PROGRAM
2025 AGIS: Building a Resilient Africa Gas Economy through Innovation and Collaboration
Venue: PTDF Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
June 18 - 19, 2025
DAY 1: Strengthening Infrastructure, Utilization, and Domestic Capacity
8:00 – 9:00 AM: Registration & Networking Breakfast
- Attendees arrive, collect materials, and engage in informal networking.
- Light breakfast served.
9:00 – 9:15 AM: Opening Remarks
- Facilitator or Summit Host welcomes participants, outlines the summit’s high-level goals, and introduces the theme.
9:15 – 9:45 AM: Keynote Address
- Title: “The Next Frontier: Why Africa’s Gas Economy Must Evolve Now”
- Speaker: Senior Government Official or Renowned Energy Leader
- Objective (SMART): Present a 6-month action plan to kickstart new pipeline/storage projects in at least two countries.
9:45 – 10:30 AM: CEO Insight Panel
- Title: “Infrastructure as the Catalyst: Boosting Domestic Gas Utilization”
- Panelists: Energy CEOs, infrastructure innovators, policymakers
- Discussion Points:
- Building resilient pipeline networks and LNG capacity
- Fast-tracking local distribution for industrial feedstock and clean cooking
- Outcome: Identify at least 3 new domestic utilization projects to be implemented within a year
10:30 – 10:45 AM: Coffee & Networking Break
10:45 – 11:45 AM: Innovation Poster Session & Pitch Expo
- Format: Rapid-fire demos (3–5 minutes each) and poster displays from startups, universities, and R&D centers
- Focus: Solutions for infrastructure maintenance, safety, digital twin , and small-scale LNG
- SMART Goal: Secure pilot or funding pledges for at least 2 innovations before Day 2
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM: Breakout Workshops
Workshop A: “Financing Domestic Infrastructure: Closing the Gaps”
- Led by: Development Finance Institutions, private equity, government finance representatives
- Outcome (SMART): Produce a 6-month roadmap detailing blended finance models to fund pipeline/storage expansions in at least 2 African countries
Workshop B: “Empowering Local Content and Workforce”
- Led by: HR experts, vocational training institutions, local entrepreneurs
- Outcome (SMART): Draft a training & certification program to upskill 500 local workers over 12 months
12:45 – 1:45 PM: Lunch & Networking
1:45 – 2:30 PM: Regulatory Roundtable
- Title: “Streamlining Approvals for Domestic Gas Projects”
- Participants: Energy ministries, policy experts, private sector
- Topics: Tariff structures, environmental compliance, safety standards
- SMART Deliverable: A “Policy Checklist” to reduce project approval time by 30% within a year
2:30 – 3:00 PM: CEO–Startup Fireside Chat
- Title: “From Concept to Scale: Bridging Corporate and Startup Ecosystems”
- Outcome: Formulate at least 2 corporate-startup collaboration MOUs, targeting real-world deployment within 9 months
3:00 – 3:15 PM: Coffee & Networking Break
3:15 – 4:30 PM: Hackathon Launch
- Theme: “Collaborate to Innovate: Solving Real Gas Challenges”
- Format: Hackathon participants (startups, developers, corporate mentors) form teams, receive specific challenge statements
- SMART Goal: Generate 5 actionable hackathon project ideas to be pitched on Day 2
4:30 – 5:00 PM: Day 1 Closing & Recap
- Facilitator: Summarizes key action items, highlights notable partnerships, and previews Day 2 themes.
World Class Technical Program
Expected Takeaways
- Concrete Infrastructure Roadmap: Focused on raising domestic utilization by 20% within a year.
- Actionable Financing & Policy Reforms: Specific steps to reduce approval times by 30%, unify cross-border regulations, and roll out at least 2 new financing mechanisms.
- Investable Innovations: Pilot commitments for at least 3 new technologies or solutions to enhance domestic/regional trading and reduce carbon footprints.
- Dynamic Partnerships: A minimum of 5 new alliances (MOUs or LOIs) across governments, private sector, and startups to move into implementation within 6–9 months.
- ESG Alignment & Sustainability: At least 2 new funding models and 3 corporate commitments to lowering emissions or adopting cleaner practices.
