If energy events claim to shape Africa’s future, then they must be hosted on African soil, hire Africans and place the continent at the center of global decision-making.
As global interest in African energy resources continues to grow, an unfortunate trend has emerged: Africa-focused energy events are increasingly being held outside the continent. Some companies, such as Frontier Energy, take this further – not only hosting African conversations internationally but also excluding Africans from their organizations. As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) strongly condemns this approach.
At a time when African nations are prioritizing local content, improving investment environments and positioning themselves as strong partners for global energy companies, organizations like Frontier risk undermining these efforts by sidelining African participation and leadership.
The AEC has long supported international investment across the continent. The Chamber consistently advocates for fair treatment of international oil companies, financiers and service providers operating in Africa, often pushing back when investors face regulatory uncertainty or unfair practices. But partnership must be reciprocal. If Africa is expected to open its markets, reform its policies and provide long-term certainty, then the platforms shaping its energy narrative must do the same: hire Africans, build local capacity and anchor events in Africa.
Some global event organizers understand this responsibility. Companies such as DMG Events demonstrate that it is both possible and necessary to host world-class energy conferences in Africa while prioritizing African talent. DMG has always been a leader in hiring, training, retaining and promoting Africans. They even recruit qualified African vendors. DMG consistently brings conversations about Africa to Africa, with strong African representation across leadership, content development and logistics. Examples include DMG’s Egypt Energy Show (Cairo) and West Africa Infrastructure Expo (Nigeria). Across the continent, these events employ Africans, build local teams and ensure African professionals are central to operations – setting the model that should be respected and scaled.
African Energy Week (AEW) was created to challenge the idea that Africa’s energy story must be told elsewhere. Born from the need to prove that large-scale, globally relevant energy events can – and should – be hosted on the continent, AEW has grown into Africa’s largest energy gathering. Held in Cape Town, AEW convenes delegations from the United States, Europe, China and the Middle East, while being organized by an African team and driven by African priorities. It demonstrates that Africa does not need to outsource its voice to be heard globally.
The same principle underpins the Africa CEO Forum, held in Kigali. The Forum has established itself as one of the continent’s most influential platforms for private-sector leadership, investment and policy dialogue by bringing Africa’s top decision-makers together in Africa. The AEC supports and endorses this approach, viewing the Africa CEO Forum as a clear example of how global relevance and African ownership are not mutually exclusive, but mutually reinforcing.
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