The Africa Energy Forum (AEF) is the only international Forum focussed on power generation for Africa with attendance restricted to stakeholders (investors, consultants, developers, ministries, utilities, regulators etc.) from the power sector. AEFcomes to the UAE for the first time to capture the massive potential of Middle Eastern investment, and to learn from a region that has successfully built its gas based economy into a booming global empire.

With massive demand for power in Africa and international investors keen to fund power projects, this is the most established African power event that African governments and private sector attend year on year. As a result AEF has become the place to do business and meet new and prospective clients. Held in a different city each year, African Ministries, utilities and regulators return from across the continent meet and do business with prospective investors and power developers from Europe, Asia, Middle East, North America and South America.

The 17th Annual Africa Energy Forum  will take place on 8-11 June 2015 at The J.W Marriot Marquis in Dubaiand is set to welcome over 1200 industry stakeholders including; government representatives, utilities, financial investors, power technology providers, power developers, EPC contractors and more. Over $25bn of investment capital was represented at AEF 2014 in Istanbul and 2015 looks to be bigger.

• This year’s Forum introduces the ‘Power In Africa Awards’ & Black Tie Gala Dinner – An ‘Emirati Banquet’ honouring people and businesses with actual projects in operation on the continent.

• 12 Minsterial and Utility-led Country specific project briefings will shine the spotlight onto unique countries in Africa to provide detailed industry insights and in-country knowledge.

• Africa Energy Yearbook– the official publication of the Forum featuring insights from the of the most prolific investors and important stakeholders in the energy space.

• Private meeting rooms for over 530 closed door meetings between investors and stakeholders.

• Sponsored by Aggreko and Norton Rose Fulbright, the ‘EnergyNet Student Engagement Initiative (ESEI)’ brings 32 of the brightest chemical engineers, economics and law students from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya to Dubai to meet investors and take that next step towards further development and employment.

• This year also sees the launch of the ‘ESEI Innovation Hub,’ showcasing creative exciting and scalable renewable technology destined to impact Africa’s access to alternative energy solutions.

• Not to be missed – ‘Access Power’ present the ‘Access Co-development Fund (ACF)’; a live ‘Dragon’s Den’ style competition for early stage project investment, enabling four shortlisted projects to pitch for up to US$5m of development finance which will be awarded during the forum in Dubai.