By Our Reporter The Nation
The Gulf of Guinea’s $800bn energy, logistics and maritime investment opportunities come under spotlight at the High-Level Roundtable on $800bn Energy, Oil and Gas, Aviation and Maritime Investment Opportunities in New York as the United Nations General Assembly’s 80th Session opens in September, Dave Ogunsola writes
Given rising dynamics in international developments, socio-political and economic configurations across the world especially on subject matters such as growing demographic tensions, climate change, energy streams, oil and gas price fluctuations, natural disasters, maritime transportation architecture under various jurisdictional leveraging by business entities and conglomerates, backed by deepening interest and profitability in blue economy and blue diplomacy, the United Nations General Assembly’s 80th Session (UNGA 80), is expectedly focusing on the theme: “Building our Future Together,” from 9-23 September 2025
Thus, with the increasing dynamics, it is logical that this year’s UNGA, tagged UNGA 80 is beaming its attention on topical global matters such as peace and security, business and investment, trade, maritime, energy, logistics, sustainable development, and economic resilience. Going by this development, The New Diplomat, an Abuja based policy think tank in collaboration with the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) based in Angola- the premier regional framework in the Gulf of Guinea region with diplomatic mandate covering about 25 Coastal African Countries going by the Yaounde Code of Conduct/Architecture, is hosting a High-level Roundtable during the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, to spotlight the region’s vast economic, investment, trade and maritime capabilities, and serving as a nexus for global maritime, energy and logistical hub.
The high-level Roundtable which would bring together global players across African Countries, the EU, China, France, the Americas, including the United States, G7+++FoGG viz. Spain, Germany, Italy, the UK, Japan and regional organizations, Captains of the private Sector, development finance experts, Sector regulators, private-public sector, international business executives, UN agencies, the African Union, diplomatic missions, GoG top executives in strategic sectors, has been put together with the objective of beaming attention on the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) – a strategically crucial region on account of its vitality to regional and global energy, oil and gas, airlifting capabilities, logistics, infrastructure and maritime frameworks.
Organized under the central message: “Unlocking Energy, Oil & Gas, Minerals and Maritime Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea: A Roadmap for Peace and Security,” the forum convened by The New Diplomat in collaboration with the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), headquartered in Luanda, Angola, is building upon the inaugural event held during the 70th UNGA, in 2015.
According to its Concept Note and programme, the forum seeks to deepen international engagement on peace and security imperatives and catalyze investment, trade and business in the region’s energy, oil and gas, mineral, aviation and maritime sectors.
The Roundtable Programme added; “The roundtable will hold on Thursday, 25th September 2025, in New York, US. The pre-roundtable welcome dinner will hold 24th September 2025, 7:00pm-8pm, with the main sessions kicking off on 25th September 2025.And there will be a closing dinner where select top level personalities and organizations that have made positive impact in the Gulf of Guinea region will be recognized/honoured at 7:00 pm-8:000pm on 25th September, 2025. The roundtable will extensively highlight and dissect the strategic importance of the Gulf of Guinea and illuminate the region’s peace, security roadmap, $800 billion energy, oil/gas, infrastructure, and maritime business/investment opportunities as well as an outlined $3 trillion African coastal economy prospects. For context, according to the OECD, the African coastal economy is projected to reach $3 trillion in five years, with the GoG contributing $300 billion and creating over 49 million jobs”.
Cruciality of the Gulf of Guinea
There is no doubt that the GoG accounts for about 50% of Africa’s oil with an estimated 10% of global reserves. According to data sourced from the GGC digital footprints the Gulf of Guineaalso serves as a vital shipping corridor and a source of abundant natural resources – from hydrocarbons and minerals to fisheries – making it integral to regional and global economic architecture. It is a nexus for international trade, logistics and transportation. However, it remains a hotspot for transnational threats. The Yaoundé Code of Conduct, adopted in 2013 by 25 coastal states, provides a framework to address maritime threats. Recent developments, such as the federal government of Nigeria’s offer to host the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF-GoG) which enjoys broad support, signal renewed momentum. The September 25, 2025 roundtable acts as a timely international platform to strengthen such regional frameworks, and align peace, security, economic, investment and development aspirations, according to the event programme document.
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Gains to Private Sector, Public Sector and Diplomatic Community
The GoG is emerging as a critical gateway for investment, trade, and security cooperation, with over $800 billion in energy, oil and gas, maritime and infrastructure opportunities. This high-level roundtable provides a rare platform for public-private engagement to unlock the region’s full potential.
Market Access and Partnership formation
By engaging with high-level government representatives, business leaders, across the Gulf of Guinea region and investors from across African coastal countries, participants will leverage the GGC as a strategic platform to align business priorities, strengthen networks, and foster cross-sectoral collaboration—public, private, and multilateral.
