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Midstream & LNG Leaders to Speak at AEW 2025 as Africa Scales Up Gas Infrastructure, Trade
African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies – taking place on September 29–October 3 in Cape Town – will welcome a lineup of distinguished midstream and LNG leaders, including Timothy Fakrogha, General Manager, Commercial at Nigeria LNG (NLNG); Julius Rone, CEO of UTM Offshore; and Justin Jackson, VP Trading at ExxonMobil. Together, their participation highlights how investments in LNG production, floating LNG innovation and integrated trading networks are transforming Africa’s midstream landscape.
Nigeria remains at the forefront of Africa’s LNG growth story. NLNG’s flagship Train 7 project represents a $10 billion investment, boosting the company’s export capacity by 35% from 22 million to 30 million tons per annum upon completion. By expanding LNG exports while boosting local utilization, NLNG highlights the role of Africa’s natural gas in driving industrialization, reducing energy poverty and cementing Nigeria’s position as a global LNG powerhouse.
Building on this momentum, UTM Offshore is pioneering Nigeria’s first floating LNG project – a $5 billion development that represents a milestone for modular and scalable LNG production across Africa. The project, which is targeting a Final Investment Decision in late 2025, is designed to unlock offshore gas reserves while expanding access to cleaner energy across the region. UTM’s innovation signals a new phase for African midstream, positioning LNG as both an export revenue driver and a solution to regional energy access.
On the global stage, ExxonMobil Trading is ensuring African oil and gas remain competitive in international markets. By leveraging global trading hubs, advanced analytics and strategic crude and LNG origination, the company integrates African volumes into diversified global supply chains. ExxonMobil’s trading arm plays a critical role in strengthening market access for African producers, enabling the continent’s resources to secure premium positioning in an increasingly dynamic global energy system.
“Africa’s midstream and LNG story is one of innovation, ambition and growth. With NLNG expanding capacity, UTM Offshore pioneering FLNG, and ExxonMobil Trading integrating African energy into global flows, the continent is taking bold steps to secure its place in the global energy economy,” states Ore Onagbesan, Program Director at AEW: Invest in African Energies. “These companies showcase the leadership and investment Africa needs to create jobs, boost revenues and deliver energy security for its people.”
As Africa accelerates midstream and LNG development, discussions at AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies will be central to charting how the continent captures greater value from its resources. From infrastructure build-out to trading integration, the midstream sector will play a decisive role in unlocking industrial growth, expanding regional gas utilization and positioning Africa as a competitive player in global energy supply chains.
AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.aecweek.com for more information about this exciting event.