Africa Energies Summit 2026 Agenda Live
As we prepare for the 9th edition of this remarkable gathering that is the Africa Energies Summit, I have once again taken time to reflect on our shared journey across Africa’s upstream sector.
For more than two decades we have had the privilege of working alongside many of you – geoscientists and ministers, financiers and frontier explorers, regulator and NOC leaders and independents. We have seen cycles rise and fall, basins emerge from obscurity to global headline status, and a constant thread throughout: Africa’s upstream story is never static. "Always something new out of Africa" or in Latin "Ex Africa semper aliquid novi" always rings true and that is why we are so collectively enamored and mesmerised by our beautiful and varied continent.
The Africa Energies Summit was created to be different: a forum in London where Africa’s upstream can step outside the echo chamber, meet on neutral ground, and engage pragmatically with potential investors, partners and policymakers. A place where licensing rounds are launched, maximising Africa’s production is debated, fiscal regimes examined, financing partners discovered, and real deals move forward.
Each year, we ask you where we should go next and your guidance to me has been clear.
Regional and global demand – particularly from Europe and Asia – is shaping Africa’s upstream future.
Policy, regulation and above-ground risk can make or break projects.
Frontier exploration and licensing rounds – especially in Namibia and the Orange Basin, MSGBC, North, West and East Africa – are still commanding intense interest.
Gas monetisation, electrification and energy security are non-negotiable for the continent.
Technology, data and innovation are now core enablers, not side-shows.
New producers want practical guidance on moving from discovery to development, local content and skills.
Mature producers are looking for every opportunity to boost production and reinvigorate investment and exploration to find more.
Our 2026 Agenda has been rebuilt around these insights.
It is designed so that you leave London with:
Tangible leads on licensing rounds, farm-ins and M&A.
A clearer understanding of fiscal regimes and policy changes in your key countries.
Direct access to leaders within regulators, NOCs and governments who actually award licences and shape terms.
New relationships with financiers, DFIs, trading houses and banks who are actively placing capital in African energy.
Practical ideas on how to deploy technology and data to reduce risk and accelerate timelines.
We will welcome once again a powerful mix of majors, independents, NOCs, regulators, service companies and financiers - but you have reminded us of an important nuance: you want more from independents, genuinely capital-deploying investors, and regulators who are ready to talk frankly about fiscal terms, local content and customs bottlenecks. You want less “corporate theatre” that you experience elsewhere and more honest, unscripted discussion. And this I am happy to deliver.
In 2026, you will see this reflected in:
Sharper, more focused strategic sessions built around your top priorities: financing, licensing, policy, gas & power, deepwater and frontier exploration.
Country and basin spotlights with a particular focus on Namibia and the Orange Basin, MSGBC, West Africa, East Africa, and select North African opportunities.
Dedicated sessions on fiscal design, above-ground risk, and contract stability, including how to keep host governments aligned once projects enter cashflow.
Roundtables under Chatham House Rule that go beyond presentations and into practical problem-solving into tangible results.
The purpose of the Summit remains simple: to advance Africa’s upstream, foster connections, and build a sustainable, prosperous future for the continent through the responsible development of its natural resources.
On 12th May, I will be there at the door to welcome you to London, to this neutral ground where Africa’s upstream story is not just discussed - it is written, negotiated and driven forward.
Together, we are not only imagining Africa’s potential; we are building it.
