More than 10,000 international delegates will gather in Cape Town, South Africa, from October 12 to 16 for African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, a five-day conference focused on connecting energy projects with capital and government decision-makers.
The event is one of the continent’s major energy industry gatherings. It will use investment forums, country spotlights, a Deal Room, investor briefings, roundtables and networking sessions to give attendees access to projects and decision-makers across Africa’s energy sector.
Conference agenda and forums#
AEW 2026 will run a multi-track agenda across the energy value chain.
- AEW Townhall: strategic issues shaping Africa’s energy future
- Upstream Exploration and Production (E&P) Forum: exploration, licensing, drilling and production growth
- Energy Finance Forum: connecting projects and developers with capital
- Energy Additions Forum: resources and infrastructure needed to expand energy access and support industrialization
- Downstream & Petrochemicals Forum: refining, fuels, petrochemicals and opportunities for African markets to capture greater value from resources
A pre-conference program will set the tone for the week’s discussions and will include the 8th Meeting of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) National Oil Companies CEOs Forum, the Global Energy Leaders Forum, the Deal Room and the African Farmout Forum.
Renegade Intel will bring artificial intelligence, data centers and digital infrastructure into the energy discussion, while Power Africa Today will focus on investment, infrastructure and technologies for expanding electricity supply across the continent. Technical stages, roundtables and investor briefings will cover specific projects, markets and investment requirements.
Country spotlights and government participation#
Country spotlights will present investment strategies, policy developments, available acreage and priority projects from markets including South Africa, Nigeria, Gabon, Ghana, Namibia, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Algeria, Senegal and Equatorial Guinea, among others.
Petroleum ministers from across the continent are scheduled to participate and will present their investment priorities and opportunities to an international audience. The President of Senegal has designated a high-level representative to speak, and ministers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Kenya are also participating. Senior government representatives from Brazil, Japan, Venezuela, the United States and Grenada are among those confirmed.
Networking and music events#
On Monday, October 12, the Just Energy Transition Concert will open the week with performances by Keasungs, Mafikizolo, Roga Roga & Extra Musica and DJ Dollar. Nigerian artist Adekunle Gold will close the evening as the headline act.
Networking functions throughout the week will create additional opportunities for investors, government representatives and executives to meet outside conference sessions. The African Energy Awards & Gala Dinner will recognize companies, projects and individuals driving Africa’s energy development.
“AEW is not just another meeting to discuss Africa’s energy potential; it is a movement where projects meet capital, governments meet investors and companies turn Africa’s resources into catalysts for long-term development. Next week, Cape Town will bring the industry together with one objective: getting African energy projects moving,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
Registration information is available at AECWeek.com.
