Heirs Energies’ acquisition of Seplat shares gives the company a significant footprint in Nigeria’s upstream sector, including access to mature onshore and shallow offshore fields producing approximately 356,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with around 266,000 barrels of oil and substantial associated gas output. The transaction, supported by African financiers such as Afreximbank and the Africa Finance Corporation, makes Heirs Energies the single largest shareholder in Seplat. Beyond production scale, the deal provides Heirs Energies with cash flow, operational infrastructure and a platform to reinvest in growth opportunities, from gas monetization to brownfield optimization.

Meanwhile, Aradel Holdings’ acquisition of an additional 40% stake in ND Western – bringing its total holding to 81.67% – expands its upstream footprint across Nigeria. ND Western holds a 45% participating interest in the producing OML 34 asset in the Western Niger Delta and a 50% stake in Renaissance Africa Energy Company, giving Aradel a strong operational base and exposure to near-term development projects. These moves reflect a broader trend: African operators are becoming credible, bankable partners capable of deploying capital efficiently while meeting local content requirements and regulatory expectations.

For investors, this evolution is significant. Traditionally, accessing African oil and gas meant minority stakes, joint ventures and complex governance structures with international majors. Now, locally owned operators controlling cash-generating assets offer clearer governance, faster decision-making and alignment with regulatory and social frameworks, reducing risk and making projects more investable. Many of the acquired assets are tied to gas reserves and infrastructure, opening opportunities in midstream and downstream sectors, including pipelines, LNG/CNG facilities and regional power generation projects. By optimizing these fields, African operators are turning legacy assets into scalable growth platforms.

These developments will take center stage at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2026 Forum in Paris, where investors, operators and policymakers will explore how consolidation, brownfield optimization and gas monetization are unlocking bankable opportunities across Africa. Sessions will highlight how African-owned companies like Heirs Energies and Aradel are translating these transactions into practical pathways for deploying capital into production-ready assets with strong, near-term revenue potential. The forum will bring together African operators, multilateral institutions, service providers and financiers to discuss co-investment models, risk-sharing structures and enabling policy frameworks that can accelerate project sanctioning and long-term value creation.

In summary, the divestment of assets by international majors is creating a new wave of opportunity for capable, well-capitalized African operators. Africa’s next investment cycle is being defined not by frontier risk alone, but by execution, operational scale and opportunity-driven growth – themes that will resonate strongly at IAE Paris 2026, where the continent’s energy investment story will be shaped and capital mobilized to support its next chapter of growth.

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