Energy ministers from Senegal, Nigeria, Zambia, and Djibouti are set to meet investors at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2026 Forum in Paris, providing a unique opportunity to showcase which African energy markets are turning policy into bankable projects.
Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, the forum will connect decision-makers from governments, development finance institutions, banks, and private investors, highlighting markets where near-term project delivery, regulatory momentum, and credible financing converge.
Senegal: From Exploration to Execution
Senegal is moving from exploration successes toward full-scale project delivery. First oil from the Sangomar field, operated by Woodside, marked the country’s entry into oil production, while the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project, led by bp and Kosmos Energy, continues to anchor gas export ambitions.
Energy Minister Birame Soulèye Diop has focused on streamlining gas sales frameworks and clarifying domestic allocation, helping investors balance export revenue with local power and industrial demand. Phase 2 LNG expansion discussions remain central to long-term investment plans.
Nigeria: Scale and Infrastructure Momentum
Nigeria’s vast gas reserves, long underutilized, are gaining traction with major infrastructure milestones. The 614-kilometer Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline, a $2.8 billion project, is nearing commissioning in 2026, with the capacity to deliver up to 2 billion cubic feet per day of gas to northern industrial and power markets.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has emphasized gas infrastructure expansion, pricing reform, and domestic offtake development as key to unlocking investment and signaling policy continuity.
Zambia: Diversification for Energy Security
Zambia is accelerating energy diversification to reduce reliance on hydro, which has been vulnerable to repeated droughts. Opportunities are opening in thermal generation, gas-fired power, renewables, and regional power trade through the Southern African Power Pool.
Energy Minister Makozo Chikote highlighted the need for private capital in generation and transmission, ensuring projects are supported by credible offtake agreements and regional demand growth.
Djibouti: Infrastructure and Regional Integration
Djibouti is positioning itself as a regional energy transit hub. Geothermal developments, such as the Assal field, alongside cross-border power interconnections with Ethiopia, create stable investment opportunities focused on regional power flows rather than domestic consumption.
Energy Minister Yonis Ali Guedi stressed energy security and export-oriented infrastructure as central pillars for attracting long-term investor interest backed by multilateral financing.
The IAE Forum offers investors a practical lens into project readiness, financing structures, and policy alignment across Africa, bridging the gap between ambition and capital deployment ahead of African Energy Week later in 2026.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power
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