Mozambique’s oil and gas industry has pulled out of the upcoming Africa Energies Summit in London, citing alleged discrimination against Black professionals and broader concerns around local content and inclusion.
- •The summit, hosted by Frontier Energy Network, is scheduled for May 12–14 and markets itself as “Africa’s Premier Global Upstream Conference.”
- •However, Mozambican stakeholders say the event fails to reflect the values it claims to promote.
- •The decision signals growing frustration among African industry players who argue that platforms representing the continent’s energy sector must align with evolving expectations on diversity, fairness and meaningful local participation.
Florival Mucave, President of the Mozambique Energy Chamber, said the withdrawal was prompted by repeated failures by the summit’s leadership to address concerns over hiring practices and transparency.
“In 2026, this is not the behavior that we expect from anyone who uses the name Africa and our oil and gas sector. Our members will not be going to London,” Mucave said, criticising the organisers’ stance on diversity.
The fallout comes at a pivotal time for Mozambique’s energy sector, which is re-emerging as a major player in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market.
The dispute has since escalated, with the African Energy Chamber (AEC) calling for an industry-wide boycott of the summit.
In a statement, the AEC accused Frontier Energy Network of failing to include Black African professionals in its leadership, arguing that the event’s Africa-focused branding is not matched by representation within the organisation.
“The voice of the African energy sector is calling for an industry-wide boycott,” the AEC said, adding that the absence of Black African leadership undermines the summit’s credibility.
AEC Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk said exclusionary practices risk sidelining African talent in a sector the continent has worked to build and sustain.
The chamber further warned that local content cannot remain a theoretical concept discussed at conferences, but must be embedded in hiring, leadership development and access to opportunities across the energy value chain.
