins in March, laying the foundation for the signing of the respective production sharing contracts. Angola’s Block 15/06 partners announced the Algaita-01 discovery in February 2026, with estimated reserves of 500 million barrels of oil. Sonangol, Afentra, Maurel & Prom and NIS Naftgas are advancing redevelopment activities at Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A, with plans for two infill wells in 2026. At Block 3/24, Afentra is eyeing FID in late 2026 or early 2027 as the company moves toward the development phase. The anticipated launch of the country’s next licensing round is expected to drive new investment in exploration.

Onshore exploration is also gaining traction. Corcel recently raised £3.6 million to accelerate its exploration program at KON 16 as it moves from seismic interpretation to drilling within the next 12 months. ReconAfrica is advancing geochemical sampling and permitting for a potential 2D seismic in the Damara Fold Belt, while Afentra is currently acquiring geophysical data to delineate the highly prospective KON 4 acreage. Recent months have also seen Nigeria’s Oando Energy Resources assume operatorship of Block KON 13, while Angola’s Sonangol is leading exploration activities at KON 11, KON 12 and KON 15. The Lower Congo basin is witnessing similar momentum, led by companies such as Etu Energias, ACREP and Walcot Energy.

Angola’s upstream drive is complemented by ambitions to strengthen the downstream sector. Following the start of operations at the Cabinda oil refinery in 2025, Angola is looking at bringing the 200,000 bpd Lobito refinery online in 2027. Preparations are also underway to develop the 100,000 bpd Soyo facility, with the country seeking foreign investment to complete these strategic projects.

With new production coming online, a licensing round on the horizon and refining capacity expanding, Angola is positioning itself as one of the few markets offering both near-term production growth and long-term exploration potential. Against this backdrop, AOG 2026 comes at a critical time for the global industry, as investors increasingly look to proven hydrocarbon basins with expansion potential, stable regulatory frameworks and clear project pipelines. In a tighter global supply environment, Angola is not just participating in the market – it is becoming increasingly central to it.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 2, 2026/APO Group/ –Cross‑Atlantic energy partnerships are materializing into strategic ventures that could reshape offshore development across the South Atlantic Basin. At the heart of this momentum is the Brazil‑Africa energy nexus, spotlighted as a driver of deepwater collaboration and floating production expertise. As energy leaders prepare for African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town and its Brazil–Africa Town Hall, this evolving relationship will be crucial to scaling upstream growth on both continents.

 

Brazil’s decades‑long mastery of ultra‑deepwater oil and gas is now a strategic asset for African producers and investors. From the pre‑salt fields of the Santos Basin to its advanced FPSO technologies, Brazil has built a track record of executing complex offshore projects. Deployments like the 2025 Bacalhau FPSO, capable of processing 220,000 barrels per day, highlight the operational scale and technical sophistication that Brazilian companies can bring to Africa’s emerging offshore frontiers, helping to reduce development risks and accelerate production timelines.

This technical edge is a key reason Petrobras is expanding into Africa. In early 2026, Petrobras confirmed a 42.5% stake acquisition in a significant offshore exploration block in Namibia alongside TotalEnergies, marking the company’s return to African waters after focusing on domestic pre-salt fields. Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Africa has become “a main region of development outside Brazil,” with Namibia, Angola and Nigeria cited as priority markets.

Petrobras has also pursued exploration rights in South Africa’s Deep Western Orange Basin and engaged African peers through high-level forum participation. These efforts, highlighted at AEW, aim to translate Brazil’s deepwater experience into Africa’s offshore growth narrative, where geological parallels between Brazil’s pre-salt basins and African margins offer a compelling case for collaboration.

“For Africa’s energy sector to thrive – whether in deepwater, LNG or cross‑border projects – we need partners who bring capital and expertise. Brazil’s offshore pedigree and appetite to invest signal the kind of South‑South collaboration that accelerates real project delivery, unlocks value in frontier basins and drives industrial growth for both continents,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Beyond rhetoric, energy diplomacy is translating into action. Last year’s Invest in African Energies Reception in Rio de Janeiro brought Brazilian and African stakeholders together to discuss strategic partnerships and investment prospects, setting the stage for further engagement at AEW in Cape Town.

For African producers, partnering with Brazilian companies offers access to mature offshore technologies, local content facilitation and operational models refined in challenging deepwater environments. Petrobras’ FPSOs, equipped with advanced carbon-management systems, demonstrate innovations that could be adapted to Africa’s offshore projects, balancing efficiency and environmental performance.

As the energy landscape evolves, strategic cooperation between Brazil and African nations could unlock a new era of Atlantic basin development, moving beyond traditional North-South investment patterns. Through shared expertise, aligned financing frameworks and sustained engagement – exemplified by AEW’s Brazil‑Africa agenda – the trans-Atlantic energy corridor is emerging as a priority for governments, investors and operators alike.

The AEW Town Hall promises to explore how Brazil’s offshore legacy can accelerate Africa’s next wave of offshore projects and how innovative capital structures can bridge financing gaps. With major players from both continents convening in Cape Town this year, the momentum toward operationalizing Atlantic energy partnerships is building – with implications for global supply dynamics and regional energy security.