End of the Road or New Dawn? A Questionable Legacy As AOW Fetes 30th Anniversary
October 06, 2024
By Ajong Mbapndah L
For decades, the African Oil Week managed by the London based Hyve Group held sway over the African Energy sector. The event held in Cape Town, South Africa brought in a broad array of power players in the oil and gas industry year in, year out. The perception was that the AOW had the best interest of the continent at heart -well up until 2021 when the organizers relocated the event from Cape Town to Dubai, using the ruse of COVID 19. As hard as the organizers of the AOW tried to justify the move, many Africans did not buy the sell, and the verdict was in-It was more about business and less about genuinely looking out for African interests.
“Delivering the event to the high standard to which our audience is accustomed and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our attendees has always been our top priority. We believe that hosting the 2021 edition in Dubai will enable us to ensure that the event experience is both safe and premium for our customers,” the AOW said in a statement posted on their website in justification of the move. Many Africans saw things differently though.
The event’s move from Cape Town to Dubai was wrong, short-term in its thinking, and sent a negative message about Africa, said Florival Mucave, President of Mozambican Oil and Gas Chamber (CPGM).
“The move underestimates our preparedness to host events that define our future economic and energy sector success. Imagine the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament being hosted in Dubai because one company says Africa is not the right place anymore because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mucave said in condemnation of the relocation.
“You can’t want to talk about African acreage and resources, but not want to do so on their home patch,” said Robin Vela as he fumed at the decision to relocate the African Oil Week (AOW) from Cape Town, South Africa, to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Robin Vela, Chairman of the Lonsa Group, a leading investment entity in Africa, went further to say the moveto relocate the AOW to Dubai was akin to scoring an own goal.
“As a former Patron of the African Institute of Petroleum, I concur that a move of AOW from an African location to any other continent is not just disrespectful to Africans whose resources are being talked about, but considerably delusional,” Vela went on.
Mothballing a conference in South Africa, an African nation that has handled the Covid-19 pandemic remarkably well, is a clear sign of opportunism and detachment from the pledge to support African venues and our continent, the African Energy Chamber-AEC lashed out on its part,
“While Dubai is a fabulous venue in its own right, we do believe that events of African nature should show strong commitment to African communities, cities, and the local workforce. An event of the magnitude of Africa Oil Week is a big local employer. Reneging on its long-standing partner, the African people and the continent, is a truly unfortunate sign of disinterest in African values of trust, loyalty and companionship, and is in fact very unscrupulous in nature,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chair of the African Energy Chamber.
As the African Oil Week gets into its 30th anniversary edition billed as a celebration of thirty years of presence in Africa, there must be a tinge of regret in that 2021 decision which signaled the beginning of its divorce with the continent. The AOW is today a pale shadow of itself compared to what it was prior to that move. Dwindling numbers, waning influence, doubtful impact, and generally facing more questions than answers on the nature of its defining mission on the African Energy landscape.
In the build up to the AOW 2024, a plethora of messages are in circulation. “AOW is the meeting place for the global community of African energy stakeholders committed to enabling a prosperous energy outlook for Africa.” Noble and lofty messages indeed, but does 21st century Africa with its myriad of problems pin its hopes on lofty messages alone? On recycled programs? Beyond the African Oil Week in Cape Town, just what is done in the course of the year by its management to help Africa change its energy fortunes?
Besides its 2021 relocation fiasco, the AOW has been dogged by a myriad of questions, including issues of diversity.
“In the dynamic mosaic of Africa’s energy landscape, the Hyve Group plays a pivotal role, reaping substantial revenue from the continent’s thriving markets. However, a glaring void persists within the corridors of power at Hyve Group – the absence of African leadership. This stark reality raises pertinent questions about the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said the African Energy Chamber in a call on the Hyve Group to rectify this imbalance earlier this year.
“The disappointment is amplified by the fact that people of African heritage are not just passive participants in Hyve Group’s endeavours; they are active sponsors and contributors to the success of its programs. This contradiction raises concerns about the sincerity of Hyve Group’s commitment to inclusivity. While the company embarks on rebranding initiatives and embraces wokeness, the absence of African representation in leadership roles casts doubt on the authenticity of these efforts. Highlighting the success of the Oil and Gas industry in championing the hiring, training, and promotion of Africans,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, in drawing a sharp contrast.
