…As Farid Ghezali Leads APPO into the Future
By Silverline Ifeanyi Onyeabor
In a landmark resolution that signals a decisive shift toward economic self-determination, the Ministerial Council of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) has issued the Brazzaville Declaration, a bold commitment to scale up local participation and industrial capacity across Africa’s oil and gas sector. Announced during the Conference & Exhibitions on Local Content held from 4 to 7 November 2025 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, the declaration marks a renewed continental agenda to strengthen collaboration, develop indigenous skills, and transform Africa from a resource-exporting region into a hub for energy-driven industrial growth.
Anchored on the theme “Improving the Local Supply of Quality Goods and Services: A Strategic Lever for Maximising African Participation in the Oil and Gas Industry”, the Declaration places local content at the centre of Africa’s long-term energy transformation. It reflects a growing consensus that the future prosperity of African economies lies in value addition, robust industrialisation, job creation and the localisation of the oil and gas value chain.
Moreover, the Declaration was reinforced by the outcomes of the 48th Ordinary Session of the APPO Ministerial Council, held on November 4, 2025, under the High Patronage of His Excellency Denis SASSOU NGUESSO, President of the Republic of Congo. In a goodwill message delivered on his behalf by the Prime Minister, H.E. Anatole Collinet MAKOSSO, President Sassou Nguesso applauded APPO’s achievements over the past 38 years, particularly the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB). He reaffirmed Congo’s unwavering commitment as a founding member and host country, adding that preparations are underway to host the first APPO Heads of State Summit next year, with the AEB Establishment Project expected to dominate the agenda.
Presided over by H.E. Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons of Congo and President of APPO, the session reaffirmed the resolve of member nations to ensure the swift operational launch of the Africa Energy Bank. Delegations from 16 APPO Member Countries, including ministers, heads of delegations and representatives of the APPO Secretariat and the Africa Energy Investment Corporation (AEICorp), were in attendance.
The meeting called for accelerated subscription and payment of allotted shares required for the bank’s take-off, with a minimum capital subscription target of $500 million. To drive the process, H.E. Mohamed Arkab, Minister of State for Hydrocarbons of Algeria, was appointed to lead a ministerial working group comprising the APPO Executive Board, Secretariat and AEICorp. Additionally, a second working group on AEICorp was established under H.E. Birame Soulèye Diop, Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines of Senegal, to support implementation and oversight.
The Ministerial Council also adopted audit reports of the Secretariat’s financial statements for 2024, approved the 2026 Work Programme, and expressed appreciation to President Sassou Nguesso and the people of Congo for their hospitality. The next Ordinary Session is scheduled to take place in Côte d’Ivoire in late 2026.
Leadership Transition Marks a New Era for APPO
Furthermore, a major highlight of the meeting was the announcement of Farid Ghezali as the new Secretary General of APPO. The appointment took place on 4 November 2025 during the Ministerial Council meeting in Brazzaville. Ghezali, an Algerian national, will officially assume office in January 2026, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the continent’s petroleum industry. His selection underscores APPO’s intention to strengthen strategic leadership as Africa positions its hydrocarbon resources at the centre of a just, inclusive, and sustainable energy transition.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) congratulated Ghezali on the appointment, describing him as a seasoned professional with deep experience in Africa’s upstream oil and gas environment. The AEC also extended heartfelt appreciation to outgoing Secretary General Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, whose six-year tenure significantly elevated APPO’s strategic importance. Under Dr. Ibrahim, the organisation strengthened partnerships with governments and investors, advanced local content development, and firmly established the role of oil and gas in powering Africa’s socioeconomic ambitions.
Indeed, Dr. Ibrahim’s legacy includes his consistent advocacy for Africa’s energy independence, regional cooperation, and the localisation of supply chains, priorities that align directly with the vision enshrined in the Brazzaville Declaration. His leadership laid the groundwork for major continental initiatives such as the Africa Energy Bank.
Taking up the mantle at a time of rapid sectoral transformation, Ghezali assumes responsibility amid a wave of new oil discoveries and expanding exploration efforts across the continent. Breakthrough discoveries in Namibia and Côte d’Ivoire, coupled with renewed drilling interest in Angola, Nigeria and Libya, continue to reshape Africa’s energy outlook. Advances in seismic technology and deepwater drilling capabilities are unlocking previously inaccessible reserves, positioning African producers to expand output significantly. Production is projected to rise to 13.6 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (MMboe/d) by 2030, up from an estimated 11.4 MMboe/d in 2026. However, experts warn that far greater investment will be required to fully harness emerging opportunities.
Commenting on Ghezali’s appointment, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, noted that the decision comes at a decisive moment for African producers. “His deep industry knowledge and proven leadership will strengthen APPO’s mission to drive energy security, local value creation and regional collaboration. We look forward to working closely with him to ensure that oil remains a catalyst for industrialisation and prosperity across our continent,” Ayuk stated.
Local Content as the Backbone of Transformation
Central to the Brazzaville Declaration is a detailed 10-point action plan designed to accelerate local content development and maximise African participation in the energy value chain. The commitments include:
n Developing measurable mechanisms to track local content performance across member states.
* Promoting effective implementation of local content policies and strategies.
* Enhancing the capacity of African suppliers to deliver competitive services and products.
* Facilitating access to technology, funding and technical expertise for indigenous companies.
* Creating opportunities for skills development and knowledge transfer to build a strong African workforce.
* Encouraging joint ventures between local and international companies.
* Harmonising local content regulations across the continent.
* Fostering research, development and innovation targeting Africa-specific challenges.
* Strengthening public-private partnerships to expand supply chain capacity.
* Monitoring performance and sharing best practices in sustainability and social responsibility.
These objectives seek to correct long-standing structural weaknesses that have historically limited Africa’s economic benefits from hydrocarbon development. For decades, while the continent supplied raw crude to the world, much of the economic value, including manufacturing, engineering services, logistics and technical jobs, was captured offshore by foreign companies. The new agenda aims to reverse that trend and convert natural resource wealth into sustainable shared prosperity.
The Africa Energy Bank: A Cornerstone of Regional Industrialisation
At the heart of APPO’s strategic roadmap lies the creation of the Africa Energy Bank, a $5 billion institution jointly spearheaded by APPO and the African Export-Import Bank. The AEB is envisioned as a transformative financing engine for African-led oil and gas projects, addressing persistent funding constraints that have historically hindered development. As global financial institutions retreat from hydrocarbon financing due to energy transition pressures, the AEB provides an African-owned solution to prevent stalled investments and stranded opportunities.
Once operational, the bank is expected to accelerate intra-continental cooperation, strengthen local content supply chains and unlock opportunities for African engineering firms, fabrication yards, refineries and research institutions.
Looking Ahead: A Unified Vision for Energy Sovereignty
As global policy pressure intensifies around fossil fuels, Africa insists on its right to responsibly harness its resources to power development, reduce poverty and industrialise. In this context, APPO’s role remains vital, advocating Africa’s position on the global stage and shaping a balanced energy transition anchored in equity, justice and economic opportunity.
Through the Brazzaville Declaration, continued momentum toward the Africa Energy Bank, and the leadership transition under Farid Ghezali, APPO has signalled that Africa’s time is now, not as a supplier of crude raw materials, but as a competitive and innovative hub of energy production, technology and industry.
With the world’s attention fixed on the continent’s unfolding transformation, the call to action is clear: Africa must seize this moment, deepen collaboration and transform its vast hydrocarbon wealth into a foundation for sustainable and inclusive growth.