Financing/Funding Architecture for Projects in the GoG
Another benefit is promotion the creation of financing architecture for effective exploitation and channelization of the Gulf of Guinea’s energy, oil & gas, minerals and maritime resources for regional economic growth, private sector development, and the benefits of citizens of member States.
Deepening Blue Economy and Blue Diplomacy
The forum will also promote regional collaboration on transnational projects in energy, oil & gas, maritime logistics, airlifting logistics and minerals. In addition, it is a forum for harnessing emerging opportunities in the Blue Economy, supported by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Innovation and Corporate Vision
CEOs, captains of industry, and leaders of state-owned enterprises will also have a global platform to present their innovations, brands, and development models to a targeted international audience.
Driving Economic Growth and Job Creation
According to the OECD, the African coastal economy is projected to reach $3 trillion by 2030, with the GoG contributing $300 billion and creating over 49 million jobs. According to analysts, the Roundtable helps position stakeholders at the forefront of this transformation.
Bolstering Regional Security for Investment Stability
Another benefit is that it build Support for Nigeria’s offer to host the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF-GoG) —a pivotal step to address piracy, oil theft, and maritime crime, which cost the region over $2.8 billion between 2020–2025 (IMB).
Impacting Regulatory and Security Frameworks
It will also contribute to the evolution of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct into a binding legal framework, promote harmonized enforcement mechanisms and operationalization of the ASF/CMTF-GoG to safeguard regional assets and reduce investment risks.
Fortifying for Intra-African Trade Growth
Industry players say as AfCFTA removes trade barriers, investments in coastal infrastructure and maritime security will facilitate up to $560 billion in additional trade, including $450 billion in oil, gas, and maritime commerce over the next decade.
Cooperation in Logistical Innovation and Regional Business Dynamics
The forum will also enhance technical cooperation and logistical innovation while accelerating regional business synergies through exploration of joint ventures and policy dialogues on aviation, strategic airlifting, and supply chain resilience—critical to peacekeeping, commerce, and regional response capabilities. It will also forge alliances between established and emerging energy-producing countries, and enable peer learning, private sector matchmaking, and knowledge-sharing that will help catalyze regional business growth and prosperity.
While throwing some light on the programme, Ambassador Oma Djebah, former Nigerian Ambassador to Thailand with concurrent accreditation to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok, and founding Chairman of The New Diplomat said the business community in African Coastal countries in the Gulf of Guinea region and Nigerian businesses have a lot to benefit from leveraging the abundant and vital economic, investment, trade and business opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea.
He explained to The Nation newspaper that some of the objectives of the September 25, 2025 New York high-level roundtable include facilitation of multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborations in business, investment, and trade opportunities as well as fostering appropriate multilateral frameworks to support the vision of the GGC.
He said: “The other key objectives of the high-level roundtable include to showcase national and regional efforts to strengthen energy, oil and gas, aviation and blue economies, advance infrastructure and maritime security; support regional roadmap for peace, security, and sustainable development. The forum also offers an international opportunity to foster support for Nigeria’s offer to host the CMTF-GoG and promote enhanced private-public sector collaboration to unlock the region’s $800 billion infrastructure, oil & gas, mineral and energy opportunities.”
Similarly, Ambassador Mohammed Bello Abioye, former Nigerian Ambassador to Pakistan with concurrent accreditation to the Maldives, who is a Co-Lead host of the event said expected outcomes from the high-level roundtable, include strengthened economic development efforts, enhanced investor confidence through clearer governance frameworks; expanded networks for B2B, G2G, and P2P cooperation in maritime, oil and gas, energy, aviation and infrastructure development.
According to Abioye, others include: Unlocking funding/investment opportunities for both public and private sector players in the Gulf of Guinea region and facilitation of the creation of the Gulf of Guinea Business Roundtable (GGBRT) as a strategic regional business network, and nexus for private & public sector engagement in the GoG.
Expected from the roundtable are specific key benefits and value proposition. According to Amb. Djebah, a Co-lead host of the event, these include: “ Mobilization of investments in maritime, oil & gas, and minerals projects in the GoG region; Showcase public-private collaboration models aligned with AfCFTA, Agenda 2063, and SDG 14 (Life Below Water); Drive technical partnerships around logistics, airlift, mineral, energy, oil and gas, and maritime capabilities, and promote the private Sector to benefit from the projected over $3 trillion Coastal economy by the next five years.”
Target participants in the roundtable include representatives from: UN, AU, ECOWAS, ECCAS, GGC; State-owned national energy companies, transnational Private Sector; Global players (WTO)/GGC member States, NUPRCs ; Diplomatic Missions/Specialized entities with interests in the GoG; National Govts (Oil & Gas, Defence, Energy, mineral, Trade, Aviation, Maritime); Development Finance Institutions (World Bank, AfDB, Afreximbank); Private Sector (Oil, Gas, Maritime, Mineral, Aviation, Logistics); and Sub-nationals governments, academia & global think-tanks.