South Africa is positioning itself as a premier investment destination in Africa’s energy transition, with a strategic push across the entire energy value chain – from oil and gas exploration to renewables and green hydrogen. At African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies, an “Invest in South Africa” Roundtable will bring together top-tier investors, policymakers and energy executives to spotlight the country’s evolving regulatory landscape, its new national oil company and a host of bankable infrastructure projects.
This year’s roundtable brings together a powerful lineup of speakers driving South Africa’s energy future, including Shahrukh Mirza, VP LNG Development at ExxonMobil, Stefano Marani, CEO of Renergen Limited, and senior representatives from both the newly formed South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) and the South African National Energy Development Institute.
South Africa’s energy sector is undergoing a critical transformation: years of load-shedding and grid instability has prompted bold reforms aimed at liberalizing the energy market, fast-tracking private-sector participation and diversifying supply sources. As the government unbundles Eskom and opens transmission infrastructure to independent power producers, investor interest in South Africa’s power and gas markets is growing sharply. Meanwhile, the Integrated Resource Plan and Renewable Energy Masterplan are paving the way for expanded solar, wind and battery storage deployment, backed by robust public-private collaboration.
The upstream oil and gas sector is also entering a pivotal new phase. The recently established SANPC is spearheading fresh exploration efforts and opening up acreage across frontier basins, including the Orange Basin – an area that has drawn renewed interest following a string of offshore discoveries in neighboring Namibia. Energy major Shell has secured approval for a five-well drilling campaign in the Northern Cape Ultra Deep block, while TotalEnergies is targeting a two-well wildcat campaign in South Africa’s portion of the Orange Basin, slated for 2026. With upcoming licensing opportunities, transparent fiscal terms and enhanced data packages, South Africa is well-positioned to attract both new market entrants and experienced independents to its upstream sector.
In its gas monetization strategy, South Africa is advancing efforts to leverage domestic resources – including those under development by Renergen at the Virginia Gas Project – to support helium exports and the production of LNG for transport and industrial fuel use. The country’s Gas Master Plan, currently under review, sets out a roadmap for critical infrastructure, including LNG terminals, pipeline expansions and strategic gas storage, aimed at enhancing long-term energy security. At the same time, public-private initiatives such as the green hydrogen corridor – linking the Northern Cape to key export hubs – are laying the groundwork for large-scale hydrogen production, backed by the region’s exceptional solar and wind potential.
“As South Africa retools its regulatory environment and builds momentum behind energy diversification, AEW 2025 stands as the ideal venue to connect capital with opportunity. From the Orange Basin’s high-impact prospects to scalable renewables and gas monetization, the country is open for business,” says Oré Onegbesan, Program Director, AEW.
Africa Fact: As of 2018, the top 30 African companies had operations in 16 countries across the continent, up from an average of 8 countries only 10 years prior.
Africa Fact: African foreign direct investment in Africa nearly tripled from 2006 to 2016.
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