The role of UK technical and service collaboration in Africa’s energy future was underscored at the Wider African Energy Summit (WAES) in Aberdeen on Tuesday, where operators and industry leaders emphasized the strategic value of North Sea engineering, offshore delivery experience and workforce training for Africa’s next phase of growth. As African states work to accelerate gas monetization, streamline project execution and improve emissions performance, the UK’s mature ecosystem offers practical tools and capabilities to meet those needs.

Nigerian independent Seplat Energy provided a frontline view of how targeted investment and technical capability can reshape a national energy system. The company’s revitalization of OML 40 – transforming a shut-in onshore field in the Niger Delta into a producing asset – demonstrates how focused operational investment can restore output while creating new openings for global service providers, including UK firms.

“Our ambition is to be the cornerstone producer of gas in Nigeria. The real growth lies in transforming the country’s energy supply chain,” said Jason White, General Manager for Exploration. He highlighted opportunities across power generation and LNG exports and noted that ongoing IOC divestments are creating space for domestic players that can deploy capital and technical expertise with greater agility than the majors.

African Energy Chamber (AEC) Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk offered a continental perspective on maintaining pace and competitiveness, noting that North Sea expertise has already shaped many African projects and remains vital as the continent works to scale production efficiently. “What you have developed here [in Aberdeen] can transform our continent,” said Ayuk. He stressed that Africa intends to develop all viable hydrocarbon resources, supported by skills, technology and services that enable efficient, lower-carbon operations. He also cautioned against policy approaches in mature markets – such as limits on exploration or slowed licensing – that could indirectly undermine African oil and gas investment. “We’re not against the transition – it just has to be just, orderly and fair,” he said.

Speakers also pointed to delivery models that can accelerate timelines while supporting lower-carbon operations – an area where UK expertise is particularly influential. For FPSO specialist Altera Infrastructure, long-term lease-and-operate structures are enabling earlier first oil while contributing to skills development. “All of this can become a training ground for local engineers,” said Stig Bøtker, Director of Business Development. Altera’s work with Eni on Ivory Coast’s Baleine field – delivering the first FPSO in 18 months after FID – was cited as evidence of what standardized systems and experienced service partners can achieve. Bøtker added that modern FPSOs are increasingly equipped to support lower-emission operations through improved gas management and reduced flaring.

Such models align closely with the UK’s strengths in offshore engineering, project management and safety standards, presenting clear opportunities for expanded service collaboration. “This is a symbiotic relationship – the needs of an emerging market met by a mature industry ready to look further afield,” said AFBE-UK Co-Founder Ollie Folayan. He urged the UK to leverage its global reputation for engineering education and professional development and to “expand its influence beyond the North Sea while simultaneously helping to solve the problems of the energy trilemma.”

Organized in official partnership with the AEC, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Energy Industries Council, the Scottish African Business Association, the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and the Global Underwater Hub, WAES showcases Africa’s most compelling oil and gas opportunities to the UK and European supply chain while providing a platform for new partnerships and investment.