Modernized Force Majeure and Security Provisions

In a region where projects can be interrupted by conflict, political unrest or operational disruptions, well-crafted force majeure and security clauses are becoming ever more critical. TotalEnergies’ restart of the Mozambique LNG project in October 2025 illustrates the challenges operators face when reactivating delayed projects: securing new permits, resettling contractors and renegotiating budgets all add months to timelines. As a result, investors and governments are paying closer attention to how contracts handle project pauses, restarts and risk mitigation, ensuring that delays do not derail overall progress. Provisions for recovering security costs and implementing government-approved mitigation plans can provide operators with a clear framework to continue work even amid instability. The lesson from Mozambique and similar projects is that success increasingly depends on how robustly contracts anticipate and manage disruptions, rather than on avoiding them entirely.

Fiscal and Legal Stability – With Flexibility

While predictable fiscal and legal frameworks remain essential for investment, both governments and operators recognize the need for increasing flexibility. Nigeria’s 2025 licensing round shows how modifications to taxes, environmental requirements and local content rules can generate uncertainty for existing projects. The solution lies in well-structured contractual frameworks, which define negotiation steps and processes before disputes arise. If a new tax or regulation affects project economics, both parties can enter a defined discussion period with agreed mechanisms to adjust terms. Angola’s recent legislative reforms have taken a collaborative approach, inviting private sector input to ensure that new laws and regulations balance investor protection with flexibility while the legal and regulatory framework continues to evolve.

Measurable Local Content Commitments

Local content is increasingly central to African energy contracts, reflecting governments’ and operators’ recognition that developing domestic value chains and workforce capacity is critical to project success. Across the continent, targets are rising: Nigeria’s 2025 reforms now aim for 70% local content, while the MSGBC region is pursuing a 50% ratio by 2030. To manage these requirements, contracts increasingly embed phased, accountable local content plans with clear employment targets, supplier development programs and capacity building initiatives. Transparent reporting and compliance mechanisms help governments track progress, while operators retain flexibility as markets evolve. Clear, enforceable clauses around local content reduce disputes, ensure measurable outcomes and turn domestic participation into a strategic advantage rather than a cost burden.

Building the Framework for 2026

Across these areas runs a single theme: clarity. Technical and geological risks can be managed, but contractual uncertainty can derail even the most promising projects. From Mozambique’s LNG restart to new licensing models across Nigeria and Angola, the lesson is consistent – bankable projects are built on predictable rules.

These topics and more will be explored at the Invest in African Energy Forum, taking place in Paris on April 22-23, 2026, where ministers, operators and financiers will discuss how African energy deals can be structured and financed. The forum will focus on practical approaches to stabilization clauses, force majeure frameworks and measurable local content commitments. The difference between untapped potential and real investment comes down to how effectively governments and investors shape the enabling environment and the contracts that govern it.

IAE 2026 is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.invest-africa-energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com