APPO chief urges African NOCs to jointly develop energy projects
CAPE TOWN, October 14, 2026 – The Secretary-General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation [APPO], Farid Ghezali, has urged African national oil companies [ NOCs ] to strengthen cooperation and jointly develop energy projects to accelerate investment, improve local value creation and enhance energy security.
Speaking at the Eighth Annual Meeting of APPO NOC Chief Executives during African Energy Week [AEW] on Monday, Ghezali said the companies must move beyond high-level discussions and focus on practical partnerships that deliver tangible results.
He said NOCs should play a central role in advancing national energy security and economic sovereignty, rather than operating solely as oil-producing companies.
“Africa has moved to asking how much value it can create from the energy it produces,” Ghezali said, stressing the need for NOCs to strengthen partnerships in refining technology, gas infrastructure, petrochemicals and project financing.
He urged the companies to pool their domestic capabilities, assets and offtake agreements to reduce investment risks and develop a pipeline of commercially viable energy projects.
Ghezali also highlighted the proposed African Energy Bank as a key financing mechanism to support strategic projects jointly owned by NOCs and strengthen regional energy independence.
He challenged the chief executives to identify projects they could develop together, establish integrated energy value chains and agree on initiatives ready for immediate implementation.
“Africa does not need an architecture of good intentions, but an architecture of delivery,” he said.
Ghezali added that the success of industry forums should be measured not by the discussions held, but by the investments secured, projects implemented and economic opportunities created for African citizens.
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