African policymakers, financiers, and energy executives issued a unified call at the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum in Johannesburg – organized by the African Energy Chamber – to advance infrastructure-led development, diversified energy systems and accelerated investment flows. The series of announcements comes ahead of the Invest in African Energies (IAE) Summit in Paris – taking place from April 22-23, 2026 – where many of the same stakeholders and more are expected to convert these messages into concrete deals and partnerships.
Across multiple sessions, speakers emphasized that Africa’s energy transition cannot proceed without large-scale financing, received industrial capacity and reliable transport and power networks. The Johannesburg forum served as a staging ground for more detailed investment discussions expected in Paris.
South Africa Accelerates Refinery Revival, Gas Diversification
South Africa’s government reiterated its intention to rebuild refining capacity under the newly established South African National Petroleum Corporation. With the majority of the country’s refineries offline, the South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe views refinery revival as central to energy security, economic revitalization and regional fuel stability.
In parallel, officials confirmed a fast-tracked gas strategy, including LNG import terminals, pipeline rehabilitation and accelerated licensing. Declining imports from Mozambique have intensified pressure to secure alternative gas sources and develop domestic reserves. These developments will form a crucial part of South Africa’s investment roadshow at the IAE Summit, where government and private players aim to attract capital for LNG, pipelines and downstream restructuring.
What’s more, the country’s Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reinforced broader calls for investment models that treat African states as equal partners rather than passive recipients. He stressed that Africa’s energy future hinges on building transmission capacity that can unlock cross-border trade and industrial growth. By insisting on value addition for critical minerals, the Minister underscored that the transition must create manufacturing power – not deepen the extractive patterns that have historically limited African development.
Clean Cooking, Refining, LPG Supply Under Renewed Scrutiny
Executives highlighted structural weaknesses in LPG supply chains, from insufficient storage and import capacity to deteriorated rail infrastructure. Calls were made to streamline permitting, reconfigure rail corridors and rehabilitate dormant refineries to prevent recurring supply shocks. Meanwhile, state-owned entities including PetroSA outlined plans to revive processing capacity and stabilize domestic markets. Private operators including Petredec pointed to continued demand growth across East and Southern Africa and called for reforms to improve terminal access, transport efficiency and market transparency.
These issues – long-standing but increasingly urgent – are expected to feature prominently in Paris, where project developers will seek partners for terminal expansions, rail rehabilitation and midstream infrastructure.
Capital Mobilization vs Infrastructure Constraints
Speakers emphasized that Africa will not close its infrastructure gap through concessional loans and aid alone. Pension funds, sovereign investors and African financial institutions were urged to take on a larger role in funding energy, manufacturing and logistics projects. Several panelists called for predictable regulatory environments and project preparation pipelines that allow institutional investors to enter at scale. These themes align directly with the IAE Summit’s goal of accelerating bankable deals and mobilizing both African and international capital.
Forum participants cited unreliable transmission networks, bottlenecked ports, aging rail lines and slow permitting as barriers to investment. Power-intensive sectors – mining, manufacturing, green hydrogen and data centers – were highlighted as immediate casualties of grid instability. With dozens of grid and transmission upgrade projects headed for investment rounds in 2025-2027, Paris is expected to serve as a matchmaking platform between African utilities, EPC companies and financing institutions.
Positioning for Paris: A Continental Investment Agenda
Taken together, the announcements in Johannesburg delivered a clear prelude to the IAE Summit in Paris where hydrocarbons gas and refining will be positioned as central to energy security and industrial growth across the African continent. Meanwhile, it was also noted that clean cooking and LPG markets will require infrastructure expansion and regulatory reform while domestic capital must complement international investment to unlock large-scale projects. Another major focus area that will also be explored is how grid, transport and permitting constraints must be resolved to attract long-term financing.
As African delegations prepare for Paris, the momentum generated at the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum signals a shift toward deal-focused engagement, with governments and operators seeking partnerships that advance infrastructure, stabilize energy systems and accelerate economic growth across the continent.
