Mozambique’s oil and gas industry has announced it will withdraw from the Africa Energies Summit, scheduled for May in London, citing concerns over the treatment of Black professionals and broader local content issues.
The Mozambique Energy Chamber said the decision reflects frustration with summit organizers, who have ignored calls for greater diversity and transparency in hiring. President Florival Mucave emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating that “our members will not be going to London.”
African stakeholders have long argued that platforms claiming to represent the continent’s energy sector must uphold fairness, inclusion, and local participation, values increasingly central to Africa’s energy agenda.
Mozambique is also emerging as a major player in the LNG sector. The TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG project restarted in January 2026, mobilizing more than 4,000 workers, including 3,000 Mozambicans, with first LNG production on track for 2029. Meanwhile, the ExxonMobil-led Rovuma LNG project is moving toward a final investment decision.
Mucave highlighted the importance of local workforce inclusion, saying the industry should avoid “environments where young Mozambicans will be discriminated upon solely based on their skin color and not on their qualifications or merits from experience.”
He also warned that ignoring African professionals could disrupt operations and undermine the industry, adding, “Failure to maintain an oil and gas industry culture that fosters innovation, collaboration and inclusion in Africa will only disrupt gas operations and create doubts about the industry.”
Mozambique’s withdrawal comes as African energy platforms face increasing scrutiny over local content and inclusion, with the summit’s response likely to influence future participation.
