Oando urges stronger partnerships to unlock Africa’s upstream energy potential

Africa’s upstream energy sector needs relationships that go beyond regulation and commercial transactions, Oando Energy Resources said at African Oil Week 2026 in Accra, Ghana. The company called for stronger partnerships among governments, regulators, operators and host communities.

Kofo Olagunju, Oando’s general manager for security, government and external relations, said collaboration was needed to unlock investment and support sustainable growth. He spoke during a panel on government and private-sector frameworks for upstream development, alongside representatives from The Gambia, Uganda, Ghana and CNOOC International.

The discussion focused on how African governments and energy companies can align policy, regulation and commercial priorities. Oando said greater certainty would help attract investment and speed up upstream development across the continent.

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What we have seen in recent years is a growing recognition by both operators and regulators that we are ultimately working towards a shared objective.

Olagunju argued that regulators and operators should move from traditional oversight toward a partnership based on mutual understanding and shared responsibility. Regulators need to understand the industry’s operational challenges, he said, while operators must remain aware of governments’ wider development and regulatory priorities.

He also highlighted the changing role of host communities. Communities have moved from being neighbours to resource projects to becoming stakeholders, and increasingly shareholders, in their success. Oando said lasting operations require transparency, trust and a shared understanding of the value responsible resource development can create.

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For our operations to thrive, host communities must be integral partners in the journey. That requires more than compliance. It requires transparency, trust, and a shared understanding of the value that responsible resource development can create.