Reflections on AOW:Energy 2025 – A Platform of Unity, Integrity and Shared Success

As I reflect on what was arguably the most successful AOW:Energy in the last seven years, my overwhelming feeling is one of gratitude. Gratitude to our Advisory Board, our partners, our sponsors, our speakers, our delegates, and above all, our community. Without your trust, your energy, and your commitment to Africa’s upstream future, none of this would have been possible.

From the very beginning of this cycle, our Advisory Board Members worked tirelessly to help us shape a program that was not only technically strong, but deeply relevant to the challenges and opportunities of our time. Together, we curated what many are now saying is the best content and the best attendance we have seen in years. For that, I offer my deepest thanks.

The results speak for themselves. 1,475 people joined us in Accra in 2025, a rise of 15% in attendance. But numbers only tell part of the story. The true success lies in the quality of the network we convened: the largest operator presence in our history, with ExxonMobil, ENI, Shell, TotalEnergies, and bp all attending – and all but one sponsoring. The industry came together in force, not just to attend another conference, but to take part in a platform they trust, a platform they feel belongs to them.

Unity in Action

One of the themes that defined this year’s gathering was unity. Our industry often works across borders, across languages, and across regulatory frameworks, but in Accra we came together with a shared purpose: to build Africa’s upstream future.

From Morocco’s ONHYM to Mozambique’s INP, from Ghana’s GNPC to Nigeria’s NUPRC, from Senegal’s Petrosen to South Africa’s PASA – the presence of so many national oil companies, regulators, ministries, and service providers under one roof sent a powerful message: Africa’s upstream is strongest when we are united.

That unity was not just symbolic. It translated into action. On the second day of the summit, in the presence of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, ENI, Vitol, and GNPC signed a groundbreaking USD 1.5 billion agreement to boost oil and gas production and advance sustainable energy initiatives. This deal was not only historic for Ghana, but also a reminder of what happens when we bring the right people together, in the right environment, with the right purpose.

A Platform of Integrity and Trust

At Sankofa Events, we are deeply conscious that our success is built on trust. AOW:Energy is not simply a commercial gathering; it is a platform of integrity. It is a place where deals are done, but also where relationships are nurtured, where ideas are exchanged openly, and where people feel at ease.

We have worked hard to ensure that AOW:Energy is inclusive and welcoming. This means never inflating prices, never creating barriers to access, but always prioritising the industry and regions needs over our gain, for us it is all about making positive change and moving our region and sector forward with you as the fundamental engine room – Without you the brand doesn’t work and we therefore want to make this inclusive, not overly commercial. We are building a space where everyone feels they belong, whether you are a minister, a major operator, a junior explorer, or a service company.

Integrity is also about focus. We don’t want to be all things to all people, we are proud that AOW:Energy has returned to its core: upstream oil, gas, and energy development. We focus on geology. We focus on exploration. We focus on deals. And we focus on building an ecosystem where upstream growth can happen. By giving AOW:Energy back to the industry, we have re-established it as a trusted place where commercial and technical leaders alike can feel comfortable, confident, and inspired.

Belonging and Shared Success

At its heart, AOW:Energy is about belonging. Having run events for 25+ years I have become aware of the events industry focusing on ticket sales and commercial success, but we want to be different and balance the growth of the event with value to you. We want to measure success on the deals you do, the networks you build and the business opportunities you walk away with. We want to provide you with a new business platform of purpose and that moves the needle on our thematic. The feedback from industry so far from the 2025 AOW:Energy in Accra this year has reflected exactly that; the atmosphere was different. It was inclusive. It was warm. It was collaborative. It felt like a family reunion of professionals who care deeply about the future of Africa’s upstream.

We are proud that delegates leave AOW:Energy not only with business opportunities, but also with a sense that they are part of something larger, a movement for Africa’s prosperity and energy security. This sense of belonging is not accidental. It comes from the values we embed in everything we do: respect, integrity, collaboration, and inclusivity.

