The African Energy Chamber (AEC), the voice of the African energy sector, is proud to announce that Foday Mansaray, Director General of the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) will participate at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 conference, Africa’s biggest gathering for energy stakeholders, which takes place from October 16-20 in Cape Town.

As Director General, Mansaray has comprehensive knowledge as well as technical and practical experience across various facets of the oil and gas sector, with expertise in exploration activities, onshore and offshore processing chains and in other energy industry-based projects. In addition to this, he has great project management and leadership skills. He has experience working with prominent oil and gas majors such as bp, Chevron, Aramco, Shell, TotalEnergies, Technip Energies, and others. In doing so he has developed strong relationships across the oil and gas industry.

With his exceptional leadership abilities, he has been instrumental in driving the PDSL to new heights. In 2022, Sierra Leone initiated its fifth licensing round to further the development of its oil and gas industry, providing investors with an opportunity to engage in over 63,000 square kilometers of highly promising acreage through block and technical data acquisition. In doing so, the PSDL has been actively pursuing new investment opportunities, and AEW will serve as an ideal platform for Mansaray to attract potential investors and potentially establish new oil and gas projects in the region.

Meanwhile, in addition to partnerships with foreign players, last year saw the signing of a cooperation agreement between the PDSL and the National Agency for Oil, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) of Angola to enhance collaboration in the oil and gas sector. Mansaray played a big part on behalf of the PDSL as he signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Paulino Jerónimo, President of the ANPG, which serves as a bilateral trade and investment opportunity. The agreement further serves to maintain strong social and economic relations between the two nations while making a strong case for regional cooperation in the energy sector. Going forward, Sierra Leone is looking at strengthening its relations with both global and regional partners, expanding opportunities in the burgeoning oil and gas sector. With recent discoveries such as by Innoson Oil & Gas in 2022 and with a licensing round in progress, the country is optimistic in its ability to attract investment and create a competitive energy market.

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As the country aims to leverage its hydrocarbon resources and emerge as a major player in Africa’s oil and gas sector, Mansaray continues to promote investment in Sierra Leone energy, and during AEW 2023, he is expected to provide detailed insights into the range of investment and partnership opportunities present across the country.

“Mansaray is the type of individual that embodies a proactive attitude and possesses the drive to effect change. In the energy sector, African leaders such as him, who possess a clear and compelling vision for their country’s energy sector and the capability to see it through to fruition, are indispensable,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, adding that “The Chamber has great expectations that Mansaray will continue to build strong intra-African relationships, and during AEW 2023, he will bring valuable insights and potentially sign more deals.”

Mansaray is anticipated to cover several crucial topics at the conference during his address, including the unexplored potential of Sierra Leone’s oil and gas resources, the possibility of sharing knowledge with established producers like Angola, as well as the significance of regional cooperation in the African energy sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Week (AEW).