Africa's energy finance landscape is seeing a surge in investment, driven largely by oil and gas developments, new offshore discoveries and favorable government policies. With over $110 billion set to be invested in energy across the continent this year, nearly $70 billion is allocated to fossil fuel projects, underscoring Africa’s continued focus on oil and gas as a vital part of its energy mix. In partnership with AFREXIM and S&P Global Commodity Insights, the Energy Finance Summit – as part of the upcoming African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 conference – taking place on 4-8 November – serves to mobilize funding and drive deals forward to accelerate project rollouts across the energy value chain.  

Africa's oil and gas sector remains a focal point for global capital, alongside growing investments in clean energy and decentralized power solutions. Key opportunities exist in untapped oil reserves and growing natural gas fields in countries like Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique and Senegal, coupled with a recent uptick in LNG project investments, driven by rising global demand for natural gas as a transition fuel. Within this landscape, the Energy Finance Summit at AEW 2024 will unlock new strategies for accelerating investment in Africa’s energy future, from ESG finance and financing Africa’s energy in the era of the energy transition, to unlocking oil and gas assets through new risk and finance solutions and driving project bankability to maximize returns for investors.  

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event. 

As IOCs rebalance their portfolios by divesting non-core and carbon-intensive upstream assets, an M&A Deal Spotlight will unpack the continent’s latest transactions and their role in driving competition and interest from indigenous and smaller operators, eager to capitalize on the availability of mature assets. The session will bring together investors and operators to discuss strategies for navigating the complexities of M&A deals in Africa, leveraging alternative financing mechanisms to secure capital and mitigating financial, operational and market risks associated with M&As in the oil and gas sector. While Africa’s oil and gas sector presents unique challenges for M&A activity, the potential for growth, diversification and strategic expansion remains substantial. 

The African Farmout Forum –organized in partnership with AEW and global energy advisory Moyes, oil and gas asset deals platform Farmout Angel and independent acquisition and divestment advisor Envoi – will serve as the event’s premier deal-making and pitching platform. The forum will enable NOCs, small- to medium-sized independents and start-up energy companies that are involved in exploration activities or seeking funding for projects to provide 10-minute pitches to a captive audience of exploration and new ventures managers. At last year’s AEW edition, 28 farmouts were promoted, directly facilitating access to partnerships and investment for companies and projects across the continent.  

AEW 2024 will also feature a Deal Room hosted by African-owned investment banking and advisory firm Premier Invest, providing a platform for project sponsors, developers and promoters to showcase significant upstream oil and gas transactions in Africa to potential investors and lenders. The session will highlight current investment opportunities in Africa’s upstream oil and gas sector, facilitate knowledge sharing and market insights, and promote partnership, collaborations and joint ventures within the industry. The Deal Room aims to bridge Africa’s oil and gas financing gap – in which the continent receives only five percent of global FDI – by identifying transactions that have the potential to generate significant returns and create value for local communities.