The APPO Secretariat participated in the Egyptian Energy Show, EGYPES 2026, held from March 30 to April 2, 2026, in Cairo. The delegation consisted of Mr. Tchananti Sahgui Tiatti, Pi Director of the APPO Secretariat’s Research Division, and Mr. Serge Désiré Kohemun, Downstream Analyst. The two representatives took part in the proceedings of two discussion panels.
The first panel, on “How to Stimulate the Expansion of the African Gas Market,” featured the Secretariat’s panelist, Mr. Tchananti, who demonstrated that gas is the quintessential energy source that cannot be replaced in the near term, but that gas still has a long way to go. Given gas’s role in metallurgy, cement manufacturing, petrochemical production, and fertilizers essential for food security in Africa—roles that neither solar nor wind can fulfill for Africa’s industrialization—he noted that by 2050, Africa’s population will approach 2.5 billion, requiring the continent to rapidly urbanize and industrialize, marked by exponential growth in energy demand.
He emphasized that APPO is not opposed to fossil fuel development, but that gas is the ultimate catalyst for Africa’s industrialization. According to Mr. Tchananti, natural gas cannot be merely a transition energy for Africa; it is a destination energy for the foreseeable future.
While other panelists addressed financing and all forms of risk as challenges to overcome, Mr. Tchananti tackled the challenge of capacity and expertise development, highlighting APPO’s initiatives to address it (inventory of African training institutes and their capacities, establishment of an exchange platform, harmonization of programs and curricula, APPO certification framework, etc.).
The second panel, on “Increasing African Refining Capacity to Reduce Import Dependence,” included Mr. Serge Désiré’s contributions to the discussions. He showed that over 70% of Africa’s needs for white products are met by imports, even as Africa exports nearly 75% of its crude oil. This paradox stems from the obsolescence of African refineries, which have an average age of 40 years—except for the modern Dangote refinery with a production capacity of 650,000 b/d. These refineries operate at only about 40% of their installed capacity, and their products cannot meet quality standards due to their outdated, rudimentary characteristics.
After outlining this situation, he sketched some structured alternatives to support Africa’s self-sufficiency in white products, leading to the idea of mega regional hub projects jointly carried by countries, given their highly capital-intensive nature. Investment issues fueled the debates, with discussions on ratifying financing previously supported by financial partners. The panelists concluded that Africa itself has the means to finance its development, hence the African Energy Bank.
This key gathering of energy industry champions also allowed the APPO Secretariat delegation to engage with several stakeholders, including ENPPI (an EPC subsidiary of EGPC), the Egyptian R&D Institution under the joint supervision of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Higher Education of Egypt, and EGAS—all of whom pledged to participate in APPO’s various programs going forward. The delegation also met with APPO’s EBM for Egypt, Eng. Ehab Ragaee, who expressed his satisfaction with the APPO Secretariat for keeping him informed in real-time on sector developments. He promised full support for the Secretariat’s requests to ensure regular participation by Egyptian stakeholders in its programs and appreciated the Secretariat’s initiatives in establishing various digital platforms.
The delegation also held discussions with the ES of AFREC and the GECF Representative on MoU projects. Both parties eagerly await the finalization of these projects for implementation. Mr. Tchananti informed them that the Secretariat would seek their expertise in recruiting an Energy Data Specialist to form the panel interviewing candidates. The ES gave his agreement in principle and awaits the official letter.
