Exploring Investment Strategies for Africa's Hydrocarbon Sector
The fourth edition of the Oil Days is set to take place from May 20 to 23 in Casablanca, focusing on the theme of enhancing development conditions within the hydrocarbon sector across Africa: "Building Attractiveness: Strategies and Conditions for Developing African Hydrocarbons." This significant event, organized by the independent African consulting firm 3M-Partners & Advisors, aims to bring together public decision-makers, experts, investors, and energy sector stakeholders to discuss the crucial issues surrounding the appeal of oil and gas investments on the continent.
According to the organizers, the discussions will center on institutional, regulatory, fiscal, and strategic levers that have the potential to enhance the competitiveness of African nations in an increasingly competitive international landscape. In his editorial introduction, Gacyen Mouely, Managing Partner at 3M-Partners & Advisors, emphasizes that merely possessing natural resources is no longer sufficient to attract sustainable capital. Factors such as governance, legal security, fiscal stability, and the quality of institutions have emerged as critical determinants in the decision-making processes of investors.
Key Themes and Discussions
The event is designed as a dialogue platform that promotes the sharing of experiences among administrations, operators, and sector experts. The stated objective is to contribute to a continental reflection on the valuation of natural resources, the structuring of public policies, and the enhancement of African states' negotiation capacities when dealing with international private actors. Several key themes are slated for discussion, including reforms and governance, digitalization and the exploitation of geoscientific data, fiscal attractiveness, economic viability of projects, local content development, knowledge transfer, and the role of natural gas in the continent's energy transition trajectories.
Identified challenges also encompass strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms, improving administrative transparency, transforming oil rent into an industrial development lever, and integrating climate imperatives into national energy strategies. This edition will feature the participation of international technical partners such as S&P Global, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and the International Arbitration Chamber of Paris (CAIP), who will particularly address market dynamics, investment criteria, and legal issues related to the oil and gas sector.
The choice of Casablanca as the host city aligns with the chosen theme. Although Morocco is not historically a major producer of hydrocarbons, the Kingdom is highlighted as a model of economic attractiveness built around institutional stability, quality infrastructure, regional connectivity, and ambitious energy goals, particularly through landmark projects like the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline. Launched in 2023, the Oil Days initiative has already attracted nearly 300 senior executives from approximately thirty administrations, institutions, and companies across multiple African countries.
As reported by lnt.ma.
