The milestone 20th annual conference of the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA), comprising Africa’s downstream oil energy leaders, in Cape Town from April 13 to 17 will, among its deliberations, focus on raising further major financing for the essential growth of industrialisation on the Continent, based on secure, cleaner, affordable energy.

Primary among the discussions at ARDA Week 2026, under the theme “Fuelling Africa’s Industrialisation”, will be accelerated development of the production, and downstream delivery of the vital, refined fuels required to further boost the continent’s industrial independence.

“The health and wealth of the downstream sector of the oil industry is key to the growth of the continent as, without it, the fuels needed to create and sustain industrial development on the scale so desperately needed, would simply not exist”, says ARDA Executive Secretary, Anibor Kragha.

Industry leaders, policymakers and investors agree that Africa cannot effectively industrialise without reliable, secure, affordable and plentiful cleaner energy. “Delivering this requires significant increases in investment across the downstream energy sector, including refining capacity, fuel supply chains, and storage & distribution infrastructure,” says Kragha, who guides the association’s strategy and operations, and provides project support for all the downstream sectors of the industry, including stakeholders across the continent.

One thing is unequivocally agreed by industry leaders: Africa’s industrial future must be powered by reliable, resilient energy systems.

In pursuit of promoting the association’s objectives, the downstream sector supports economic growth across multiple industries, including Manufacturing and industrial production; Transport and trade; Mining and heavy industry; Agriculture and food production; Urbanisation and infrastructure development.

“Gathering at this time, as we have over the past 20 years, we now also find ourselves on the sidelines of a major world energy crisis that shifts precariously on a daily basis and may well affect us more intimately as time unfolds. Irrespective of this, ARDA Members and key stakeholders remain committed to operating with continued determination and trying to manage this current complex situation as best as possible,” says Kragha.                                                                                                                          

Notes for editors:

The conference will include discussion panels with the following themes:

• Setting the Scene – The Path to 2040: Fuels, people and infrastructure for Africa’s
• industrial future
• Policy Pathways to Fuel Specification Harmonisation: Regulation, progress and ambition
• Driving Efficiency and Growth: Advanced technologies in Africa’s downstream petroleum industry
• From Policy to Impact: Promoting LPG for healthier lives and sustainable energy in Africa
• Securing Our Future: Infrastructure investments for energy security
• Advancing Sustainable Finance for Africa’s Downstream Industrialisation
• Driving Growth Through People: Human capital development in the African downstream sector
• Refining the Future: Innovative pathways for downstream decarbonisation in Africa