African leaders, major financiers, and senior energy executives delivered a united message at the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum in Johannesburg, hosted by the African Energy Chamber, calling for faster infrastructure development, diversified energy systems, and significantly increased investment across the continent. The discussions and announcements made at the forum set the stage for the upcoming Invest in African Energies (IAE) Summit in Paris, scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, where stakeholders expect these commitments to be transformed into tangible projects, signed deals, and long-term partnerships.
Across numerous high-level panels and sector-focused dialogues, speakers repeatedly stressed that Africa’s energy transition cannot succeed without major capital inflows, strengthened industrial capacity, and efficient transport and power networks. The Johannesburg forum acted as a preparatory platform, laying out the structural challenges and investment priorities that will shape deeper negotiations in Paris.
South Africa Pushes Ahead With Refinery Rebuild and Gas Expansion
South Africa’s government reaffirmed its determination to restore and expand the country’s refining capacity through the newly created South African National Petroleum Corporation. With several domestic refineries currently offline, the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, described refinery rehabilitation as essential for national energy security, local economic revival, and broader regional fuel supply stability.
Alongside this, senior officials confirmed that South Africa is accelerating a national gas diversification strategy. This includes the construction of LNG import terminals, rehabilitation of critical pipeline infrastructure, and the fast-tracking of upstream licensing. Reduced gas imports from Mozambique have heightened concerns and increased the urgency to secure new supply sources while stimulating domestic exploration. These gas-focused initiatives will anchor South Africa’s investment pitch at the Paris summit, where government and private operators hope to attract financing for LNG storage, transmission pipelines, and downstream restructuring.
The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, also emphasized that investment frameworks must treat African governments as equal partners, rather than passive recipients of external funding. He argued that building modern transmission infrastructure is fundamental for unlocking regional energy trade and industrial expansion. Ramokgopa stressed that Africa’s energy transition must prioritize adding value to critical minerals so that African countries benefit from manufacturing and processing—not merely extraction.
Clean Cooking, Refining, and LPG Infrastructure Under the Spotlight
Industry executives used the forum to highlight long-standing weaknesses in Africa’s LPG supply chains, including limited storage capacity, inadequate import facilities, aging rail networks, and under-utilized refineries. Several speakers called for streamlined permitting processes, redesigned railway corridors, and the rehabilitation of non-operational refineries to avoid recurring shortages.
State-owned companies like PetroSA outlined plans to restore processing capacity and stabilize domestic markets, while private operators such as Petredec pointed to rising demand for LPG across both East and Southern Africa. They stressed the need for reforms that improve terminal access, enhance transport efficiency, and increase overall market transparency. These themes are expected to be central at the Paris summit, where developers will seek strategic partners to back terminal expansions, midstream upgrades, and large-scale rail rehabilitation projects.
Financing Challenges and Infrastructure Gaps
Forum participants stressed that Africa cannot bridge its massive infrastructure gap through concessional loans and aid alone. Pension funds, sovereign investment entities, and African financial institutions were encouraged to assume larger roles in financing energy, logistics, and industrial development. Predictable regulatory frameworks and well-prepared project pipelines were cited as essential for unlocking institutional capital at scale—directly aligning with the Paris summit’s mission of advancing bankable, investment-ready projects.
Speakers pointed to a range of structural constraints: unreliable transmission grids, congested ports, outdated rail systems, and slow permitting processes. These limitations directly affect power-heavy sectors such as mining, manufacturing, data centers, and emerging green hydrogen industries. With dozens of grid enhancement and transmission projects expected to seek financing between 2025 and 2027, Paris will serve as a key platform for connecting African utilities with EPC contractors, investors, and development financiers.
Setting the Stage for Paris: A Unified Continental Investment Strategy
The collective messages delivered in Johannesburg make clear that the IAE Summit in Paris will focus on accelerating investment in hydrocarbons, gas development, and refining as cornerstones of Africa’s energy security and industrial expansion. At the same time, the forum highlighted the critical need to expand clean cooking and LPG infrastructure, update regulatory systems, and mobilize domestic African capital to complement international investors.
Another major theme heading into Paris is the urgent need to remove constraints in grid capacity, transportation networks, and permitting processes—all of which are necessary to attract long-term financing and support large-scale energy projects.
As African delegations prepare for the Paris summit, momentum from the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum signals a shift toward deal-driven collaboration, with governments, developers, and financiers seeking partnerships that advance infrastructure, stabilize energy systems, and drive economic growth across the continent.
The IAE 2026 Summit, positioned as a premier gathering for global investors and African energy leaders, will offer two days of in-depth discussions, investor meetings, and project showcases. As a precursor to African Energy Week, the event is expected to play a decisive role in shaping Africa’s energy investment landscape for the years ahead.
