Upstream Africa: A Conversation with C. Derek Campbell on Energy Sovereignty, Investment, and the Future of the Continent
Share:
An interview between Paul Sinclair, CEO of AOW:Energy, and C. Derek Campbell, Executive Chairman of LVC Global Holdings & AlphaSierra One
Paul Sinclair: Derek, it’s an honour to speak with you. As two business leaders deeply embedded in Africa’s energy and investment landscape, it’s clear we share not just a professional commitment, but a personal one, to building a stronger, more sovereign continent. Let me begin with a fundamental question at the heart of this moment in history: Why does Africa matter more than ever in today’s global energy and resource conversation?
C. Derek Campbell: Thank you, Paul. I’m equally honoured to have this conversation with you at a time when the tectonic plates of global politics, supply chains, and energy policy are visibly shifting. Africa’s leadership in the global energy and natural resources dialogue is no longer theoretical, it’s strategic, it’s urgent, and it’s inevitable.
Let’s be clear, we are witnessing a reordering of geopolitical power. The G7 nations are recalibrating their industrial strategies. The Global South is asserting its agency. Energy security has become a critical lens through which governments now make decisions. Against that backdrop, Africa is no longer seen merely as a resource basin, it is increasingly viewed as a partner of choice, a supplier of critical raw materials – particularly metals & minerals and oil & gas, and a future hub of industrial and geopolitical influence.
But Africa cannot afford to be passive in this moment. It must assert energy sovereignty, on its own terms. That means harnessing its hydrocarbons and critical minerals not just for export, but for domestic development. It means value addition locally and partnering globally – particularly with nations like the United States. It means exporting refined products, processed minerals, power, and even innovation.
Africa has to transition away from being simply the warehouse of the world and become the workshop of the world. The demand base, whether in India, China, Europe or North America, continues to grow, but supply security and ethical sourcing are now deal-breakers. That gives Africa a competitive edge – a leadership pole position, particularly if it aligns strong governance with sustainable extraction and industrial policy.
Africa’s story isn’t just about what lies beneath the soil, it’s about unlocking prosperity above the ground. Its people, its institutions, and its entrepreneurs are ready. The next chapter must be written around leadership, ownership, industrialisation, and transformative partnerships.
Paul Sinclair: That perfectly captures the ambition. We often say that AOW:Energy is the convening ground of African leadership. Derek, what excites you about AOW:Energy’s mission?
C. Derek Campbell: AOW:Energy is visionary. It’s an engine of movement. It brings together ministers, regulators, CEOs, financiers, and entrepreneurs who all understand one truth: It’s time for Africa to embrace its position of leadership in the global energy future.
The reason I align with AOW:Energy is simple: it creates deal flow, it builds relationships, and it tackles hard questions. Whether it’s natural resource optimization, infrastructure financing, or energy justice, AOW:Energy gets decision-makers and investors into the room and catalyizes results.
Let’s be very clear. Africa is home to vast reserves of oil, gas, metals, and minerals, and it has the demographic trajectory to become the most important growth engine of the 21st century. Yet despite this, it’s often been positioned on the periphery of global decision-making. That needs to change.
And here’s the truth right, hydrocarbons are, and will remain, a fundamental part of the global energy mix for decades to come. The narrative that the world can just switch off hydrocarbons overnight is not only unrealistic, but also irresponsible. Even the largest global emitters are recalibrating their energy strategies. We are watching major energy companies, and indeed major economies, quietly shift back toward a more balanced and diversified portfolio that includes oil and gas. Why? Because the energy transition is not binary, it is layered, complex, and long-term.
Africa can and should play a leadership role in this reality. It can develop its oil and gas responsibly. It can produce low-carbon barrels. It can apply cutting-edge technology, such as net-zero production and decarbonization tools from partners like SLB, Baker Hughes, ENI, and MODEC. And it can do all this while still delivering power to its people.
Let’s remember, this is not just about export. Africa is still grappling with energy poverty on a scale that is unacceptable in 2025. Africans lack access to reliable electricity. That is not a throw away comment, it’s a reality and a deep inhibitor to the region realising its full potential. It means Africa must craft energy policy that fits its context. It cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all approach designed for economies that are already industrialised. Every country is different, and Africa’s 54 sovereign states must chart their own energy paths, with their own timelines, using the full range of tools available to them.
Fossil fuels, used wisely and sustainably, can bring enormous value. In fact, Africa’s emissions footprint is negligible when compared to the largest emitters. Africa has a moral and economic right to use our resources for development. The world has already built its wealth on hydrocarbons. Africa must be allowed to build prosperity on its terms, responsibly, with transparency, and with modern innovation.
Paul Sinclair: This year we are seeing an even more technical, upstream-focused AOW:Energy. ExxonMobil, Chevron, ENI, TotalEnergies, Equinor, Shearwater, SLB and other major operators and service firms are all attending because they see the value. How do you view this evolution?
