• Ghana withdraws from Africa Energies Summit over representation concerns
• Industry body criticizes lack of African participation in panels
• Move aligns with broader African pushback against event organizers

Ghana will not take part in the Africa Energies Summit, an international energy conference scheduled to take place in London next month, Radio France Internationale reported on Monday, April 6, citing the Energy Chamber of Ghana, which represents companies in the country’s oil and gas sector.

The Energy Chamber of Ghana is challenging how the event is being organized. The group has questioned the composition of panels and the representation of African professionals. “Platforms that carry the name of Africa must reflect the African people,” Joshua B. Narh, the organization’s executive chairman, said in a LinkedIn post.

In the same statement, Narh highlighted the expertise Ghana has developed over time. “Ghana has invested heavily in training engineers, economists, regulators and innovators,” he said, adding that these professionals help shape the continent’s energy trajectory and deserve greater representation at such events.

Narh also called for concrete changes in how these forums are organized. “Until we see transparency and measurable inclusion, it is reasonable to reconsider participation,” he said. His remarks come amid a broader wave of criticism over the participation of African stakeholders at the summit.

A Pushback Driven by African Stakeholders

The pushback against the Africa Energies Summit is part of a wider mobilization among African public- and private-sector stakeholders. According to the African Energy Chamber, Ghana’s withdrawal follows that of Mozambique and has drawn support from several African hydrocarbons ministers. The organization described the move as a coordinated response within the continent’s energy industry.

The groundswell had begun taking shape days earlier. On March 30, Pan African Visions reported that several African petroleum ministers, as well as the African Petroleum Producers Organization, had declined their invitations. They cited the need to prioritize local content in the development of Africa’s energy resources.

Criticism has also been directed at the summit’s organizer. According to BusinessDay Nigeria, the event is organized by Frontier Energy Network, a British entity that some industry stakeholders have accused of profiting from the African market while providing what they say is insufficient representation to professionals from the continent.

Abdel-Latif Boureima