The African Energy Chamber has appointed a US-Africa Committee to serve on its Advisory Board and support the development of stronger energy cooperation and investment between the US and Africa.

Serving in their personal capacities, the members of the US-Africa Committee have several decades of experience in government and the private sector from both sides of the Atlantic, and share a passion for Africa and its development, says the Chamber.

They include Azimuth Energy Investments CEO Reginal Spiller, Shoreline Energy International CEO Kola Karim, Africa Fortesa Corporation chairperson and CEO Rogers Beall, Kearney Africa president Jude Kearney, Energy & Natural Resource Security CEO C Derek Campbell, Millenium Challenge Corporation Africa MD Alicia Robinson-Morgan, Genesis Energy Group CEO and chairperson Akinwole Omoboriowo II, Pioneer Energy Africa GM Ann Norman and American Petroleum Institute chief economist R Dean Foreman.

The African Energy Chamber says it believes the potential for capital, expertise and technology transfers between the US and Africa is underexploited.

“While Power Africa remains, to date, the most successful initiative to develop Africa’s energy sector by tapping into American capital and technology, more can be done in light of the continent’s continued energy poverty.

"From exploration to gas infrastructure, and from power technology to energy funding, the US remains a global leader that has much to bring to Africa under the right partnerships and joint ventures that can support local content development and jobs creation,” says the chamber.

“The largest but also most recent discoveries in Africa were made by bold and capable American companies that have proven time and again that betting on Africa bears fruits. At a time when the continent seeks to develop much stronger gas value chains and attract investment into midstream and downstream infrastructure, we need to look back at the US and develop stronger partnerships.

"As Africa embraces energy transition, a substantial part of the capital needed to develop cleaner energy solutions also lies with American companies and institutions,” African Energy Chamber executive chairperson Nj Ayuk notes.

The US-Africa Committee is the first committee on the African Energy Chamber’s Advisory Board to be announced.

The Chamber has put together leading industry experts, executives and public representatives to support several initiatives over the course of 2020 and 2021, such as local content development, natural gas and energy transitions, the promotion of an enabling environment and the expansion of exploration activities.