Building trust, investing in talent, growing Impact: LR’s Journey Across Africa

With improving risk profiles and growing investor confidence, Africa’s energy market has emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic investment destinations. Major LNG developments, expanding infrastructure programmes, strengthening regulatory frameworks and an increasing focus on the energy transition are creating significant opportunities across the continent. 

Since taking on the role of business development for Lloyd’s Register (LR) in Africa in 2018, Gwam Goz has helped the company grow beyond survey activity into a trusted partner delivering advisory and national-level engagement, including maritime governance. By combining local market insight with strong relationships across industry and government, his approach has helped build trusted partnerships that support sustainable growth and investment throughout the region.

One continent, many markets 

Africa is sometimes spoken about as a single market, but the reality is far more complex. Every country has its own regulations, institutions, business dynamics, cultural context and, in many cases, language. The opportunities are significant, but unlocking them requires a deep understanding of each market's unique characteristics and a willingness to adapt. 

That complexity extends beyond geography and logistics. Across the continent, regulators and government institutions have a critical responsibility to ensure investment delivers long-term value while maintaining high standards of safety, environmental protection and governance. As a result, they are understandably cautious about the organisations that operate within their jurisdictions and want confidence that international companies understand both their obligations and the local context. 

This reality shapes how business development is conducted. While clients are often familiar with LR’s technical expertise and global reputation, building trust requires engagement with a much wider ecosystem of stakeholders. Relationships with regulators, government agencies, ambassadors and the UK Department for Business and Trade have therefore been just as important as relationships with clients. 

Investing in people, not just projects 

One of the most enduring legacies of LR’s work in Mozambique is the Chevening Scholarship initiative. Launched in Mozambique and now expanded to Angola, Namibia and Nigeria, the programme reflects LR’s belief that sustainable growth depends on investing in people as well as projects.

Established to demonstrate that LR’s commitment to Africa extends beyond immediate commercial opportunities, the scholarship supports the development of future leaders and helps build the skills and expertise needed to drive long-term economic growth across the region. Now in its third year, the initiative continues to create opportunities for talented individuals to develop their capabilities and contribute to the future success of their countries. 

Alongside this investment in talent and capability, LR has expanded its role across Africa, helping clients navigate the intersection of regulatory compliance, technical assurance, asset performance and strategic decision-making.

The company has supported major developments including FLNG in-service operations in Mozambique, brownfield life-extension programmes for offshore assets and FPSOs, subsea strategy development, and subsea tieback projects in Nigeria and Angola. LR has also worked with governments in Mauritania and Senegal to support the consolidation and development of upstream regulatory frameworks. 

As Africa’s energy sector continues to evolve, LR’s ambition is to be recognised as the strategic partner of choice across the energies and maritime value chain. Increasingly, stakeholders are looking for support that goes beyond traditional assurance services. Banks require greater confidence in investment risk, governments seek robust regulatory frameworks that can attract investment while maintaining high standards, and operators need trusted advice to manage increasingly complex projects.

By combining technical expertise, regulatory insight and deep regional understanding, LR is well positioned to help clients navigate these challenges and unlock sustainable growth opportunities across the continent.