Africa’s Energy Leaders Honored at the African Energy Awards 2026

The African Energy Chamber announced the winners of the African Energy Awards 2026 during the Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town on October 13. The awards recognized excellence across services, local content, exploration and production, downstream infrastructure, dealmaking, social investment, gas monetization, technology and power.

This year’s winners spanned the full energy value chain. Eni’s discoveries in Angola and Ivory Coast, the Dangote Refinery’s production ramp-up and Congo LNG’s emergence as an exporter were all recognized, alongside the growing role of African service companies and local content programs in the continent’s energy industry.

Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award: Andrew Inglis

Andrew Inglis, Chairman and CEO of Kosmos Energy, received the Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award for a career spanning more than four decades. He joined Kosmos in 2014 after 30 years at bp, where he rose to CEO of Exploration and Production. At Kosmos, he has overseen the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project with Mauritania and Senegal, which achieved first LNG in 2025, alongside continued investment in Ghana’s Jubilee and TEN fields.

Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award: Tim O’Hanlon

Tim O’Hanlon, Senior Adviser at Panoro Energy, received the Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award for decades of work advancing African exploration. He spent 33 years at Tullow Oil, starting in Senegal managing the company’s onshore production business, and became known within the company as “Monsieur Afrique.” He now advises a new generation of African independents, including Panoro.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Nosa Omorodion

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Nosa Omorodion, Country Director of SLB in Nigeria, for more than three decades in Nigeria’s petroleum industry. Beginning as a trainee geologist with the Geological Survey of Nigeria, he built a career spanning exploration and production, geoscience, technology and international energy leadership, while championing the development of African technical talent.

Lifetime Achievement Award: João Filipe

João Filipe, Founder and CEO of CABSHIP, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for building one of Angola’s leading indigenous logistics and materials management companies. Since founding CABSHIP in 2009 with maritime services at the Port of Cabinda, he has grown the company into a partner to operators including Chevron, Azule Energy and Etu Energias, and has championed opportunities for Angolan businesses across the sector.

Energy Person of the Year: Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of the Dangote Group, was named Energy Person of the Year. In September, he signed documents for an initial public offering of the Dangote Refinery on the Nigerian Exchange, which is expected to be the largest IPO in Africa. Beyond Nigeria, he plans to build a refinery on Kenya’s coast in partnership with East African governments.

African Service Provider of the Year: KAESO

Angolan engineering firm KAESO was named African Service Provider of the Year after expanding its engineering, technical and industrial services across projects ranging from upstream operations to industrial infrastructure. Pairing local expertise with international standards, the company is helping operators execute projects more efficiently and showing that African engineering firms can compete for regional work.

International Service Provider of the Year: Africa Global Logistics

Africa Global Logistics won International Service Provider of the Year for its integrated logistics network across ports, rail, road and warehousing. The company supports energy projects from construction through production, linking African energy output to global markets. Formerly Bolloré Africa Logistics, it became part of MSC Group in 2022.

African Local Content Champion of the Year: Copia Group of Companies

Angolan service provider Copia Group of Companies received the African Local Content Champion award for aligning its technical supervision and engineering services with Angola’s local content framework. By prioritizing skills development and local partnerships, the company is building domestic capability across the country’s energy value chain.

International Local Content Champion of the Year: NOV

NOV was recognized as International Local Content Champion of the Year for investing in local talent and suppliers across multiple African markets. The company works with domestic businesses and communities to develop skills and expand opportunities for local suppliers in its supply chain.

Exploration & Production Leader of the Year: Eni

Eni took the Exploration & Production Leader award for a series of discoveries across its African portfolio, including the Algaita-01 well in Angola’s Block 15/06 and the Murene South-1X well in Block CI-501 offshore Ivory Coast. In Ivory Coast, the find adds to Eni’s Baleine development, which began production in 2023.

Downstream & Infrastructure Leader of the Year: Dangote Refinery

The Dangote Refinery secured the Downstream & Infrastructure Leader award as it ramps up its production of diesel, jet fuel, naphtha and petrol in Nigeria. The refinery now processes 700,000 bpd and is pursuing a $14 billion expansion to 1.4 million bpd by 2029, which would make it the largest single refinery in the world.

Deal of the Year: Trafigura

Trafigura received the Deal of the Year award for its $1 billion oil prepayment agreement with Gabon. Under the structure, Gabon receives funding upfront in exchange for future crude deliveries. The transaction provides significant funding for the country’s petroleum sector and reflects continued appetite among commodity traders to finance African energy assets.

CSR Project of the Year: Kosmos Energy Ghana

Kosmos Energy Ghana won CSR Project of the Year for the Kosmos Innovation Center, which supports entrepreneurs in Ghana’s agriculture and energy value chains through mentorship and business development. Kosmos is a partner in Ghana’s Jubilee and TEN fields, where a 2026 drilling campaign lifted Jubilee output above 85,000 bpd.

Gas Monetization of the Year: Congo LNG

Congo LNG earned the Gas Monetization of the Year award as the Republic of Congo establishes itself as an LNG exporter. Now in its second development phase, the 3 million-ton-per-annum project supplies the domestic market while generating export revenue, using zero-flaring technology.

Technology Innovator of the Year: TGS & Starlink

TGS and Starlink received the Technology Innovator of the Year award for using low Earth orbit satellite connectivity in seismic acquisition. The partnership enables near real-time data transmission and cloud-based processing, shortening the time from acquisition to interpretation.

Power Africa Developer of the Year: TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies won Power Africa Developer of the Year for its Hydra hybrid project in South Africa. Combining a 216 MW solar plant with 500 MWh of battery storage, the project generates more than 400 GWh a year, enough to supply over 200,000 households.

ExxonMobil STEM Africa Competition: Team Mozambique

Team Mozambique won the third annual ExxonMobil STEM Africa Competition, which brings together student teams from across the continent to tackle science, technology, engineering and mathematics challenges. The 2026 edition featured teams from Nigeria, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique.