Africa Oil Week (AOW), the continent’s premium energy conference will run in Cape Town to bring leading energy stakeholders together on the 3-7 October in Cape Town under the theme: Sustainable Growth in a Low Carbon World.

Annually AOW attracts over 2,000 C-Suite executives, 50+ ministers and government leaders and global energy leadership to drive transaction and investment with the African oil, gas and energy sectors. AOW will be delivered in its traditional format to advocate the sustainable development of the African upstream. In 2022 the organisers of Africa Oil Week will also deliver the summits sister event, Green Energy Africa Summit (GEA Summit) at the same time also at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The aligned conferences come as Africa focuses increasingly on the need of its nations to drive economic growth, improve service delivery and move millions of citizens out of poverty.

“Taking place in the same city at the same time AOW and GEA Summit will drive their own agendas forward for the prosperity of the continent. Africa Oil Week will continue to advocate and support the sustainable development of the continents hydrocarbon sector, whilst Green Energy Africa will facilitate deals, transactions and partnerships across the African power sector to provide energy access for all. Our aim is to bring the right people together to facilitate future economic prosperity and upliftment of Africa via the Hydrocarbon sector at Africa Oil Week and energy access for all at Green Energy Africa” says Paul Sinclair, VP Energy.

“Africa needs mixed energy solutions to meet demand and improve the livelihood of millions of citizens. We foresee that hydrocarbons as well as renewable energy solutions will be a force multiplier for the continent, hence Africa Oil Week and the Green Energy Africa Summit will be hosted alongside each other,” says Sinclair.

Hyve Group, the owners of Africa Oil Week further outlined their excitement surrounding the  delivery of the event under the Patronage of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the central government department led by Hon. Minister Gwede Mantashe. “It shows the commitment from South Africa to be central to the long term success of the African energy sector.”

Mntu Nduvane, Former CEO of Total Namibia and Chairman of the Advisory Committee added, “It is forward looking and seeks to address the real challenges faced by African countries. This will be a valuable platform to set the agenda for future energy projects and partnerships” he says.

Green Energy Africa is a summit in its own right and independent of Africa Oil Week, a platform that examines how low carbon energy solutions can contribute to energy access for all. Its worthy to also zero in on the remarks given at COP26 in Glasgow by the AFDB’s Dr Arron Tchouka Singhe who noted that a just transition “must help Africa end poverty and achieve the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.” Sentiment that Green Energy Africa will focus on at its independent Summit in Cape Town at the same time.

Singhe went on to say, “We should be talking about ‘low-carbon development pathways’ rather than “net-zero pathways” in Africa”, a point that justifies Africa Oil Week and Green Energy Africa Summit running as independent events in the same city on the same dates.

This sentiment was echoed by Rashid Ali Abdallah, Executive Director of the African Energy Commission. He believes African countries should contribute proportionately to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

“When counting 900 million people in Africa who do not have access to clean energy for cooking and 600 million people who do not have access to electricity, we realise that the continent is already in a situation of carbon neutrality,” he said.

South Africa has been pursuing oil and gas exploration of its coastline, with the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, stating “Africa deserves an equal chance to develop its economies on the strength of her natural resources”. He says energy poverty, high unemployment, high debt and stagnating economies needed to be reversed, and thus developing natural resource projects would be “crucial” in allowing a just transition.

AOW and GEA Summit hope to foster greater dialogue to promote the interests of Africa for Africans says Paul Sinclair.

“It is only through debate and a thorough examination of the data and the facts that we will arrive at the appropriate solutions. We pride ourselves on being able to make that happen and create opportunities that drive investment, deal-making and partnerships which will shape a better future for Africa and her people,” he says.

Why attend Africa Oil Week and the Green Energy Africa Summit?

The Africa Oil Week offers 5 days of pioneering insights, from ministerial panels to strategic outlooks designed to advocate for the development of the African upstream for the benefit of the continent. At the heart of the event are some of the most compelling insights to the upstream strategies of governments from across the continent.  

These extensive and varied networking opportunities has resulted in an unprecedented return of delegates year after year. 

AOW is globally renowned for bringing the most senior delegates together each year. In 2021, AOW welcomed 50+ Ministers and Government Leaders, 2,000+ C-level delegates, as well as hundreds of SVPs and VPs of Africa, Exploration, New Ventures – making the event the most influential energy conference in Africa. 

Whilst Africa Oil Week will retain its own identity as a pure play Hydrocarbons event with the sole purpose of advocating upstream development, The Green Energy Africa Summit will also play its role in driving enabling environments to ensure foreign direct investment is deployed into game changing projects that will reduce the energy deficit and provide energy access for all across the continent.