The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other African national oil companies will gather in Cape Town, South Africa, on October 12 to advance plans for regional refining, energy financing and cross-border petroleum trade….
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other African national oil companies will gather in Cape Town, South Africa, on October 12 to advance plans for regional refining, energy financing and cross-border petroleum trade.
The meeting, the eighth African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) NOC-CEO Forum, will be held alongside African Energy Week 2026 and hosted by the South African National Petroleum Company.
NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, is expected to join heads of national oil companies from Algeria, Angola, Ghana, Libya, Senegal, Namibia, Cameroon, Gabon, Egypt and other APPO member states to discuss strategies for expanding Africa’s energy value chain.
A key focus of the forum will be boosting local refining capacity to reduce the continent’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Despite Africa’s vast crude oil and gas reserves, many countries still rely heavily on imported refined fuels due to limited refining and storage infrastructure.
Delegates will also consider proposals for a regional petroleum products exchange aimed at harmonising fuel standards, customs procedures and regulations to facilitate cross-border trade and strengthen energy security.
Another major item on the agenda is the Africa Energy Bank, APPO’s flagship financing initiative designed to mobilise African capital for oil, gas and energy infrastructure projects as international funding for hydrocarbon investments declines.
Participants are expected to explore partnerships with Afreximbank and identify bankable upstream, midstream and downstream projects for implementation from 2027.
Natural gas development will feature prominently, with discussions focusing on regional LNG cooperation, gas-to-power projects, liquefied petroleum gas expansion and measures to commercialise stranded gas resources while reducing routine gas flaring.
Nigeria, which holds one of Africa’s largest gas reserves, is expected to play a leading role in these deliberations.
The forum will also review opportunities for joint investments, shared infrastructure, technology transfer and technical collaboration among African national oil companies.
In addition, APPO is expected to unveil digital platforms that will connect suppliers, investors, researchers and training institutions.
The platforms will aid in creating new opportunities for African service companies to participate in projects across the continent.
The meeting will conclude with the adoption of a 2027 roadmap outlining priority projects, financing strategies and performance targets.
This comes as African oil producers seek to accelerate domestic refining, strengthen regional energy cooperation and retain more value from the continent’s petroleum resources.