IWD26: Beatrice Mensah Tayui: The bold woman expanding Africa’s footprint in global oil

In an industry long dominated by multinational giants and male leadership, Beatrice Mensah Tayui is redefining the narrative.

As Executive Chairman and founder of Cybele Energy Ltd, she has carved a path that stretches from West Africa’s oilfields to the fast-rising petroleum province of Guyana—a journey according to her is driven by resilience, discipline and a vision to expand opportunities for women in energy.

Today, her company is targeting production of 160,000 barrels of oil per day at Block S7 offshore Guyana, with estimates pointing to more than 400 million barrels of recoverable resources.

This ambitious plan reflects the growing presence of African-led energy firms on the global market.

From corporate boardrooms to energy frontier

Before venturing into the oil and gas sector, Ms. Mensah Tayui built an impressive career in corporate leadership with global pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Hoffmann-La Roche, and Johnson & Johnson.

The intense training and strategic discipline gained in these multinational environments later shaped her approach to entrepreneurship.

“My experience in corporate leadership was the best preparation for business ownership. It refined my critical thinking and analytical reasoning, and taught me how to run a medium-sized company with the mindset of a global corporation.”

Her decision to enter into the energy sector was influenced by an unexpected push. While launching a Caterpillar heavy equipment rental company, she was challenged to channel her energy and determination into the oil and gas industry by a family friend who is also into the oil business.

That encouragement eventually led to the establishment of Cybele Energy in 2012

Building Cybele across borders

Cybele Energy began as an oilfield services company operating across several West African countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire.

During this period, the company partnered with global oilfield services giant Schlumberger, an experience that helped shape her strategic thinking and ambitions.

Over time, the company evolved into a diversified energy enterprise spanning exploration and production, oilfield services, engineering, and water resource solutions.

Cybele’s global breakthrough came in 2023 when the company secured Block S7 offshore Guyana from the country’s Ministry of Natural Resources.

The award marked a historic milestone: Beatrice became the first African woman to be granted an oil block outside the African continent.

The opportunity itself came unexpectedly. While attending the launch of the Ghana–Guyana Chamber of Commerce, she learned that Guyana was closing its international oil block bidding round. Despite thinking it was too late, she was encouraged to submit a tender.

“In hindsight, I believe God was holding my hand. Guyana was more of a decision propelled by faith than by business strategy,” she reflects.

Positioning in a World-Class petroleum zone

Cybele’s Block S7 lies about 50 kilometres from the Liza fields operated by ExxonMobil, discoveries that have transformed Guyana into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers.

The company plans to begin pre-drilling technical work and well planning, with a first exploration well targeted within 18 months, subject to regulatory approvals and rig availability.

Ms. Mensah Tayui emphasises that environmental stewardship will remain central to the company’s operations.

“Cybele Energy is committed to conducting its operations with the highest standards of environmental responsibility. We are working closely with regulators, communities and environmental partners to ensure compliance and transparency,” she indicated.

Leadership, risk and resilience

Building a global energy company has not come without challenges. She says one of the toughest leadership lessons she has faced is navigating trust and maintaining resilience through setbacks.

“Consistency and the pursuit of excellence are priceless tools,” she explains. “The energy sector requires discipline, knowledge, commitment and courage.”

Her leadership philosophy is grounded in values she believes are essential for long-term success—integrity, humility, respect, honesty and gratitude.

Empowering other women

Despite growing awareness around gender equality, the oil and gas industry remains largely male-dominated. Ms. Mensah Tayui believes meaningful change requires dismantling structural barriers that limit women’s access to opportunities.

“The windows and doors of opportunity must remain open to women. We are capable of executing flawlessly in any industry, but they are often not given the chance.”

To aspiring female entrepreneurs, her advice is simple but powerful: focus, discipline and grit.

“Stay serious about your goals and remain undistracted by the allure of social media. Success becomes predictable when discipline and focus guide your work,” she advises.

For Mensah Tayui, success is not measured only by production targets or financial returns. Her broader ambition is to create pathways for others — especially women and underserved communities — to participate in the energy sector.

She envisions Cybele becoming a platform for empowerment, enabling more women to build capital, gain industry expertise and challenge long-standing barriers.

“I want to leave a legacy of opening doors for women and other disenfranchised people,” she says. “It is important that they see that success is achievable through hard work, preparation and courage.”

Two decades from now, she hopes Cybele will be remembered not just as an energy company, but as a catalyst for change — one that reshaped perceptions of African leadership in global energy.

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