Organisers hail ‘resounding success’ of  inaugural West African Energy Summit

Business links between Scotland and West Africa have been strengthened following the success of an inaugural energy conference – with plans already underway for next year’s event.

The West African Energy Summit (WAES), held at the Accra International Conference Centre in Ghana, brought together more than 450 delegates, 70 speakers, and 20 exhibitors for three days of talks and presentations focused on fostering deal-making opportunities to increase foreign direct investment into Africa’s energy sector.

Organised in partnership between OGV Group, the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, and the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC), the landmark event aimed to set a new benchmark for energy conferences in Africa.

WAES attracted government officials and ministers from over 20 different countries as well as senior delegates from industry leaders BP, Shell, Chevron, Total, and Eni among others.

Notable guests included His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who acted as chairman of the summit. He delivered a keynote address on energy sovereignty, calling for a united and strategic approach to energy development across the African continent.

His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of Ghana, was honoured with an award recognising his commitment and leadership in the regional energy sector, while His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, also graced the event.

Kenny Dooley, CEO of OGV Group, declared the summit a groundbreaking moment for the West African energy sector.

He commented: "This event has established the West African Energy Summit as the transaction platform of choice for the region. We commend and thank Mr. Egbert Faibille, CEO of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, and his team for their unwavering support over the past year. The Petroleum Commission has truly led the charge in creating what is now the most talked-about energy debate for West Africa."

WAES is poised to become an annual fixture, building on its success to continue driving discussions, deals, and investments that will transform the region's energy landscape and prosperity of West Africa.

This year’s event opened with an address from Mr. Joseph Dazie, chief executive of the GNPC, who highlighted Ghana’s ongoing efforts to attract investors to its upstream sector. His speech underlined the progress Ghana has made in positioning itself as a destination for energy investment, emphasising the country's commitment to fostering a conducive environment for foreign direct investment.

There was also a strong Scottish contingent in attendance with several firms travelling to Accra for the summit, including the Scottish Africa Business Association, Norco Group, Oceaneering, GA R&D, TenzorGeo, and Interocean.

Kenny Dooley added: “We have to thank all our partners and sponsors for their hard work over the past nine months in making this a reality. This is the biggest thing we have done to this point, creating and operating an event in Accra, Ghana which will help shape the future of the energy industry in West Africa.

“This landmark event has been a resounding success and exceeded all our expectations, while setting a new standard for international energy conferences focused on Africa. Our team and partner organisations are already in advanced planning for next year’s conference where we aim to make the summit an even greater success.”

For more information, including sponsorship and exhibitor details for 2025, please contact info@waesummit.com.

Read the latest issue of the OGV Energy magazine HERE