In 2026, Africa’s energy industry learned to brace for the unexpected. War in the Middle East and the ensuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz created chaos in global energy markets. Even if Africa’s upstream oil and gas producers enjoyed a brief windfall, the disruption created pain across the energy value chain. The cost of petroleum products soared for consumers and businesses alike, exposing how vulnerable Africa’s energy systems remain to external factors.
Resilience, therefore, is the name of the game. Policymakers and investors from around the world are turning to African upstream supply as a refuge from volatility elsewhere. African leaders, meanwhile, are prioritizing the development of downstream capacity even more, to ensure that Africa has the infrastructure to power its own industrialization. Meanwhile, the push to create more domestic value intensified, with African-owned producers and service providers capturing an increasing share of the value created by the industry.