African Energy Week 2026: Barbados, Angola and Morocco Lead Bold Energy Reforms

From 12 to 16 October, Cape Town will host African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, the continent’s flagship gathering of energy ministers, regulators, national oil companies and investors. This year’s agenda is marked by the presence of three senior officials from Barbados, Angola and Morocco, each tasked with steering sweeping reforms designed to lure capital, modernise infrastructure and secure long‑term energy supply.

Barbados’ Minister of Energy, Business Development and Commerce, Kerrie D. Symmonds, arrived in the city as the Caribbean island pursues a “dual‑track” strategy. Since his February appointment, Symmonds has overseen a policy push aimed at delivering 100 % renewable electricity by 2030 while simultaneously opening the nation’s offshore basin to new exploration. In June, Barbados launched negotiations for 19 ultra‑deepwater blocks that span more than 62 000 km², signalling to international explorers that the country is ready to host large‑scale projects alongside investments in battery storage and grid upgrades.

In Angola, Alcides Andrade, Executive Board Member of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG), will outline a $60 billion development plan that runs through 2030. The blueprint backs projects such as Agogo, Begonia, CLOV Phase 3 and the Quiluma and Mabowueiro gas fields, while also targeting a stabilisation of crude output and the expansion of domestic refining capacity. Andrade is expected to discuss recent regulatory adjustments that aim to streamline licensing, improve fiscal terms and create a more predictable environment for foreign investors.

Morocco’s Salwa Didi, head of the Offshore Evaluation Division at the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), represents a historic transformation of the country’s hydrocarbon sector. ONHYM is being re‑structured into a state‑backed joint‑stock company, a move that grants it greater autonomy to raise capital, set up subsidiaries and partner with strategic investors. The reform dovetails with progress on the Tendrara gas project, renewed offshore exploration licences and the advancing Nigeria‑Morocco gas pipeline, all of which reinforce Morocco’s ambition to become a regional energy hub linking African gas supplies to European markets.

“Energy investment thrives on strong institutions, clear policy and competitive frameworks,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Barbados, Angola and Morocco each illustrate a distinct pathway to unlocking their energy potential, and AEW 2026 offers a rare forum for them to engage directly with the capital‑seeking private sector.”

Beyond the three speeches, AEW 2026 will host dozens of panels covering upstream licensing, renewable integration, infrastructure financing and cross‑border energy corridors. The five‑day event at the Cape Town International Conference Centre is positioned as the premier venue where African governments can showcase reform agendas and where global investors can gauge the continent’s evolving risk‑return profile.

As the world accelerates its energy transition, the reforms highlighted in Cape Town could reshape investment flows toward Africa’s oil, gas and renewables sectors, reinforcing the continent’s role in meeting both domestic demand and international climate goals.