African Energy Ministers & Law Experts to Convene in Johannesburg to Tackle the Latest Legal Issue

Jan. 12, 2015 - PRLog -- The Africa Oil & Gas Legal Summit 2015 along with its Pre-Summit Masterclass will be held on February 24-26 at the Protea Hotel Balalaika Sandton in Johannesburg, South Africa.  This inaugural event will convene Energy Ministers, legal experts and industry players from the oil and gas ecosystem, ranging from oil majors and national oil companies, equipment and technology suppliers, investors, energy sector associations, financial service providers and academics.

The Legal Summit comes at an exciting time for Africa's oil and gas industry as it continues its stride in becoming a global oil and gas powerhouse amid challenging conditions of declining oil prices. Africa supplies approximately 11% and 7% to global oil and gas demand respectively, and contains 10% of the world's proven oil and gas reserves.

Summit highlights include the Ministerial Keynotes & Panel session featuring: Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy & Petroleum, Ghana; H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines, Industry & Energy, Equatorial Guinea; H.E. Djerassem Le Bemadjie, Minister of Petroleum & Energy, Chad; and H.E. Eric Williams, Former Minister of Energy of Trinidad & Tobago.

Delegates can also look forward to legal updates from emerging and active oil jurisdictions including updates on South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Chad, Kenya, Angola and Nigeria. Critical issues on managing oil and gas agreements, joint ventures, cross-border and nationalisation concerns, negotiation techniques, ethics and corruption, cross cultural considerations and other pertinent issues will be discussed by a panel of legal experts.

The power-packed line-up of industry speakers includes: Amb. Bheki Gila, CEO, Strategic Fuel Fund Association, Central Energy Fund Group, Department of Energy, South Africa; Dionísio Fonseca, Legal Advisor, Government of the Republic of Angola; Sibusiso Gamede, Special Advisor to Minister of Energy and Group Counsel, Strategic Fuel Fund Association, Central Energy Fund Group, Department of Energy, South Africa; Raphael Mgaya, Senior Legal Counsel, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation; Julia Dias, Legal Director, Empresa Nacional De Hidrocarbonetos, Mozambique; Dr Justina Akyeampong, Chief Legal Officer, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation; Eng. Linus Gitonga, Director of Petroleum, Energy Regulatory Commission, Kenya, and many others.

An exclusive feature of this event is the essential Pre-Summit Masterclass conducted by legal experts: Norman J. Nadorff, Senior Counsel, BP Angola and Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Houston Law Centre; Harry Sullivan, International Attorney, Kosmos Energy and Visiting Professor, S.M.U. Dedman School of Law; and NJ Ayuk, Managing Partner, Centurion LLP.  Mr Nadorff explains: "Drawing on decades of industry experience, the Masterclass presenters will identify major issues and challenges facing oil and gas law practitioners day-to-day and show how to most effectively and efficiently deal with them."

This high-powered event is supported by the pan-African corporate law conglomerate Centurion Law Group as Premium Knowledge Partner and by global law firm White & Case as Silver Sponsor.

"As investment within Africa's oil and gas industry continues to surge, the need for qualified expertise to understand the fast evolving legal landscape is greater than ever," says NJ Ayuk, Centurion Law Firm's managing partner.  "The Summit brings together the continent's premier legal minds and political leaders to discuss issues across the oil and gas spectrum."

The CEO of the conference-organizing company, Magenta Global Pte Ltd of Singapore, Ms Maggie Tan, said: “This Summit will provide an excellent opportunity for Government-to-Government, Government-to-Industry, and company-to-company informational exchanges on recent developments in Africa Oil and Gas Law, issues and challenges.  Get clarity on regulatory compliance and mitigate risks. This is an important strategy summit for both Governments and oil and gas companies on likely regulatory changes and enforcement developments.”  Ms Tan encouraged both Governments, operators and the private sector to be part of this key event.

Contact jose@magenta-global.com.sg or +65 6391 2535 for more information.