The Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most significant events as industry leaders anticipate a defining year for the nation’s oil, gas, and manufacturing plans.
At the launch of the fifth edition of the expo, held at the Aiden Hotel, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat outlined the rapid pace of Guyana’s development and the major milestones expected ahead.
The expo will be held between February 17 and 20 under the theme: ‘Building Tomorrow’s Future Today.’
Minister Bharrat signaled that manufacturing will be one of the major focus areas of the 2026 conference, driven in part by the progress of the Gas-to-Energy project.
“ICT, manufacturing will probably be a highlight of this conference, especially with the gas energy project, being in its advanced stage,” Minister Bharrat said.
He argued that the transition to domestic manufacturing will save foreign currency, create thousands of new jobs, strengthen the private sector, and eventually inform updates to local content legislation.
Local participation in the oil sector now has nearly 7,000 Guyanese directly employed with an additional 3,000 to 4,000 benefiting indirectly.
Bharrat described that achievement as remarkable given its short timeframe, noting that Guyana’s production has already surpassed 900,000 barrels per day.
ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge said the speed at which Guyana’s energy sector is evolving has been “overwhelming at times.”
“Five years of meeting at the Marriott, talking about what’s happening in the country. The phenomenal growth and progress that the oil and gas energy industry has been going through and yet so much still ahead of us and the evolving nature of that development,” Routledge said.
According to him, discussions in February 2026 will be centered on the investments in offshore and onshore infrastructure, financial capacity, and human talent needed to sustain Guyana’s momentum.
Additionally, the 2026 conference will also highlight young innovation through a competition for students in Grades 7 to 11. The students will be asked to use technology or AI to improve or create a business that impacts their community and improves the economy.
The “Taste of Guyana” event is also on the agenda to introduce delegates to authentic Guyanese cuisine and the supplies chain forums will be spotlight events for the suppliers within the sector.
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