Since AEW’s inception, the event has witnessed substantial growth in size, with delegates and investors from across the African and global energy sector travelling to Cape Town to engage in discussions about the future of the African energy sector. Through its innovative conference structure – AEW has been taking place across a variety of venues at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, one of the biggest tourist attractions on the continent – the event has welcomed thousands of delegates and quickly emerged as the biggest gathering of energy stakeholders on the continent. Now, AEW hosts the largest number of African energy and petroleum ministers and represents the official deal-signing platform for the African energy sector.

In a relatively short period of time, AEW has emerged as the foremost deal-signing platform in Africa. The conference emphasizes networking and collaboration, therefore providing stakeholders the unique opportunity to directly engage with Africa’s decision-makers. Delegates have a chance to meet with policymakers, ministers, high-level financiers and regulators, with an emphasis on signing deals and advancing investment. In 2022 alone, AEW saw over $2.5 billion dollars-worth of deals signed during the conference week, with billions-of-dollars more inked in the weeks following the event.

The multi-year deal with the CITCC builds on this success to offer stakeholders a wide variety of options to meet, engage and partner. Additional conference and meeting venues enables the AEW program to expand, therefore broadening discussion topics as well as opportunities for stakeholders to do business. The growth that the conference has experienced is expected to only accelerate, and as such, AEW will be moving to the CTICC in 2024 to support this expansion. In addition to the CTICC venue, by utilizing the V&A Waterfront, AEW will leverage the complex’s diverse and vibrant mix of restaurants, attractions and hotels to provide a variety of unique networking opportunities for delegates. At its core, AEW is committed to advancing collaboration in Africa and connecting players to opportunities. These networking opportunities offer delegates just that while unlocking a wave of economic benefits for the city of Cape Town.

Meanwhile, the move to the CTICC will allow bigger crowds to gather while broadening opportunities for the conference exhibition. As one of Africa’s largest conference venues, the CITCC represents a top exhibition trade show complex, comprising more than 21,000 m² of dedicated exhibition space. The venue comprises 10 exhibition halls as well as an auditorium room, meeting rooms, ballrooms and much more. This will allow AEW’s exhibition to significantly grow, providing companies, governments, entrepreneurs and policymakers with the chance to increase their brand awareness, connect with potential partners and promote their services to a strong slate of energy stakeholders.

“We started this conference with one key objective: to make energy poverty history by 2030, and we are proud to announce our multi-year deal signed with the CTICC. We have already seen high demand for AEW next year, which requires us to think innovatively and have a larger venue to host the numbers we are anticipating. With the multi-year deal, AEW has significantly expanded opportunities for investors and companies to do business and grow,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC).

AEW is the AEC’s annual energy event which unites African policymakers and governments with global investors and project developers. The 2023 edition takes place from October 16-20 at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, and thereafter across multiple venues including the CTICC. For more information, visit www.AECWeek.com.