Leading African energy players, companies and projects were recognized during the African Energy Awards in Cape Town, South Africa, during the African Energy Week 2022 conference. It was held under the theme: “Exploring and Investing in Africa’s Energy Future while Driving an Enabling Environment,” in consolidating the business event into an actionable agenda.
The African Energy Week, held from October 18 to 21, primarily aims at discussing all aspects of exploration, collaboration and utilization of Africa’s energy resources in scaling up energy security, drastically reduce energy imports and its role in driving socioeconomic growth in Africa.
With over 600 million people across the African continent living in energy poverty and 900 million without access to clean cooking solutions, the need to accelerate the deployment and exploitation of the continent’s vast yet untapped natural gas, solar, wind, hydropower and green hydrogen resources has expanded.
Emphasizing on transparency and good state polices throughout the conference, foreign oil companies and other providers of finance could help in developing projects that allow the continent to meet its set targets. Africa is blessed with enormous resources that can be used to alleviate energy poverty and supply the rest of the world with sustainable, affordable and clean energy.
The popular opinion throughout the conference was that Africa’s commitment aims at making energy poverty history by 2030. Developing resources responsibly requires companies and countries to create a shared agenda. It therefore beholds on African leaders, governments, energy companies and investors with global stakeholders to unite efforts in accelerating their participation and collaborations in energy financing and other related developments across Africa.
During African Energy Week’s (AEW) Gala Dinner, attended by high-level energy stakeholders including African Energy and Hydrocarbons Ministers and global leading energy market players – and sponsored by global energy and chemicals company Sasol – the African Energy Chamber (AEC) announced the winners of the African Energy Awards 2022.
Representing the brightest individuals, innovators and innovative projects significantly driving positive change across Africa’s energy industry, the winners of this year’s African Energy Awards included:
– NOC of the Year Award: NNPC Limited: The NOC has transformed into a limited-liability company – with its upstream, mid-stream, and downstream operations serving as the backbone of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon market success.
– Gas Monetization Award: Decade of Gas – Nigeria: As a major effort designed by the Government of Nigeria to take advantage of the global energy transition, the initiative is ensuring that the country’s natural gas resources are serving to fund the country’s energy transition.
– Operational Excellence Leader of the year Award: Perenco: The energy company has introduced innovative oil and gas solutions to the region, designed to optimize upstream activities across the African market.
– CEO of the Year Award: Proscovia Nabbanja, CEO of the Uganda National Oil Company: With nearly 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Proscovia Nabbanja has handled the Government of Uganda’s commercial interests with the utmost professionalism and innovation within the petroleum sector, while ensuring that the country’s resources are exploited in a sustainable and profitable manner.
– ESG Leader of the Year Award, bp: The major has expanded its role as one of Africa’s top producers to become the continent’s top low-emissions gas projects developer. Through various LNG projects such as BirAllah in Mauritania, the Yakaar-Teranga LNG Hub in Senegal, and the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim FLNG, as well as a wide range of renewable energy initiatives, bp’s commitment to ESG standards and practices cannot be understated.
– Independent of the Year Award – Kosmos Energy Ltd.: The independent is focused on a number of gas developments on the continent; discovering new petroleum systems and developing mature hydrocarbon basins in order to alleviate energy poverty in Africa.
– Game-Changer of the Year Award: TotalEnergies Namibia: TotalEnergies Namibia represents a premier opportunity for the country to maximize its natural resources in a way that is sustainable and beneficial for all.
– African Energy Person of the Year: Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank). In an era when fossil fuels funding are being restricted by wealthy nations, Dr. Oramah has enacted a series of mechanisms to ensure private sector investments maximize across Africa’s hydrocarbon industry to drive industry growth.
– Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award – Recognizes companies, organizations, projects and individuals shaping Africa’s energy market success:
The multiple recipients of the award include Rodgers Beall, Founder Fortesa Africa; Ousmane Ndiaye, Permanent Secretary at COS-PETROGAZ; Pam Darwin, Retired Vice President, Sub-Sahara Africa, Exploration and New Ventures. ExxonMobil; H.E. Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Republic of Congo; Peter Kutemann, Founder and Chairman of Dietsmann.
