African private sector leaders are calling for a coordinated withdrawal from global energy events they say marginalise local professionals, escalating tensions over participation, contracting and representation in the continent’s fast-growing energy sector.
In a statement distributed by the African Energy Chamber, industry stakeholders urged countries including Nigeria and Senegal to follow the lead of Ghana and Mozambique in rejecting platforms accused of sidelining African talent.
The intervention centres on criticism of Frontier Energy Network, which organisers say operates global forums focused on Africa but allegedly limits meaningful participation by African executives, service providers and technical professionals. The statement argues that such practices undermine local capacity development, knowledge transfer and broader economic inclusion.
The pushback follows recent actions by industry groups in Ghana and Mozambique. In March, Mozambique’s oil and gas sector withdrew from the Africa Energies Summit in London, citing concerns over diversity and transparency. Weeks later, Ghana’s energy stakeholders took a similar position, pointing to what they described as discriminatory hiring and contracting practices.
Together, the moves signal a growing willingness among African industry players to leverage participation—and funding—as bargaining tools in shaping how international platforms engage with the continent.
At the centre of the current campaign is a broader demand for what industry leaders describe as a shift from “extraction to partnership.” The statement highlights the need for equitable hiring, local contracting and leadership inclusion as conditions for engagement with global energy events.
Dr. Ndjuga Dieng, Managing Director of Senegal-based Alliance Energy, framed the issue as one of structural imbalance in how African markets are integrated into global industry platforms.
“Africa will no longer sit quietly while its talent is excluded from opportunities on its own continent,” he said, urging governments and businesses to “protect your people, your companies and your energy future.”
The statement also points to alternative models of engagement, citing platforms such as the Offshore Technology Conference and the Invest in African Energy Forum as examples where African participation is more deeply embedded across programming and deal-making.
Beyond events, the debate reflects a deeper shift in Africa’s energy landscape, where governments and private sector actors are increasingly prioritising local content policies and domestic value creation. The Chamber notes that sustained growth in the sector will depend on ensuring African firms and professionals play central, not peripheral roles in project development and execution.
The call for withdrawal stops short of advocating isolation, instead positioning the move as a strategic recalibration of partnerships. Industry leaders argue that continued participation in platforms perceived as exclusionary risks legitimising practices that weaken Africa’s long-term industrial and human capital development.
