The visit formed part of OTL Africa’s engagement with key energy stakeholders in The Gambia, including the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), aimed at strengthening partnerships, exploring investment opportunities, and extending an invitation to Gambian authorities to participate in the 2026 OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week scheduled for October in Nigeria.
Addressing the delegation, Minister Juwara emphasized that regional cooperation remains essential for achieving sustainable growth in the petroleum sector.
“We need to integrate, and this is one way of achieving tangible changes in our petroleum sector because the downstream segment is very significant,” he said, while commending the growing partnership between PURA and OTL Africa.
He described it as a moral obligation for his ministry to support PURA’s collaboration with regional and international stakeholders, noting that such engagements are helping to break barriers and create new opportunities within the energy industry.
The minister highlighted the strategic role The Gambia continues to play in the regional petroleum supply chain despite not being an oil-producing nation.
According to him, countries such as Mali and Guinea-Bissau already depend on The Gambia for petroleum re-exports, a role that could be expanded to serve additional markets across the sub-region.
“People have confidence to come and invest in this country and are always willing to bring their products into The Gambia for onward export to other countries,” he stated. “That is made possible because we have the right institutions, such as PURA, in place.”
His remarks come at a time when The Gambia is seeking to position itself as a strategic petroleum and logistics hub in the region, leveraging its geographic location, regulatory framework and expanding infrastructure to attract investment in the downstream energy sector.
Minister Juwara also accepted the invitation to attend the 2026 OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week and assured the delegation of The Gambia’s full participation in the event.
He further expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Nigeria for their support to The Gambia during the country’s political impasse in 2016, describing the relationship between the two nations as one built on solidarity and mutual respect.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, OTL Africa CEO Joyce Akabogu described the engagements with both PURA and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy as productive and insightful.
She said the discussions had laid the foundation for a broader strategic partnership that extends beyond participation in the upcoming energy conference.
“Coming to The Gambia is beyond the 2026 OTL Africa Downstream event,” she said. “It is about the strategic engagement with PURA and the ministry that allows us to explore opportunities and benefits, not just between our two countries, but across the West African space.”
Akabogu noted that OTL Africa is particularly interested in fostering investment, capacity building, research collaboration and knowledge-sharing initiatives that can strengthen the region’s energy sector.
“We are looking at the investment opportunities, the capacity building, and the research and knowledge value that can emerge from this relationship,” she added.
The visit is expected to open new avenues for cooperation between The Gambia and one of Africa’s leading downstream energy platforms, as both sides seek to deepen collaboration, enhance regional energy security and stimulate investment in the petroleum sector.
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