Angola Oil & Gas 2026 Launches In Luanda As $70bn Investment Cycle Gathers Pace

LUANDA – Angola has formally launched the countdown to its flagship Angola Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition (AOG) 2026, positioning the September event as a central dealmaking platform at a moment when the country’s energy sector is entering a new investment-heavy phase.

Unveiled in Luanda this week, AOG 2026 will take place on 9–10 September under the theme Investing in the Future of Angola. The timing is deliberate. Coming a year after Angola marked 50 years of independence, the conference is being framed as a forum to define the next half-century of oil and gas development, as upstream, gas and downstream projects move from planning into execution.

Angola remains one of Africa’s largest oil producers and one of the continent’s most established destinations for international energy capital. Industry estimates indicate that as much as $70 billion in upstream spending is expected over the coming years, supported by a licensing system that combines multi-year bid rounds, a permanent offer regime, and marginal field opportunities. Together, these have given operators regular access to acreage while allowing the state to retain flexibility as global energy markets evolve.

Speaking at the launch, Secretary of State for Oil and Gas José Barroso described 2026 as a turning point. “We have already laid the foundations. The focus now is converting projects into production and into real economic impact,” he said, adding that the government sees the coming year as critical for mobilising capital and locking in long-term value from hydrocarbons.

That momentum is already visible across the value chain. In the gas sector, the New Gas Consortium is progressing Angola’s first non-associated gas project, which began operations in 2025 and is being ramped up to full capacity.

The project is expected to strengthen feedstock supply for Angola LNG, support domestic power generation and expand export potential, reinforcing gas as a pillar of energy security and industrial growth.

Offshore oil developments are also advancing. Azule Energy is moving toward phase three of the Agogo Integrated West Hub Development following the successful start-up of phase two last year.

IV ZEAL VITAMIN

ANPG in conversation at the Angola Oil & Gas 2025

TotalEnergies, meanwhile, is developing the Kaminho project, the first large deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin, with first production targeted for 2028. Together, these projects underline the continued relevance of Angola’s mature offshore basins, even as operators pursue cost discipline and efficiency.

Onshore and frontier exploration are adding a new layer to the story. Independent companies, including ReconAfrica, Corcel, Oando and Sintana Energy, are acquiring seismic data and preparing drilling campaigns aimed at revitalising onshore production and opening new plays. Exploration activity is also pushing south toward underexplored Atlantic margins such as Namibe, reflecting a broader effort to diversify Angola’s resource base.

Downstream investment is gaining traction alongside upstream growth. Construction of the Lobito Refinery, expected to come onstream in 2027, is central to Angola’s push to reduce fuel imports and strengthen regional supply. It follows the start of operations at the Cabinda Refinery in 2025, the country’s second operational facility, and signals a more deliberate move toward value addition at home.

Against this backdrop, AOG 2026 is being positioned as more than a conference. Organisers say it has evolved into a platform where deals are structured, partnerships formed and policy bottlenecks debated openly. Previous editions have drawn more than 3,000 participants, 150 speakers and hundreds of companies spanning operators, financiers and service providers.

Luis Conde, project director at Energy Capital & Power, said the event’s focus is firmly on execution. “AOG is where strategic partnerships are built and investments accelerated. The decisions taken here will shape Angola’s energy sector for decades,” he said.

Held under the patronage of President João Lourenço and endorsed by key institutions including the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Sonangol and the African Energy Chamber, AOG 2026 comes as Angola seeks to balance sustained oil production with gas expansion, downstream development and long-term economic resilience.