The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) – the voice of the African energy sector – is calling for an industry-wide boycott of the upcoming Africa Energies Summit. Hosted by Frontier Energy Network in London from May 12-14, the event has dubbed itself as ‘Africa’s Premier Global Upstream Conference’. Yet, the company – led by Daniel Davidson – does not feature any Black African professionals in its leadership. This stark contrast underscores how the summit’s Africa-focused branding is not being matched by meaningful Black African representation within the organization itself – it is merely a tool to make profits.
For too long, African professionals and organizations such as the AEC have fought to build, defend and advance the continent’s oil and gas industry. They have stood at the frontlines of advocacy for better fiscal terms, enabling policy environments, licensing opportunities and a just energy transition that reflects Africa’s development needs. Yet companies such as Frontier Energy Network showcase how African talent is still not being meaningfully included in the very sector it has worked so hard to sustain.
Local content cannot remain a talking point reserved for conference stages and policy papers. It cannot be used as a promotional tool ahead of a London conference. It must be reflected in hiring, leadership development, supplier opportunities and access across the energy value chain. An Africa-first business model that does not create space for African professionals is one that risks losing credibility in the market it claims to serve.
“We will not accept being ‘Blacked-out’ the oil and gas industry. We want an industry that is welcoming and open, that is inclusive and supportive. People like Daniel Davidson take the opposite approach by refusing to hire black Africans. They take it one step further by even banning people from entering the room,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.
Frontier Energy Network has many models to follow in Africa. Across the continent, companies have demonstrated that African inclusion and operational success are not competing objectives. Independent oil and gas company Africa Fortesa Corporation – led by Rogers Beall – is a strong example of a company that has prioritized African employment, placing African professionals at the forefront of their operations. As the operator of the Gadiaga onshore gas field in Senegal, the company has served domestic energy demand decades for two decades. But it’s the company’s commitment to hiring African professionals that has truly set it apart in the industry.
“We are inspired everyday by people such as Rogers Beall. When you go to Senegal and see what he has done with Fortesa, you will be amazed. He has achieved this with majority African employees. Even in difficult circumstances such as COVID, the company stood with their employees. We are also passionate about companies that stood with Mozambique during difficult times and kept pushing the country’s LNG projects. We are passionate about people that invest in local talent, create policies that support capacity building and ensure African professionals are not just part of, but leading Africa’s energy discussions,” added Ayuk.
These examples reflect the kind of industry Africa needs: open, capable, investment-friendly and rooted in shared prosperity. This is increasingly important as more Black professionals enter the workforce. African students work hard to earn their qualifications. When they graduate with strong credentials, they should be judged on their talent, training and ability to contribute – not denied opportunity because of the color of their skin.
The stakes go beyond recruitment. At a time when the oil and gas sector faces intense scrutiny from anti-fossil fuel campaigners, any perception that the industry excludes Africans or fails to invest in local communities only strengthens the arguments of its critics. If the sector wants to defend its role in Africa’s economic future, it must ensure that its own practices reflect fairness and opportunity.
“When Frontier, Daniel Davidson and Africa Energies Summit engages in these discriminatory behaviors, do you know what that says? It feeds into the same narrative as the Greta Thunberg’s and all those anti-fossil fuel people that go out and say the industry doesn’t care about black people or African communities. Daniel Davidson and Frontier justify that narrative,” adds Ayuk.
The message is clear: Africa’s oil and gas future must be built not only in Africa, but with Africans at its center. It’s time to boycott Africa Energies Summit.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
