Luanda, Sept. 2, 2025 (Lusa) — Oil and gas continue to drive Angolan development and are the central theme of Angola Oil & Gas 2025, which kicks off on Wednesday with more than 2,500 delegates from 40 countries.
The director of the event, the largest conference in the sector in Angola, is optimistic and confident in Angola's strategy of diversification in the face of volatile oil prices and says that the country remains attractive.
"The fall in the price of crude oil is an inherent theme of the activity, but Angola is moving forward with a clear strategy centred on natural gas and the expansion of refining capacity," Luis Conde told Lusa, adding that these projects "help to mitigate risks and keep the country attractive to investors".
According to the organisers, this year's event, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday in Luanda, will be the biggest ever, with an increase in exhibitors, the presence of international leaders and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Angola's independence and its oil industry, with the presence of President João Lourenço at the opening session.
According to Luis Conde, energy diversification is at the centre of the agenda: "Angola is betting on four fronts: natural gas, national refining, new licensing rounds and technological innovation. All these issues will be debated at the conference, with panels dedicated to the energy transition and the development of local content.
"Natural gas is the immediate priority," but there will also be room to discuss sustainable energy projects, such as green hydrogen, even though the oil sector (...) remains "central," he said.
Organised by Energy Capital & Power, with the support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference aims to strengthen Angola's role as the second largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa and as a country in transition to a broader and more sustainable energy matrix.
Among the main new features this year, according to Luís Conde, is the introduction of technical workshops, pre-conference programmes and an investment space to boost business opportunities.
The AOG conference reaches its sixth edition with 78 confirmed companies (a 20% increase on 2024), more than 2,500 participants from 40 countries and an upstream investment portfolio valued at $60 billion (€51.4 billion).
The 2025 programme will be the most ambitious ever and combines a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Angola's independence with a programme covering the entire oil and gas value chain from upstream (exploration and production) to downstream (refining, petrochemicals and marketing).
Specific sessions are also planned on the new licensing round, energy transition, local content development, green hydrogen and sustainable energy projects.
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