Shared success was another key theme of 2025. Success cannot be measured only in contracts signed or deals announced – though we had plenty of both. Success is also measured in the relationships deepened, the partnerships forged, and the knowledge shared. When the industry grows together, Africa wins. And when Africa wins, the world benefits from a stronger, more secure, and more sustainable energy future.

Thanks to Our Network

I want to take a moment to thank all of you, our AOW`ers across the region and across the world. Whether you were in Accra, or supporting us from afar, your belief in this platform gives us the confidence and courage to keep moving forward. You all made AOW proud to be the event it was, an event that celebrated Africa and an event which celebrates togetherness, unity, integrity and positioning the African upstream agenda above all else.

To the governments and NOCs who continue to stand with us, thank you for trusting us with your vision. To the operators – ExxonMobil, ENI, Shell, TotalEnergies, bp, Seplat, First E&P, Chevron, Oando, Tullow Oil, Kosmos, and so many others, thank you for showing that AOW:Energy is where you want to be. To our service community – SLB, TGS, MODEC, Yinson, Baker Hughes, Rigworld, Chemsolv, Shearwater, Oceaneering, Searcher and beyond – thank you for proving that this platform is where technology and geosciences meet opportunity. 

To our media partners, APPO, AFREC, and countless friends across the continent, thank you for amplifying our message of unity and shared growth. And to the people of Ghana, especially GNPC, the Petroleum Commission, and the Ministry of Energy, thank you for welcoming us with open arms and helping us make history.

Celebrating a Milestone for African Exploration: The Signing of the AFRIPERF Charter

History was made this week as Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), together with the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, led the way in signing the groundbreaking AFRIPERF Charter. This landmark achievement represents a monumental step forward for African exploration, regulatory collaboration, and the sustainable development of our continent’s vast petroleum resources.

The African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF) is founded on a simple but powerful vision: to transform Africa’s oil and gas industry into a driver of inclusive growth, economic development, and shared prosperity. At its core, the Charter is a commitment by regulators to manage petroleum resources in a transparent, sustainable, efficient, equitable, and mutually beneficial manner. It recognizes the immense potential of Africa’s sizeable oil and gas endowment and ensures that its development will be guided by international best practices, collaboration, and integrity.

By adopting this Charter, member regulators have pledged to work hand in hand with governments, industry stakeholders, host communities, civil society, and international partners. Together, they will ensure that Africa’s petroleum sector does more than power economies, it must also uplift lives, foster prosperity, and secure long-term energy sovereignty for the continent.

Importantly, AFRIPERF also places natural gas at the center of Africa’s development agenda, recognizing its role as a transition fuel. The Charter commits to the responsible development, commercialization, and integration of natural gas into national and regional frameworks, ensuring that Africa can balance sustainability with growth.

This milestone, championed by NUPRC Nigeria and the Petroleum Commission Ghana, marks a new chapter, a new era for African exploration, one rooted in unity, collaboration, and progress for our region. 

Looking Ahead

This year we set new standards. We united as an industry. We delivered on our pan-African mandate. And we showed that when we work together, with integrity, with humility, and with purpose – there is no limit to what we can achieve.

But this is just the beginning. In 2026, we will come back with even more focus, even more energy, and even more purpose. We will continue to put Africa first. We will continue to put our network first. And we will continue to build a platform of integrity and trust that the industry can be proud of, a platform that belongs to you.

Closing Thoughts

To every AOWer across the region and the world: thank you. Thank you for your faith. Thank you for your support. And thank you for reminding us why we do this work. AOW:Energy is not mine. It is not Sankofa’s. It is yours. It is the industry’s. It is Africa’s. And together, we are shaping it into a movement of unity, integrity, and shared success.

In Accra this year, we made history. In 2026, we will build on that history. And together, we will continue to chart a path toward prosperity, security, and inclusive growth for Africa’s upstream.

With gratitude and respect,

Paul Sinclair
CEO, Africa Oil Week