Africa Prosperity Network (APN), organizers of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD), have filed a lawsuit against Sankofa Advisory Group, owners and organizers of the Africa Oil Week (AOW) for the recovery of three hundred thousand United States Dollars ($300,000.00) covering the cost of services APN provided to AOW in 2024. Among claims filed in a motion at the commercial division of an Accra high court were that in or about 2024, the defendant’s founder and CEO Paul Sinclair approached the plaintiff expressly seeking to leverage the plaintiff’s credibility, networks and expertise to secure the relocation of AOW to Ghana. It said the plaintiff’s established reputation for delivering the state-of-the-art events with active participation from African Heads of State, senior ministers, diplomats, AfCFTA officials and global leaders made it uniquely positioned to partner AOW deliver the relocation. According to the plaintiff on July 2024, the parties entered into a 10-year Partnership Agreement under which they would collaborate on the delivery of AOW and Africa Mining Week, and the defendant would support the plaintiff’s APD.
The plaintiff said from the outset the Defendant drew immense benefit from the Plaintiff’s standing and goodwill but failed to perform its reciprocal obligations under the agreement.
The Plaintiff said at the APD 2025, attended by over 4000 high standing delegates from 46 countries, the Defendant was giving visibility equivalent to that of a Headline Sponsor, and the defendant used APD as the first and primary launching pad in 2025 to announce to the continent’s most influential political business and institutional leaders that AOW had relocated to Accra Ghana.
Last but not least, the Plaintiff stated that at the request of the Defendant, the Plaintiff mobilized its relationships with the presidency of the Republic of Ghana, AfCFTA Secretariat and other key institutions to secure official endorsements from the Republic of Ghana.
The Plaintiff is therefore claiming the following from the Defendant:
a) An order for the payment of Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($300,000) being the value of services and benefits conferred under the Partnership Agreement executed between the parties dated 15 July 2024
b) Interest on the amount stated in relief (a) at the prevailing Commercial Bank rate from May 2025 until payment
c) An order for the Defendant to render account on all funds from sponsors introduced to the Defendant by the Plaintiff
d) An order for the Defendant to pay fifty percent (50%) of all sponsorship amount from sponsors introduced by the Plaintiff.
e) General Damages for Breach of Contract
f) Costs including solicitor’s fees
g) Further orders as the court deems fit
Meanwhile the commercial division of a high court in Accra has granted an application by counsel for the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), allowing the company to issue and serve a writ of summons on Sankofa Advisory outside the jurisdiction.
The service will be carried out via DHL courier to the address provided by the Plaintiff’s legal team.
Sankofa Advisory has been ordered to enter appearance within seven (7) days of being served with the process.
The case continues as parties prepare for the next stage of proceedings.
It would be recalled that in 2024, Sankofa Events launched the Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2025 in Accra, an official move from Cape Town to Ghana, marking a significant milestone in Africa’s journey towards energy independence Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network, in partnership with Sankofa Events, stated that AOW’s relocation to Ghana aims to not only focus on the nation itself but also to enhance West Africa’s significance in the hydrocarbon sector.
“About promoting West Africa’s role in the hydrocarbon sector, eight of the world’s thirty leading oil-producing countries are in Africa. So, it’s absolutely critical that we are now seeing [AOW’s] shift from Cape Town, South Africa, to Ghana. It’s also important because we are projecting Ghana as the commercial hub of Africa.
