United States Broadens African Energy Push as Volz Brings Washington to African Energy Week 2026
From LNG finance in Mozambique to grid technology and clean cooking, U.S. government agencies and companies are expanding their engagement with African energy markets as Department of Energy official Josh Volz prepares to join African Energy Week 2026
CAPE TOWN, October 3, 2026 — The United States [U.S]is expanding its engagement with Africa’s energy sector through government-backed finance, technology partnerships and private-sector investment, with projects spanning Mozambique, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC].
Josh Volz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East at the US Department of Energy, is due to represent Washington at African Energy Week [AEW] 2026 in Cape Town from October 12-16.
The US engagement covers both hydrocarbons and electricity infrastructure. In April, the US Trade and Development Agency [USTDA] brought energy officials from the DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to the United States to meet American companies involved in transmission and distribution technologies, including artificial intelligence-enabled grid systems.
The programme was aimed at linking US technology providers with prospective projects and procurement opportunities in African electricity markets.
Mozambique is among the largest examples of US-backed financing for an African gas project. In March 2025, the US Export-Import Bank approved a nearly US$ 5 billion loan for TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG project, reviving financing for the long-delayed development.
The original US$4.7 billion commitment was approved during the first Trump administration but required reapproval after construction was suspended in 2021.
Meanwhile, ExxonMobil and its Area 4 partners awarded about US$ 1.1 billion in pre-investment contracts for long-lead equipment and early construction activities at the Rovuma LNG project in August.
US development finance is also playing a role in the expansion of American engagement with African energy markets.
The US International Development Finance Corporation [DFC] saw its investment ceiling increase from US$60 billion to US$ 205 billion following its 2025 reauthorisation. The agency also received expanded authority covering international investments in strategic sectors, including energy and critical minerals. The new authorisation runs through 2031.
The DFC has continued to approve transactions in Africa in 2026. On September 16, the agency announced more than US$8 billion in new investments globally, including projects supporting infrastructure and resources in Africa.
The investments are part of the agency’s stated efforts to promote US exports, energy security and American technology.
US companies are also active in African electricity markets. GE Vernova provides generation, transmission, grid and software technologies across the continent.
The company says its technology is installed in more than 50 countries across the Middle East and Africa. In Nigeria, its equipment is installed at more than 40 sites, while its grid technology has also supported regional electricity integration through the West African Power Pool.
Energy access is another area of US engagement.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright co-chaired a high-level summit on clean cooking in Africa in July 2026 alongside Kenyan President William Ruto, Norway and the International Energy Agency [IEA].
The meeting generated US$ 900 million in new commitments, bringing total commitments since the 2024 Africa Clean Cooking Summit to more than US$ 3.1 billion.
Wright described clean cooking as a major energy-access challenge that has often received limited attention.
Volz has previously said African countries should determine their own energy pathways while the US seeks opportunities to work with them.
Speaking at AEW 2025, Volz said: “International governments should not stand in the way of how African nations determine their energy futures. We are eager to hear how best we can, from a U.S. perspective, partner with Africa.”
He also cited US$ 65 billion in existing US private-sector investment in Africa and a US$ 2.5 billion US government commitment to support energy expansion.
The US is expected to have a significant presence at AEW 2026, with Volz listed alongside US Senator Ted Cruz, United States Energy Association President and Chief Executive Officer Mark W. Menezes and DFC Managing Director and Regional Head of Africa Vibhuti Jain.
Jain is also scheduled to participate in the US-Africa Energy & Investment Forum on October 14. The forum will bring together US and African companies, investors and policymakers to discuss capital, technology and commercial partnerships.
“The DFC is better resourced than it has ever been, making this an opportune moment for African operators to make their case. This conference is about making sure the capital and the projects actually find each other,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
The expanding US role in African energy spans project finance, liquefied natural gas [LNG], upstream development, electricity infrastructure, grid technology and clean cooking.
Volz’s participation at AEW 2026 comes as US-Africa energy engagement increasingly focuses on specific projects, commercial partnerships and technology deployment.
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