The curtains fell at the beginning of November 2024 on the 4th edition of the African Energy Week. If all eyes are now on the 5th edition, scheduled to be held from September 29 to October 03, 2025, in this article, we propose in the meantime to look back on the rich participation of APPO in this inspiring week. And it is the case to say that the stay of the delegation led by H.E. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, SG of the APPO, was not easy in Cape Town. Between strategic meetings, booth animation, side events and networking, Dr. Farouk and his colleagues contributed to the success of the event.
It was with a side event organized by S&P Global that APPO kicked off its participation in the African Energy Week. Held in partnership with APPO, this Seminar focused on the African multidimensional transition. On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim took part in an Executive Panel on the theme: Unlocking Africa’s Energy Potential. From this tribune, he did not fail to reaffirm Africa’s position on the Global Energy Transition, insisting on the need for the continent to unite in the face of imminent challenges, including those related to the efficient exploitation of the critical minerals that abound in the African subsoil for the benefit of African populations.
Call for sacred union
The official opening of the African Energy Week on November 5 offered the APPO SG an even broader platform to defend the positions of the organization’s Member Countries on the burning issues of energy news in Africa and around the world. Speaking following NJ Ayuk, promoter of AEW, the SG of APPO, H.E. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim paid tribute to the Members of the Ministerial Council of the Organization, for their visionary leadership, which led them to set up the Africa Energy Bank. He called for unity so that together, African countries meet the challenges posed to the oil and gas industry by the Global Energy Transition, stressing that no country can achieve this alone. Dr. Farouk did not fail to invite African countries not yet members to join APPO, highlighting the virtues of joint actions. It should be noted that a dozen APPO Ministers took part in the opening ceremony, including H.E. Dr. Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources and Petroleum of Angola and H.E. Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mines and Petroleum Resources of South Africa.
High-level meetings
The participation of APPO in AEW2024 was the moment of meetings at the highest level. Thus, the SG of APPO met with H.E. Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mines and Petroleum Resources of South Africa. The Minister of Hydrocarbons of DR Congo, H.E. Aimé Sakombi Molendo, also received the APPO delegation in audience. At all these meetings, issues related to the challenges of the hydrocarbon industry in Africa were at the heart of the discussions. Also, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim met with the OPEC S.G. H.E. Haitham Al Ghais. The meeting took place one-on-one. During these occasions, Dr. Farouk did not fail to take stock of the actions carried out by the APPO Secretariat, under the leadership of the Executive Board and the Ministerial Council, to address the various challenges posed to the Oil and Gas industry in Africa by the Energy Transition. As such, the flagship project of the creation of the Africa Energy Bank was at the heart of the discussions. This project was also at the center of the side event organized by the APPO during AEW.
Funding of the Oil and Gas Industry, Role of the newborn AEB
The APPO Side Event focused on the role that the Africa Energy Bank is called upon to play in financing the African oil and gas industry. This important event of the Week brought together Ministers, EBMs of Member Countries, NOC and partner Afreximbank officials and other strategic guests from African and non-African countries. After the welcome address by the Chairman of the Executive Board, Mr. Stev Simplice Onanga, the SG of APPO, H.E. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, set the scene by presenting the context for the establishment of the Bank, an initiative jointly created by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) to address the pressing financing challenges facing the African oil and gas industry in the context of the Global Energy Transition. Created to fill the void left by traditional donors withdrawing support due to climate change concerns, AEB is committed to ensuring energy security and promoting sustainable development across the continent. The project consultants then took over to present the Bank’s organizational and shareholder structure, its objectives as well as the business model and business plan. It should be noted that the project aroused the enthusiasm of the participants who, through relevant questions, sought to learn more about this great first in Africa. It should be noted that among the very interested participants was Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Deputy Minister for Petroleum Resources (Petroleum) of Nigeria who reiterated his country’s commitment to hosting the Bank on time.
