Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), has been selected as a recipient of the Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award. Taking place during the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – scheduled for November 4-8 in Cape Town - the awards celebrate the individuals and companies spearheading the development, innovation and growth of the African energy industry.

The Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award represents the highest honor in Africa’s energy sector, and recognizes an individual who has left an indelible mark on the African oil, gas and energy industries.  His work as Secretary General of APPO and commitment to driving inclusive, collaborative and sustainable development in Africa reaffirm Ibrahim’s selection as a recipient of this award.

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Under Ibrahim’s leadership, APPO has made significant strides towards expanding and strengthening the African energy sector. One of the organization’s biggest achievements is the launch of the Africa Energy Bank, an institution established with the aim of improving access to finance for African energy projects. Officially launched in 2024, the bank features an initial start-up capital of $5 billion and will be headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria. Spearheaded by APPO and the African Export-Import Bank, the bank was created out of a need to enhance access to financing for Africa’s oil and gas industry. With the decline in foreign capital expenditure posing a challenge for oil and gas projects in Africa, the bank aims to fulfill the imposing investment gap, thereby ensuring projects are developed at scale and on time. By providing capital and partnering with over 700 African financial institutions, the bank will pave the way for a new era of project development in Africa.

Beyond the Africa Energy Bank, APPO has played an instrumental part in promoting cooperation within the field of hydrocarbons both within Africa and further abroad. Ibrahim represents a strong advocate for the role oil and gas plays in Africa and has worked tirelessly to promote investment, development as well as a just energy transition across the continent. In 2024, APPO published a study on the Future of the Oil and Gas Industry in Africa in the Light of the Energy Transition, outlining three major areas of concern. These include finance, technology and markets. In the study, APPO offers strategic insight into how countries can address these challenges, while strengthening their standing as a global energy producer.

At the center of APPO’s strategy is cooperation among producing markets, and under Ibrahim’s leadership, the organization has enhanced its mission to foster fruitful collaboration and partnerships. Through ministerial meetings, roundtables, working visits, training institutes and studies, APPO aims to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities faced by Africa’s producing markets. Ibrahim – leveraging his experience as an advisor to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Governor to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Board Member of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum – continues to drive the organization’s goals.

“Omar Farouk Ibrahim represents the type of leader that Africa needs: one that is resolute in their approach to driving investment and development across the oil and gas value chain. Ibrahim not only recognizes the vital role hydrocarbons play in Africa, but balances the needs of the continent with an overarching goal to reduce emission and foster sustainable operations. His commitment to development, his drive for inclusive projects and his dedication to fostering a sustainable energy ecosystem in Africa makes him a perfect recipient of the Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Ibrahim will receive the Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award during the African Energy Awards ceremony at this year’s AEW: Invest in African Energy conference. Uniting global investors and project developers with African governments and projects, the conference serves as the biggest energy platform on the continent.