Gabriel Mbega Obiang Lima (born 1975) is an Equatorial Guinean politician who has served as Minister of Finance, Economy and Planning since February 2023.

In cases where there is no suitable local firm to carry out the project, contractors must offer priority to companies owned by nationals of CEMAC states (African countries), if all else fails.

[20] In the quest to develop the capacity of the workforce to fully grasp the opportunities in the mines, oil and gas industries, Mbega led a delegation to sign an agreement with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT Polytechnic) in 2016 to provide a two-year comprehensive technical training (on both core and technological knowledge in oil and gas) for Equatorial Guinea nationals in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada.

[21] Owing to the contributions from the energy and oil sector, Equatorial Guinea experienced an improvement in macroeconomic performance which affected public finances.

He also played a critical role in the inauguration a pioneering compressed natural gas plant that powers a fleet of public buses, which was projected to be upgraded to provide a wider range of products in 2020 (factored in Year of Investment 2020).

As a result, the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbon under Mbega's leadership has granted oil and gas companies a two-year extension of their exploration programs.

[25] In the same vein, a feasibility study has successfully been carried out on Punta Europa Modular Refinery, a project which was commissioned to V-Fuels Oil and Gas Engineering with the aim of reducing dependence on the importation of refined products, fending off stock breaks and preventing the depletion of the State's foreign exchange reserves.

[26] The Ministry again has introduced a new petroleum regulatory framework, a modernized version of the old regulation, which is aimed at maintaining the nation's attractive appeal to foreign investors.

The project is expected to focus on the Rio Muni area, where there would be scouting works for state geological mapping and complex seismic acquisition.

The awards were given by NJ Ayuk, the Centurion Law Group CEO at the Africa Oil & Power's Gala Dinner held in Cape Town.