AGIS Technical Program
Key Engagement Tools & Features
- Summit Mobile App:
- 1-on-1 meeting scheduling, real-time polling, Q&A, resource library
- Push notifications for agenda updates and voting in pitch sessions
- Daily Recaps:
- Brief summaries via email or app at the end of each day to keep everyone aligned
- Matchmaking Lounge:
- Dedicated space for structured meetings between startups, investors, and corporate giants
- Innovation Poster Sessions (Day 1 & Day 2):
Corner for additional showcases and follow-up discussions on featured tech or pilot programs
DAY 2: Advancing Market Competitiveness, Regional Trading, and Sustainable Growth
8:00 – 9:00 AM: Arrival & Morning Networking
- Recap distributed via a short newsletter or app notification from Day 1.
9:00 – 9:15 AM: Kickoff & Day 2 Overview
- Host/MC: Provides a quick Day 1 recap, sets expectations for Day 2 focus on market competitiveness, gas trading, and sustainability.
9:15 – 9:45 AM: Keynote
- Title: “Shaping Africa’s Gas Sector for Global Integration”
- Speaker: Regional economic bloc representative (e.g., African Union, ECOWAS) or global energy institution
- SMART Objective: Announce a target to cut cross-border trade barriers by 25% in 12 months
9:45 – 10:30 AM: Investor & Government Panel
- Title: “Capital Flows and Market Openness: The Path to Integration”
- Panelists: Sovereign wealth funds, venture capital firms, government trade representatives
- Key Discussion Points: De-risking measures, tariff harmonization, real-time pricing systems
- SMART Deliverable: At least 2 new cross-border or pan-African financing mechanisms formalized within 6 months
10:30 – 10:45 AM: Coffee & Networking Break
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Hackathon Finals & Awards
- Format: Short, refined pitches from Day 1 hackathon teams
- Judging Panel: CEOs, VCs, government representatives
- Outcome: Live feedback and awards for the top 2 solutions with immediate scale-up potential
- SMART Target: Secure at least 1 pilot commitment for the winning hackathon idea within 3 months
12:00 – 1:00 PM: Interactive Policy Lab
- Title: “Unleashing Domestic & Regional Gas Trading”
- Facilitators: Policy experts, trade lawyers, digital trading platform providers
- Structure: Participants break into groups to map out legal, fiscal, and digital frameworks for vibrant domestic/regional gas trading
- SMART Deliverable: Draft blueprint for a cross-border trading agreement or platform to be tested within 9 months
1:00 – 2:00 PM: Lunch & Networking
2:00 – 2:45 PM: Startups & Scale-Ups Pitch Session
- Title: “Market Growth Catalysts”
- Focus: Pitches on digital trading platforms, real-time pricing apps, aggregator solutions for small-scale gas producers
- SMART Goal: Secure at least 2 investor term sheets or partnership LOIs to facilitate domestic/regional trading expansions
2:45 – 3:30 PM: Sustainability Spotlight
- Title: “Driving Lower Carbon Footprints t hrough Innovation”
- Focus: CCUS, hydrogen blending, RNG, ESG governance
- SMART Objective: Outline a 12-month plan in which at least 3 companies adopt carbon-reduction initiatives
3:30 – 3:45 PM: Coffee & Networking Break
3:45 – 4:30 PM: Roundtable – “ESG-Driven Finance for a Resilient Gas Sector”
- Participants: Green financing institutions, major oil & gas companies, climate NGOs
- Outcome: Present 2 new ESG-based funding models with measurable GHG targets (e.g., 10% emission reduction in pilot sites within a year)
4:30 – 5:00 PM: Summit Closing & Declaration
- Title: “Turning Vision into Action – Commitments & Milestones”
- Recap major announcements (MOUs, deals, hackathon outcomes)
- Present the “Open Market Action Agenda”: 6-month and 12-month timelines for progress
- Invite signatories to confirm commitments (e.g., pilot programs, policy reforms)
- Outline next steps and future check-ins
Thank You AGIS Sponsors
AGIS Collaborating Organisations
Media/Technical Partners