C. Derek Campbell: It’s essential. If Africa is to thrive in oil and gas, it needs world-class seismic, drilling, production, and policy frameworks. The return to upstream at AOW:Energy is timely. The technical sessions, basin showcases, and high-level geoscience briefings offer something Africa needs: data, access, and visibility.
Moreover, AOW:Energy doesn’t stop at technical depth, it facilitates high-level stakeholder engagement. This year, we’ll see heads of state, national oil companies, regulators, and entrepreneurs sharing one stage. That’s the kind of cross-pollination we need if we want to birth real change and I am proud to be a part of that. With the big players coming together in Accra we can see the big conversations evolve and impact made. I for one am very excited what Sankofa has achieved in 1 year and it will act as a building block for change and focus. I know you have bought that event back to the core of its development and that was key, its niche and clever. The industry will see more consolidated results from a more focused event.
Paul Sinclair: Your firm is unique Derek; you are connecting U.S. government and commercial entities with African projects. How do you see your role in helping Africa build strategic partnerships?
C. Derek Campbell: Great question. Our platform AlphaSierra One promotes and facilitates U.S. public and private sector expansion into strategic global markets across Africa and the Middle East. We help African projects get to the right government roundtables and commercial boardrooms. Whether it’s a critical minerals contract in Zambia, an upstream drilling campaign in Angola, or downstream expansion plan in Mozambique, we position Africa’s value proposition in ways that speak to the investment community and showcase the power of patient and catalytic capital.
This goes beyond capital it’s about trust. The U.S., EU, and other partners are looking for stable, ethical, and scalable projects. Africa offers all of that. Africa’s continued focus to ensure transparent governance, consistent policy, and its efforts to showcase strong local partners will continue to position the Continent as the most attractive place globally to invest in energy, natural resource, and infrastructure opportunities.
Paul Sinclair: Let’s talk frankly about hydrocarbons and energy transition. Some believe Africa should leapfrog into renewables. Others say we must use what we have—oil & gas and metals & minerals to build from within. What’s your take?
C. Derek Campbell: Africa must do both I believe, but it must do it on its own terms – and also mandate that any energy transition efforts ensure consistent baseload power . Let’s be clear: hydrocarbons built the modern world. Every developed economy exploited hydrocarbons to reach prosperity. So why is it that when Africa wants to use its own resources, we’re told to skip that step?
It’s a false dichotomy to pit hydrocarbons against renewables. Africa can and must develop low-carbon barrels. The technology exists. Companies like SLB, Baker Hughes, MODEC, and ENI are already producing net-zero hydrocarbons. Innovation is on our side.
At the same time, when the right conditions and costs are met, Africa should build a renewables solar corridors, geothermal, hydropower and capitalize on critical minerals for the other side of the energy debate, it’s a win-win for Africa. But that transition takes time, capital, and capacity. Let’s stop pretending the world can switch off oil overnight. It can’t and shouldn’t. Africa will responsibly monetise its natural resources.
Paul Sinclair: Let’s speak about energy security and Africa’s opportunity to serve both itself and the world.
C. Derek Campbell: The global population is growing and nowhere faster than Africa. Energy demand is rising. Europe, Asia, and North America are still scrambling to meet base load demand often turning back to gas and oil. Africa can, and should, be a supplier of choice.
But we must move from extraction to ownership and leadership in the space. That means negotiating better contracts, increasing national equity participation, and building domestic refining and petrochemical capacity. Africa’s energy security is not just about electrons and molecules; it’s about sovereignty and having the right partners who want to walk with them on that journey. Global partnership in any sector is a necessary fact; we have to work together as human beings. Africa needs to develop local capacity and finance, but let’s face it, whether you are South American, European, African or Asian, you will reach your goal quicker with the best partners, more capital and investors.
Paul Sinclair: Ghana is hosting AOW:Energy 2025. It’s a return to upstream and a celebration of Africa’s energy champions. What does this say about the moment we’re in?
C. Derek Campbell: It says that Africa is ready to lead. Ghana, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and Minister John Jinapor, is showing the kind of vision, we need, technocratic excellence, investment openness, and long-term energy planning.
Hosting AOW:Energy in Ghana is symbolic. It’s a sign that the continent is no longer waiting for validation we’re writing the agenda. And from the Gambia to Mozambique, Senegal to South Africa, that story is being echoed. Africa has the geology, it has the young professionals, institutional investors, and world-class assets. The tide has turned, and I know with platforms like AOW:Energy Africa is on the right path.
Paul Sinclair: What’s your final message to the global audience reading this?
C. Derek Campbell: Join us. If you believe in real energy transition, if you believe in Africa, if you want to do deals and be a part of the fabric of Africa and the energy scene, come to AOW:Energy. If you want to support infrastructure development, come to AOW:Energy. Africa will develop its resources that are so important to the region and the world – come and be a part of the movement.
AOW:Energy is building the bridge between projects and capital. AOW:Energy is connecting people with purpose. Together we’re engineering something special for the good of the Continent.
Paul Sinclair: Derek, thank you for your clarity, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to Africa. We look forward to building this future—side by side.