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Independents Harness Local Partnerships to Unlock Marginal Oil and Gas Fields in Africa
Africa’s oil and gas sector is entering a new phase of growth, powered by local partnerships, domestic financing, and international collaboration.
During an Oregen-sponsored session at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025, industry leaders underscored how local knowledge, regulatory clarity, and aligned partnerships are proving decisive in unlocking marginal and undeveloped fields across the continent.
Wade G. Cherwayko, Founder and Major Shareholder of Oregen Energy, stressed the pivotal role of homegrown collaboration in Africa’s energy renaissance.
“At Oregen, we deeply value local partnerships, not only as a cornerstone of operational success but as a key driver of sustainable growth. The Nigerian experience shows that when local banks and investors step up, combined with aligned local talent and international expertise, the scale of deals and value creation expands exponentially,” he said.
The Oregen-sponsored session brought together leading voices including Tim Ohanlon, Senior Advisor at Panoro Energy, and Kola Karim, Group MD/CEO of Shoreline Energy, to unpack strategies for sourcing capital and scaling African independents.
Kola Karim, Group MD/CEO of Shoreline Energy noted, “We are seeing an evolution where domestic financial institutions are stepping into roles traditionally dominated by global banks, owing to regulatory reforms. He explained that Nigeria’s 2007 local content policy marked a turning point, with multinationals beginning to divest assets. What followed was a surge in domestic financial capacity, as Nigerian banks started issuing multi-hundred-million-dollar loans. This financial maturity, Karim emphasized, has enabled African independents to compete at a scale once reserved for global majors.
He added that local content has become a strategic advantage. “Nigeria’s local content policy not only fostered homegrown expertise but created robust financial ecosystems that enabled companies like ours to thrive. Today, as international majors divest from mature fields, African independents have a golden opportunity to take the reins, supported by a more sophisticated and reliable local financial sector.”
Tim Ohanlon, Senior Advisor at Panoro Energy added, “Being ‘at the table’ with the right local partners is a differentiator. It’s about navigating the unique local landscapes, building trust with financial institutions, and sharing skin in the game to drive success. This approach also fosters local sector development, promoting exchanges and capacity building that benefit the entire ecosystem.”
Looking to the future, Oregen emphasized its growing footprint in emerging plays such as Namibia’s Orange Basin, where it partners with Petrovina Energy. Cherwayko said,
“We see enormous potential in markets like Namibia, Gabon, and Ghana. The key to unlocking value is discipline, reliability, and creating strong partnerships that align technical and financial capabilities.”
Cherwayko concluded, “At Oregen, we’re proud to rely on local knowledge and financial frameworks that propel projects forward. This model fosters capacity building and sustainable industry growth across Africa.”