Oil and Gas Diplomacy: Cameroon’s NJ Ayuk Leads Historic Africa–Latin America Energy Breakthrough

 

Cameroonian-born energy lawyer and one of Africa’s most influential oil and gas advocates, NJ Ayuk, has concluded a week-long strategic visit to Venezuela, sealing high-level engagements aimed at strengthening energy cooperation between Africa and the South American nation.

The Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC) was received in audience by Venezuela’s Acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas on Thursday, February 26, 2026. The visit formed part of a broader push to reinforce South–South cooperation, expand cross-border investments, and align Africa–Latin America energy diplomacy.

Describing the mission as productive and forward-looking, Ayuk said discussions focused on boosting oil and gas collaboration, removing trade bottlenecks, promoting institutional partnerships, and accelerating structured investment frameworks between both regions.

During the working visit, the AEC delegation held strategic meetings with senior officials of PDVSA – Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. – alongside Deputy Ministers in charge of Gas, Petroleum, and Geopolitical Affairs. Talks also centred on technology transfer, skills exchange, expanding market access, and unlocking new value chains beyond hydrocarbons.

Ayuk praised Acting President Rodríguez as a pragmatic leader committed to rebuilding Venezuela’s economy and strengthening ties with Africa. He emphasised their shared objective of eradicating energy poverty and leveraging hydrocarbons as tools for industrialisation and human development.

“This is the best time to invest in Venezuela’s energy sector,” Ayuk stated, expressing optimism over ongoing reforms. He added that Africa and Venezuela are united in championing a more resilient and integrated Global South economy anchored on practical trade and investment cooperation.

 

A Central Figure in Africa’s Energy Diplomacy

 

Ayuk’s diplomatic outreach comes against the backdrop of his growing stature as one of the continent’s most vocal energy lobbyists.

At 45, the native of Mamfe in Manyu Division of the Southwest region has built a formidable reputation as a lawyer, dealmaker, entrepreneur, and event organiser. Through Centurion Law Group (CLG), founded in 2009, and the African Energy Chamber, established in 2018, he has positioned himself at the heart of Africa’s oil and gas negotiations.

Since 2021, he has convened African Energy Week (AEW) in Cape Town, now widely regarded as the continent’s largest energy conference. The 2025 edition attracted 12,000 participants and reportedly facilitated about $15 billion in project commitments across Congo, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea. The target for 2026 stands at $20 billion.

Through a strategic ecosystem linking the African Energy Chamber, Energy Capital & Power (ECP) — co-founded by his wife, Kelly-Ann Ayuk — and CLG, Ayuk has built a structure where policy advocacy, investment attraction, and transaction advisory operate in synergy.

While supporters describe him as “visionary” and “indispensable,” critics label him “controversial” and “climate sceptic.” Unmoved, Ayuk insists his mission is clear: lifting Africa out of energy poverty.

 

Defender of Fossil Fuels, Voice of a ‘Just Transition’

 

A staunch defender of oil and gas development, Ayuk has consistently argued that Africa must harness its natural resources to industrialise and provide electricity to over 600 million Africans still without access to power. He echoes the position of many African negotiators at global climate summits, insisting that countries responsible for historic emissions must honour long-standing climate finance pledges.

“Those who polluted must pay. They promised $100 billion a year for 15 years. Where is the money? If they cannot help us, they should let us develop our resources to lift ourselves out of poverty,” he has repeatedly argued.

His confrontational stance has brought him into open rivalry with organisers of Africa Oil Week and into conflict with environmental activists. Yet, he maintains that controversy is inevitable in energy diplomacy.

“You cannot do this job without being controversial,” he once remarked.

 

From Mamfe, Cameroon, to Global Energy Circles

 

Ayuk’s journey began in Cameroon before he moved to the United States at 18. A law graduate of William Mitchell College of Law and holder of an MBA in finance and strategy from the New York Institute of Technology, he initially aspired to become a civil rights lawyer.

Following a United Nations mission in Darfur, he shifted focus to energy after witnessing firsthand how lack of access to power hindered development. That realisation would shape his career and advocacy.

He stepped down as CEO of Centurion Law Group in December 2023 to concentrate fully on continental energy lobbying. Today, he maintains relationships with global financial institutions, oil majors, and policy influencers across Washington, Moscow, and European capitals.

His Venezuela visit therefore signals more than a diplomatic courtesy call. It reflects a broader strategy to connect Africa with emerging energy partners in Latin America and to reposition the Global South as a decisive force in global energy governance.

With both Caracas and the African Energy Chamber expressing commitment to translate diplomatic goodwill into concrete investments, the Africa–Venezuela axis could mark a new chapter in South–South energy cooperation.

 

By Lasha Kingsly Ndongho