Hon. Abdoulie Jobe, Minister of Petroleum and Energy of the Republic of The Gambia, will participate at this year’s edition of the African Energy Week (AEW) (https://AECWeek.com) conference and exhibition – Africa’s premier event for the energy sector – which will take place from October 16-20, 2023 in Cape Town.

Minister Jobe will lead a high-level delegation including officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), the Petroleum Commission and the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation to AEW 2023, where the minister will deliver a keynote address on the state of The Gambia energy market and the opportunities for investment.

Representing one of Africa’s final oil and gas frontiers, the participation by Minister Jobe at AEW 2023 will be crucial for highlighting the immense opportunities present across The Gambia’s upstream and downstream sectors as well as the role hydrocarbon resources will play in addressing both the country and Africa’s energy and socioeconomic development needs.

Already, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, under the leadership of Minister Jobe, has positioned the MSGBC country as a haven for global investors through the enactment of investor-friendly policies. Yet, much of the country’s offshore basins remain largely untapped. As such, owing to the country’s geology and proximity to Senegal and Mauritania – where giant hydrocarbon discoveries have been made – significant opportunities are on offer for players across the entire energy value chain.

In this scenario, the country is actively pursuing new investors and upstream players to participate in the promising market, with the country launching a mini-licensing round for Block A1 in 2022 with other rounds on the way. In this regard, AEW 2023 represents the ideal platform for Minister Jobe to network, discuss and sign industry-changing deals with global energy financiers and exploration & production companies.

Meanwhile, with The Gambian government targeting to achieve universal access to electricity by 2025, the country’s untapped hydrocarbons are set to play a defining role in addressing energy poverty, with AEW 2023 serving as the right platform to accelerate and maximize the country’s oil and gas market expansion.

On the renewables side, campaigns and policy enactments such as The Gambia’s 2013 Renewable Energy Act, validation of Feed-in Tariffs, net metering for renewables and a target to reduce overall emissions by 44.4% by 2025 while accelerating electrification, have positioned the country as a regional leader in the energy transition. Currently, The Gambia boasts 54.4% share of renewables in its energy mix, and to achieve 2030 targets, the country is boosting cooperation with regional and global partners, having recently signed a 30 MW power purchase agreement with Senegal. AEW 2023 represents the best place where The Gambia’s entire renewable and energy ecosystems can be discussed, with new deals with regional leaders expected to be signed.

“The Chamber is honored to be hosting Hon. Abdoulie Jobe and a Gambian delegation at AEW 2023, where discussions with global stakeholders will center around investment and partnership opportunities across the country’s entire energy value chain. With over 40% of Gambians living without access to reliable electricity and the government working tirelessly to change that, we believe that kickstarting The Gambia’s oil and gas market boom is key to unlocking access to reliable and affordable energy for all,” stated NJ Ayuk, the Executive Chairman of the AEC.

At AEW 2023, Minister Jobe will participate in high-level panel discussions and meetings, ministerial forums and investment summits to showcase The Gambia’s immense energy market potential to regional and global energy companies and investors.

AEW 2023 is the AEC’s annual conference, exhibition and networking event. AEW 2023 unites African energy stakeholders with investors and international partners to drive industry growth and development and promote Africa as the destination for energy investments. For more information about AEW 2023, visit https://AECWeek.com