Sankofa Events Acquires Africa Oil Week, With Paul Sinclair at the Helm

“I am proud and excited to lead AOW—an event I have much history with and a powerful brand I firmly believe in,” Sinclair stated.

In a significant development for the African energy sector, Sankofa Events, led by esteemed energy executive Paul Sinclair, has acquired the Africa Oil Week (AOW) event, previously known as Africa Oil Week. This acquisition marks Sinclair's return to lead a summit he played a pivotal role in establishing as Africa's foremost gathering for oil, gas, and energy stakeholders—a vital platform for deal-making between governments and energy businesses.

“I am proud and excited to lead AOW—an event I have much history with and a powerful brand I firmly believe in,” Sinclair stated. He expressed his commitment to building on the progress AOW has made in recent years, emphasizing his eagerness to reconnect with colleagues from the African oil, gas, and energy sectors at the upcoming event in October.

The next AOW conference, titled AOW: Investing In African Energy, is set to take place from October 7 in Cape Town. For the past nine years, AOW has been managed by the international exhibition and conference company Hyve Group, which will continue to support Sankofa Events until after this year’s 30th edition of AOW.

“Paul knows the event extremely well, believes concretely in AOW’s purpose and has an excellent knowledge of the sector,” remarked Mark Shashoua, CEO of Hyve Group. “Hyve will support Paul over the coming months to ensure continuity for the AOW community, and we are fully committed to delivering another fantastic event.”

Sinclair has extensive networks across the global oil and gas industry, having served as Vice President of Energy for Africa Oil Week from 2017 to 2023. He also played a key role in launching the Green Energy Africa Summit, which has since become part of the consolidated AOW event.

He reassured investors that the conference will continue to provide a dedicated, crucial platform for engagement and deal-making, particularly for upstream players, facilitating valuable interactions and opportunities for governments.

“We are excited about the growth possibilities of this powerful property,” Sinclair commented. “AOW already adds significant value to the energy sector, facilitating deal flow, partnerships, and business growth in the African oil and gas space while also supporting the energy transition. We look forward to expanding that impact for the benefit of all stakeholders in the industry.”