Taking place in Cape Town on the 9th-12th of November in a newly adapted and revolutionary conference structure, African Energy Week (AEW) 2021 will comprise a number of high-level pavilions hosted by leading oil and gas countries across Africa. Notably, Senegal’s pavilion, led by a strong delegation of industry leaders from the country, will showcase some of the significant investment and development opportunities the country has to offer. Under the direction of H.E. Aissatou Sophie Gladima, Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Senegal’s pavilion is expected to drive a discussion around the role of natural gas in Africa, energy diversification, and the value of gas-directed investments.

Backed by over 450 billion cubic meters of proven natural gas reserves, Senegal is rapidly establishing itself as a leader in African gas monetization and development with notable projects including the $4.8 billion Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project led by BP and Kosmos Energy. The country has ambitious gas plans and aims to fully exploit reserves, increasing gas exports and reducing heavy fuel imports in the process. Senegal’s pavilion will promote the role of natural gas in Africa, using a platform whereby tangible examples and successful Senegalese project case studies are presented to a wide audience. Rather than simply tell the story of Senegal’s gas sector, the pavilion will enable the country to visually showcase it.

Meanwhile, Senegal aims to increase its electrification rate to 100% by 2025, and plans to use gas to do so. By shifting Karpowership’s use of heavy fuel to Liquified Natural Gas and focusing on the construction of notable gas-to-power projects such as the Cap des Biches combined-cycle gas turbine power plant, Senegal is directing critical investment to cleaner power generation solutions, facilitating an energy transition in the process.

“Senegal is rapidly becoming a trend setter in natural gas developments, emphasizing how supportive policies, private sector participation, and multi-sector integration can fast-track progress. The country’s pavilion at AEW 2021 will not only showcase the range of investment opportunities present in Senegal, but will serve as an example for other countries looking at utilizing natural gas more effectively and efficiently,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, the AEC.

What’s more, Senegal’s pavilion will showcase a range of investment opportunities prevalent across multiple sectors. In addition to natural gas developments, the pavilion will showcase some of the country’s most impressive renewable energy projects in a bid to drive further progress and development across this high-rewarding sector. Senegal has already made notable progress in advancing its green energy sector through several large-scale renewable projects. The country’s commitment to the Scaling Solar Program, for example – a World Bank Group and International Finance Corporation initiative that seeks to mobilize privately funded grid-connected solar projects in Africa – is driving investment and addressing electricity challenges country wide. Additionally, the proposed Sambangalou dam project, a 128MW hydroelectric power station in Senegal, aims to increase domestic installed capacity and further diversify the country’s power sector. Senegal is fully focused on transitioning to cleaner energy solutions and will showcase the country’s potential at its AEW 2021 pavilion.

What makes Senegal’s pavilion unique, however, and one not-to-be-missed, is that rather than showcase its energy sectors as separate investment opportunities, the pavilion emphasizes how sectoral integration and a multi-sector approach to energy investments is critical in expanding Africa’s energy sector and driving a continent-wide energy transition. Specifically, the pavilion will showcase the value of energy diversification and unification in addressing energy poverty, establishing secure regional electricity supply lines, and accelerating socio-economic growth in 2021 and beyond. Driven by the Emerging Senegal Plan – a policy framework aimed at getting Senegal on the road to development by 2035 -, Senegal is focused on diversifying its energy mix and is seeking investors to help achieve this objective.

For more information about Africa’s premier energy event, visit www.aew2021.com or energychamber.org and/or email Amina Williams at amina.williams@energychamber.org