With its dwindling fortunes and faced with mounting critiques and scrutiny, the AOW has sort to re-invent itself beginning with the cession of hosting rights by the Hyve Group to the UK startup company Sankofa Events Ltd owned by Paul Sinclair, a former VP Government Relations for Africa at the Hyve Group and Africa Oil Week.
In an email message to partners and stakeholders announcing the move, CEO Mark Shashoua said to ensure continuity for the AOW Community, Hyve will be supporting Paul over the coming months to ensure the successful delivery of the 30th anniversary event this October.
“I am proud and excited to today take the helm of AOW – an event I have much history with and a brand I firmly believe in the power of. AOW has made extraordinary progress over the last few years, and I am determined to build on that to expand and develop this important event even further. I look forward to working with you all and seeing you at the upcoming event in October.” said Paul Sinclair
It remains to be seen if the changes will yield dividends. Sources in the energy sector are talking of advance plans by the AOW to relocate the 2025 event from Cape Town to Accra, Ghana. Documents that PAV came across show that the AOW Ghana 2025 will be floated at the 30th anniversary event in Cape Town. The program launch of the AOW Ghana that PAV came across includes statements from Paul Sinclair CEO of Sankofa events, Herbert Krapa Minister of Energy,Ghana, Egbert Faibille Jnr, CEO Petroleum Commission ,Ghana, Joseph Dadzie, CEO Ghana National Petroleum Commission, and Emmanuel Ibe Ketchikwu , former Minister of State Petroleum, Nigeria, who is listed as Chairman of AOW Energy 2025 Advisory Board.
Should the AOW retreat be confirmed, it will not come as a surprise as the African Energy Week -AEW hosted by the African Energy Chamber has since its maiden edition in 2021 built consensus as the continent’s nouvelle premiere energy event. More energetic, African led with a more diverse and representative leadership, robust attendance, embraced by a broader segment of energy actors national and international, from governments to corporate, from the youth to women, the AEW has given the African voice the critical jolt that was needed to amplify this new dawn.
From its humble beginnings in 2021, the AEW has blossomed into the continent’s premier energy event. A perfect blend of quantity and quality, the AEW weaves a mosaic of a continent that knows its challenges, conscious of its potential and unambiguous on the path that must be followed to make energy poverty history.
Birthed by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) under the premise of making energy poverty history by 2030, the African Energy Week has morphed into an annual energy event, uniting African energy leaders, global investors, and executives from across the public and private sector for four days of intense dialogue on the future of the African energy industry. Through panel discussions, investor forums, industry summits and one-on-one meeting opportunities, the AEW plays a uniquely important role in driving discussions shaping the dynamics and trajectory of the continent’s energy fortunes.
Heading into its 4th year, NJ Ayuk and his dynamic team at the African Energy Chamber have built a veritable movement resolute on changing the energy fortunes of Africa. Far from begging bowl in hand, Africa has made the world see it for the potential that it represents. For a continent that is getting tired of playing defence, the AEW is a strong component of the offensive game plan that the African Energy Chamber has embarked upon in ensuring that the colossal energy resources of Africa are put to ample use in meeting the development needs of the times.
By the time the AOW returned to the continent in 2022, the train had left station, the dueling event with the AEW in 2023 was a losing preposition and the trend shows it will likely be the same going forward. With the year-round advocacy that it does worldwide, the African Energy Chamber is arguably the most articulate voice advocating for the African energy future. The AOW contributed its quota, it was good while it lasted, but it now seems or represents more of the past while the AEW increasingly stakes its claim as the present and the future.
As the AOW celebrates its 30th anniversary, the AEC is in active preparation for the AEW 2024 running from 4-8 November in Cape Town. From preparation, to branding, marketing, vision, enthusiasm and more the contrast is staggering with one of the events . basking in the glory of a past it may never recapture and the other taking challenges of the present head on and embracing the promise of a future that better meets the potentials and realities of Africa.
