Panel Recap - Africa’s Upstream: Investment Opportunities Amid Economic & Political Shifts

Here's how to kick off Africa's premier global upstream conference..!

In May '25 we brought John Ardill - ExxonMobil, Aldo Napolitano - Eni, Eugene Okpere - Shell and Hilde Merete Nafstad - Equinor together for a conversation which shed unprecedented light on the future of Africa’s upstream sector in a rapidly evolving global energy landscape.

Discussion highlights include...

🌍 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀: Volatility and geopolitical shifts are reinforcing the importance of energy security. Africa’s demand is set to rise exponentially, but capital will only flow where fiscal and regulatory stability exists.

🌍 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: Africa holds immense potential, yet untapped reserves remain due to fiscal uncertainty and regulatory bottlenecks. Countries like Angola and Egypt have illustrated how proactive policy can attract global investment.

🌍 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 & 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲: AI is transforming exploration and production, accelerating time to first oil, but it's critical that technology is paired with local talent development - which is central to long-term success.

🌍 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Investors need predictable policies, competitive tax structures, and efficient permitting. Strong public-private partnerships and reduced bureaucratic delays are essential for Africa to compete globally.

💬 Final thoughts... success will depend on investment-friendly policies, government collaboration, technology adoption, and sustainable low-carbon solutions.