Aberdeen will host the West African Energy Summit (WAES) from November 18-19, 2025, positioning the city as a global hub for service companies looking to forge long-term partnerships with Africa’s energy markets. Organized by OGV Group, the summit will bring together upstream operators, financial institutions, technology providers and policy leaders to drive investment and collaboration across the continent’s dynamic energy sector.
WAES 2025 builds on decades of cooperation between Aberdeen and African markets. As one of the world’s foremost centers of oil and gas innovation, Aberdeen has played an instrumental role in shaping Africa’s upstream and offshore industries. Global service companies based in the city – including SLB, TechnipFMC, Subsea7 and Aker Solutions – continue to deliver cutting-edge technology, project management excellence and workforce development to support Africa’s growing energy sector.
SLB continues to deliver transformative value in Africa through its Integrated Performance Excellence Center in Luanda, Angola, driving project optimization across the full asset lifecycle. In Libya, the company’s operations have delivered a combined 100,000 barrels per day of new production, underpinned by advanced drilling and reservoir technologies developed in Aberdeen. Likewise, TechnipFMC has become a cornerstone of Africa’s deepwater growth. With a major engineering center in Aberdeen, the company supports high-profile projects such as Nigeria’s $5 billion Bonga North field, Angola’s Ndungu development and Mozambique’s Coral South LNG.
Meanwhile, Subsea7 and Aker Solutions have deepened their African engagement with the objective of maximizing local content and knowledge transfer. Subsea7 recently secured up to $150 million in new contracts for subsea pipeline installation across West Africa while Aker Solutions has renewed a long-term services contract with Azule Energy in Angola. These efforts are supported by longstanding human capital development programs, with Aberdeen and nearby Dundee having trained hundreds of African engineers, technicians and project managers, creating a robust skills pipeline that benefits both continents. This legacy of collaboration is foundational to the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) vision for sustainable, Africa-led energy growth.
As such, WAES 2025 is set to build on these relationships by providing a platform for new deals, strategic dialogue and cross-continental investment. By bringing together upstream operators, financial institutions, technology providers and policy leaders, the summit will showcase Africa’s $43 billion in projected oil and gas capital expenditure for 2025. Emerging opportunities in LNG, hydrogen and renewables will also take center stage.
To further strengthen these ties, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC will visit Aberdeen on July 11, 2025, ahead of WAES and the upcoming African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies conference – taking place in Cape Town from September 29 to October 3. Ayuk will speak at the OGV Taproom, located at the heart of Aberdeen’s innovation corridor, underscoring the city’s role as a vital bridge between Europe’s technical excellence and Africa’s vast resource potential.
“Africa is not just seeking suppliers – it’s looking for strategic partners who can help build a long-term, resilient energy future. WAES will serve as the meeting point for such partnerships, enabling Scottish and international service providers to participate in Africa’s energy renaissance,” states Ayuk.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
