Dr. Ollie Folayan, the host of WAES 2025

Dr. Ollie Folayan, co-founder of the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK), discusses the importance of the West African Energy Summit. He highlights how the UK’s energy sector, particularly in Aberdeen, can leverage its extensive experience and expertise to partner with West African nations. Dr. Folayan explains that this collaboration is crucial for addressing major challenges in Africa, such as energy poverty, and for promoting sustainable development. The discussion also touches on the history of African professionals in Aberdeen and the impact of recent UK immigration policies on academic institutions and the future talent pipeline.

Dr. Folayan emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach that balances free trade with local capacity building. He argues that training local populations in West Africa is essential for long-term project success and to avoid over-reliance on international experts. He concludes by stressing the value of diversity of thought, drawing parallels to safety practices in the industry, and noting that including diverse perspectives is key to innovation and solving complex challenges in the energy sector.