IBIA Africa looks to 2023 for more growth
While 2022 has seen a steady membership in Africa, we aim to grow the region’s membership next year
The end of this year is just around the corner. With only a few weeks left of the year, there is so much to recognise as achievements from the past nine months, as well as looking towards a successful 2023.
We have had a steady flow of new members to IBIA in Africa. We welcome our new members to the Association and look forward to meeting face to face in due course. For the members who are leaving us because their core business strategies have changed, meaning they no longer work in the bunker space: You will be missed.
The focus for IBIA Africa in 2023 will be on growing the membership and ensuring that we meet with the industry’s needs in Africa. This will be done through our IBIA Africa Conference and through online member engagement and meetings, where we can have open and frank discussions as to what the needs are for the Africa Bunker industry.
We continue to finalise plans for the 3rd IBIA Africa Conference, which will take place in Ghana, West Africa in June of 2023. We look forward to bringing the Africa shipping and bunker industry together and engaging in a meaningful manner on regional and international topics of interest. Overseeing the IBIA Annual Convention 2022, which was held in Houston, Texas this November (15 – 17) has been a really exciting and rewarding experience. This was our flagship conference and it was good to see several of our Africa members at the event. We will bring all the learnings from the Convention and ensure that these topics are included in a relevant way in our IBIA Africa Conference Agenda.
Another much-anticipated event for the beginning of 2023 is the IBIA Annual Dinner, hosted in London on 27 February. This will be IBIA’s 30-year anniversary celebration, and held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, in London. We are already more than 60% booked and look forward to hosting a full house of over 1,000 members and their guests. This will be my ninth IBIA Annual Dinner as event producer, and I certainly look forward to what I know will be a very successful evening!!
Should any of our members wish to engage further regarding the above, you are encouraged to contact me directly, particularly should you wish to speak and participate in the IBIA Africa Conference next year.
I would like to take this moment to warmly thank our Africa Membership for your support and continued dialogue during this year and wish you all a healthy and happy festive season.
If you would like to engage with the IBIA Africa team, or become a member of IBIA, explore opportunities to be a speaker, sponsor or find out more about our local activities, engagements and events, please contact me.
Tahra Sergeant
Regional Manager: Africa
E tahra.sergeant@ibia.net
The above is the IBIA Africa report for the Q4, 2022 issue of World Bunkering, IBIA’s official magazine.