This year’s Africa Oil & Gas Talent Summit (AOGS) is set to host Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, organisers of the event have announced.

President Akufo Addo is reported to have written to express his willingness to be part of AOGS2017 scheduled in Accra between October 10 and 13, 2017.

According to Emmanuel Emielu, Summit Director, “His Excellency’s letter sent to us by courier, clearly demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to advancing human capacity development in Africa’s oil and gas industry, of which Ghana is a notable player”.

Africa Oil & Gas Talent Summit, is an annual event that launched in 2015, and seeks to fill a very important gap in Africa’s oil industry’s ecosystem. Emielu stressed the critical need for the AOGS2017, saying, “as oil prices remain low for longer, people and processes are key for survival.”

The Summit Director pointed out that event will pool people who can unravel the emerging complexities and ambiguities; resilient and focused people who can chalk up innovative responses and implement same successfully.

"AOGS is the platform to put people and performance excellence center stage in Africa’s oil and gas discourse, he said.

AOGS 2017 continues to gather support from across Africa, with BakerHughesGE confirmed to deliver the Summit keynote, while Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Tullow Oil Ghana, are among the several organisations greatly supporting the event.

Emielu disclosed that the theme for this year, is Digital Workplace Transformation for Africa's Energy Future. According to him, the oil industry is not new to technology disruptions, but digitisation of the workplace is a new phenomenon. That is why AOGS2017 welcomes African operators, service providers and regulators to power up their digital workplace strategies now, at a time the industry is seeking innovative strategic responses to a lower-forever oil price future, he said.

Emielu stated further that the Summit features topical round tables sessions and expert presentations, with delegates and exhibitors made up of CEOs of E&P and service companies, Ministers, Directors General and Executive Secretaries in Oil & Gas, Power and Local Content matters, Higher Education Senior Leaders, Global Digital Talent Solutions Providers, plus HR Directors, Consultants and Senior Managers in L&D, Training and HCD.