Beyond dialogue, AEW generated concrete commitments and key takeaways: renewed confidence in exploration, LNG as a strategic lever, critical minerals as a growth driver and improving regional policy alignment. The upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum in Paris, returning in April 2026 as the official deal-making platform and precursor to AEW, will build on these foundations, providing a space to translate these trends into tangible investments, partnerships and energy projects.

Renewed Confidence in African Oil & Gas Exploration

AEW 2025 highlighted Africa’s exploration resurgence. From Rhino Resources’ gas-condensate discovery at Volans-1X in Namibia to Angola’s etu energias securing structured finance for Block 17/06’s Begonia tie-back project, momentum in exploration is clearly returning. Across the continent, Equatorial Guinea launched its EG Ronda 2026 licensing round, offering 24 offshore blocks, and Namibia advanced its Orange Basin program toward first oil, signaling significant frontier opportunities. IOCs and African independents alike emphasized rapid, multi-well development programs, with Kosmos Energy, TotalEnergies, Seplat Energy and Energean all affirming long-term commitments.

Key Takeaway: Investors are now reassessing Africa as a high-potential, investment-ready upstream market, with opportunities for early entry in both frontier and underdeveloped basins. IAE 2026 will likely amplify these narratives, focusing on bankable projects, streamlined licensing and partnerships that can deliver scale efficiently.

LNG Expansion Remains a Prime Play

Despite global oversupply concerns, Africa’s LNG sector is gaining momentum. Mozambique’s Coral LNG continues to attract investment, with Eni committing up to $3 billion toward local content and community development. Nigeria showcased stranded offshore gas opportunities incentivized by new government Executive Orders; ExxonMobil is exploring LNG projects in South Africa; and regional initiatives like Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG Phase 2 are progressing. Discussions emphasized balancing export ambitions with domestic gas monetization, demonstrating the dual strategic role of LNG in revenue and energy access.

Key Takeaway: While the global LNG market faces a potential oversupply, African projects can still thrive by focusing on strategic advantages. These include leveraging proximity to key markets, securing long-term off-take agreements and ensuring robust infrastructure development to maintain viability in an evolving energy market.

Strategic Importance of Critical Minerals

Africa's critical minerals are now central to the global energy transition. At African Mining Week 2025, held alongside AEW in Cape Town, discussions highlighted the continent's pivotal role in supplying essential materials like lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements. Experts emphasized that global demand for these minerals must increase nearly 500% by 2050 to meet climate targets, positioning Africa as a key player in this surge. Meanwhile, the traditional model of exporting raw minerals is being challenged. Leaders from Zimbabwe, Ghana and Namibia outlined strategies to shift toward beneficiation, aiming to add value locally and retain more revenue within the continent.

Key Takeaway: Cross-border mineral partnerships, ESG-aligned extraction and frameworks to integrate Africa’s minerals into global green energy value chains will take center stage in Paris and beyond in 2026. Conversations on balancing industrial growth with environmental stewardship and social responsibility will be critical, as investors increasingly weigh sustainable practices alongside the economic potential of Africa’s mineral wealth.

Enhanced Regional Collaboration and Policy Alignment

Regional collaboration and policy certainty were central themes at AEW, highlighted by the OPEC-Africa Roundtable, US-Africa and Russia-Africa discussions and the West Africa Transform Margin panel, which emphasized harmonized fiscal, licensing and environmental standards. Sierra Leone’s accession to the IEF and the expansion of regional power and gas infrastructure initiatives signal growing continental integration, while ministers from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Gabon underscored the importance of local content, governance reform and cross-border frameworks to enable bankable, scalable projects.

Key Takeaway: Paris will be an opportunity to formalize regional policy alignment, accelerate cross-border project development and establish clear governance structures that reduce risk and encourage investment. Major partners and stakeholders who engaged actively at AEW – including the US, Russia and the UAE, among others – are likely to continue driving strategic collaboration and backing initiatives that unlock Africa’s upstream and energy transition potential.