LUANDA, Angola, April 7, 2026
Farid Ghezali, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) will speak at the upcoming Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition – taking place September 9–10 in Luanda with a pre-conference day on September 8. Ghezali’s participation comes at a pivotal time for Africa’s oil producers, with the anticipated June 2026 launch of the African Energy Bank (AEB) set to create new pathways for projects financing. AOG 2026 will provide a timely platform to discuss how this new institution can support projects in Angola and across the continent.
The upcoming debut of the AEB marks a turning point for Africa’s oil and gas financing landscape, creating a new, Africa-led funding institution designed to mobilize capital for strategic projects across the continent. With an initial funding target of $10 billion, the bank’s first phase will focus primarily on financing projects in Angola, Nigeria and Libya – three of Africa’s most significant oil and gas producers. By 2030, the institution is expected to raise up to $15 billion for oil and gas projects, offering a viable domestic financing solution for many countries.
For Angola, the emergence of the AEB could not come at a more critical time. With goals to sustain production above one million barrels per day (bpd), advance upstream exploration campaigns and expand downstream infrastructure, the country is pursuing innovative sources of finance to drive projects forward. While the country’s upstream market is witnessing a $70 billion investment drive, the downstream sector continues to face key challenges around finance. The Lobito Refinery – on track for a 2027 start – is currently seeking $4.8 billion to close its financing gap. With a capacity of 200,000 bpd, the facility will be Angola’s largest upon completion.
Established with an initial capitalization of $5 billion, the AEB is spearheaded by APPO and Afrexibank and is designed to finance upstream, midstream and downstream projects, prioritizing gas-to-power, refining, regional pipelines and integrated infrastructure. Headquartered in Nigeria, the bank’s “Mutual Assured Development” framework emphasizes commercial viability, sovereign benefit and local content compliance, while partnering with over 700 African financial institutions to distribute risk and crowd in private capital.
Beyond project financing, the AEB will support the listing of various African national oil companies (NOC) with a view to strengthen NOC financial capacity and support operational growth. Angola’s NOC Sonangol is preparing for a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2027, with 30% of its shares available. The IPO aims to unlock access to a wider capital pool, supporting the NOCs ongoing transition into a competitive upstream player. Platforms such as the AEB could serve as a critical launchpad for Sonangol, highlighting the value of the bank in Africa’s evolving hydrocarbon landscape.
AOG 2026 provides a strategic platform for discussions around the impact of the AEB in Africa’s oil and gas market, bringing together policymakers, project developers, financiers and operators at a time when access to capital has become one of the most important factors determining whether projects move forward. As Africa prepares to launch its first continent-wide energy financing institution, the AEB is set to become one of the most important developments in Africa’s oil and gas sector in recent years – and Ghelazi’s participation at AOG 2026 will place this conversation at the center of the event’s agenda.
