Namibia is poised to become a significant oil producer in the coming years
Letter from Paris: Africa eyes future fuelled by oil and gas
A recent industry forum highlights how developing nations see hydrocarbons very differently from some in the West
The mood at the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris at the start of June was broadly both defiant and optimistic. On stage and on the sidelines, African oil ministers, NOC officials and private sector executives all continued to emphasise the disparity between the continent’s still-vast hydrocarbon resources and regional energy poverty, and criticised Western environmentalists for their opposition to new oil and gas developments in Africa. Ugandan lawyer Elison Karuhanga, a partner at Kampala Associated Advocates, was passionate and eloquent in his defence of Africa being allowed to develop its hydrocarbon resources. Karuhanga emphasises that 600mn Africans lack access to electricity, wh
Also in this section
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy
22 January 2026
New long-term deal is latest addition to country’s rapidly evolving supply portfolio as it eyes role as regional gas hub
