African Farmout Forum Returns to AEW 2026 as Deal Momentum Builds Across Africa’s Upstream Market

The African Farmout Forum will return to the African Energy Week (AEW) Conference and Exhibition in Cape Town this October, reinforcing the event’s role as a strategic marketplace for upstream transactions. Organized in partnership with Farmout Angel, Envoi and Moyes & Co, the forum - taking place on Monday October 12 ahead of main conference program - will once again convene operators, investors, governments and technical partners to evaluate exploration acreage, producing assets and partnership opportunities across the continent.

Structured as a series of five-minutes pitches or presentations, the forum provides a platform for companies and operators to pitch their deals and projects to potential partners and investors. Companies will also have access to a wall of farmouts, with an investor meet-and-greet facilitating further engagement and deals. The forum builds on a highly-successful 2025 edition, whereby 25 farm-in opportunities were presented. In 2026, this momentum continues as companies once again convene in Cape Town to showcase their projects.

The return of the forum comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s upstream industry. Opportunities are emerging across both frontier and established markets as operators look to increase production, unlock new basins and bring discovered resources into commercial development. Recent discoveries, in tandem with global supply disruptions, have seen heightened international interest in African upstream projects, while the emergence of independent operators and realigned portfolios by IOCs are driving a new slate of M&A deals across the continent.

At the center of this shift is Namibia, where successive offshore discoveries have transformed the Orange Basin into one of the world’s most closely watched frontier plays. The market has seen significant M&A activity in recent months as the country prepares for first oil production by 2029. Recent transactions include bp acquiring a 60% interest in three exploration blocks from Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas in April 2026; Lambda Energy acquiring an 85% stake in PEL 98; while TotalEnergies acquired a 42.5% interest in PEL 104 - situated in the Lüderitz basin.

Angola is similarly emerging as a focal point for upstream transactions. The country’s multi-year licensing strategy, permanent offer system and push to sustain production above one million barrels per day have created new openings for both foreign investors and local independents. Transactions such as Etu Energias’ acquisition of Azule Energy’s interests in Blocks 14 and 14K, Shell’s farm-in at Blocks 49 and 50 as well as Oando’s entrance into the onshore Kwanza Basin highlight how African and global firms are increasingly scaling and competing for larger upstream positions.

Equatorial Guinea is also witnessing a wave of M&A deals as the market moves to address production decline and strengthen the Gas Mega Hub initiative - aimed at monetizing resources across domestic and regional basins. Meren Energy is currently seeking a partner to advance its EG-18 and EG-31 projects, Panoro assumed control of Block G following a deal with Kosmos Energy while Antler Global entered into negotiations to farm-out part of its 80% interest in EG-08 in 2025. The African Farmout Forum is expected to capitalize on this momentum by providing a dedicated platform for deal origination and technical evaluation.

“Africa’s upstream industry is entering a new cycle of investment and strategic expansion. Operators are looking for partners that can bring capital, technical expertise and long-term commitment to African projects. The African Farmout Forum creates a platform where those partnerships can take shape and where African opportunities can compete on a global stage,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

For operators pursuing frontier discoveries, governments seeking exploration capital and investors evaluating Africa’s next upstream growth cycle, the African Farmout Forum is positioning itself as a central venue for deal-making in 2026.

Companies interested in pitching their farmout or deal can contact Envoi Limited: deliver@envoi.co.uk; FarmoutAngel via LinkedIn; or Moyes: cmoyes@moyesco.com.