Luanda, Angola: The Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 conference and exhibition opened in Luanda on Wednesday with government officials, international energy companies, investors and industry experts gathering to discuss the country’s oil and gas prospects, investment opportunities and the next phase of development in the sector.
Held at the Centro de Convenções de Talatona, the two-day event, themed around investing in Angola’s future, features a strategic conference, technical sessions, exhibition and business engagements bringing together major players across the energy value chain.
One of the major highlights of the event was the signing of Heads of Terms agreement by the Angola National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) with QatarEnergy, Shell, and Sonangol covering Blocks 8 and 22 in the Kwanza Basin.
The agreement sets the framework for exploration, appraisal, development and production, including minimum work commitments, exploration periods, bonuses, contributions, penalties and applicable fiscal and contractual terms.
Among the prominent speakers were African Energy Chamber Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk, African Petroleum Producers Organisation Secretary-General Farid Ghezali and senior representatives of Angola’s energy institutions.
A key focus of the morning sessions was Angola’s investment proposition. The programme featured a presentation on the ANPG investment case for Angola, followed by an executive leadership dialogue examining how investors can unlock greater value from the country’s prolific oil and gas basins.
The afternoon programme shifted towards high-level government and industry engagement. Special addresses were delivered by senior executives from Eni, bp and Chevron, before the official ministerial opening address. The programme also included a deal-signing ceremony, an address by the guest of honour and a session with ANPG Chairman Paulino Jerónimo.
Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, H E Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, used the opening day of the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 conference in Luanda to underline the Government’s commitment to attracting investment, sustaining oil production and unlocking new opportunities across the country’s hydrocarbon value chain.
Addressing delegates, Azevedo highlighted Angola’s strategy to enter a new phase of growth in its oil and gas industry, at a time when renewed exploration, major offshore developments, gas projects and downstream investments are reshaping the sector.
His address came as Angola seeks to translate its 2025–2050 Hydrocarbon Strategy into concrete investment and production opportunities. The country’s upstream investment pipeline is estimated at about $70 billion, reflecting the scale of opportunities available to international operators and service companies.
Azevedo’s message was particularly significant against the backdrop of Angola’s efforts to maintain crude production at sustainable levels while developing new resources and extending the life of mature fields.
The minister pointed to the importance of continued exploration and the development of new projects as Angola works to counter production declines from mature assets.
“The Government is always seeking to open up new exploration frontiers, strengthen the investment environment and create conditions for international oil companies to commit long-term capital to the country,” Azevedo said.
He highlighted that gas development was another important component of Angola’s energy strategy.
“The country is seeking to increase the commercialisation of natural gas, expand domestic gas utilisation and strengthen its position in the regional energy market,” the minister noted.
One of the most significant industry announcements on the opening day came from TotalEnergies. Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanné announced plans for the company and its partners to invest about $10 billion in Angola over the next five years, underlining the country's continued importance to the company's upstream portfolio.
TotalEnergies is currently developing the $6 billion Kaminho project in Angola’s Kwanza Basin, with production expected to begin in 2028. Pouyanné also said the company had secured new exploration licences for offshore Blocks 17 and 32 in partnership with ExxonMobil and planned to deploy artificial intelligence-based geoscience technology to support exploration.
Another major development announced on Wednesday was a new oil discovery in offshore Block 15. ANPG, ExxonMobil and their partners announced the discovery at the Vicango Este-01 exploration well, reinforcing expectations of further exploration potential in Angola’s offshore basins.
The opening day also provided opportunities for business networking and entrepreneurship. The Afreximbank Angola Entrepreneurs Forum brought together stakeholders to discuss opportunities for Angolan businesses, while the exhibition provided a platform for companies and service providers to showcase technologies, products and solutions for the oil and gas industry.
The day concluded with a welcome cocktail followed by the AOG 2026 Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, providing further opportunities for industry leaders to network and recognise outstanding contributions to Angola’s energy sector.
With the second day set to feature further strategic discussions, leadership roundtables and technical sessions, AOG 2026 is positioning Angola as a key destination for investment, exploration, technology and partnerships across Africa’s energy industry.
