Sopuruchi Onwuka

Governments of African nations have resolved to explore collaboration in driving projects and aligning policies that guarantee energy access to over 600 million citizens.

They also stressed the need to prioritize immediate energy solutions while pursuing low carbon options that fit into the future.

These formed the key outcomes at the ministerial sessions at the ongoing AOW Energy Week in Accra, Ghana.

Minister of State for Petroleum in charge of Oil, Senator Heinekken Lokpobiri, who explained Africa’s pressing needs for energy sufficiency and economic jeopardy, stated that the continent should utilize every available energy option to fuel rapid economic development.

In arguing that the prevailing global push for climate action and the consequent campaign for energy transition and climate action are geopolitics that do not resonate with Africa’s economic reality.

He told the delegates that Nigeria has adopted a strategy that addresses national economic needs and the global call for climate action.

The Nigerian robust policies and programmes, he said, also plugs into climate action; arguing that economic imperatives of European countries after the outbreak of the Ukraine war compelled the return of gas into the clean energy basket.

In explaining the multiple value propositions of gas for the Nigerian domestic, commercial, industrial and environmental purposes, Senator Lokpobiri told investors that government has provided the necessary regulatory and fiscal incentives to enable private players participate in realizing the objectives.

He also declared that the country is rebuilding its refinery industry to guarantee energy supply for domestic economy.

He said African petroleum industry has responsibility to protect the regional market the feeds 1.5 billion people from invasive foreign refiners.

Africa, he stressed, has the responsibility to help itself in the prevailing global chaos over energy transition.

Ghanaian Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, agreed on the need for gradual and phased energy transition. He also emphasized the need for Africa to the side of preparation to avoid economic shock that might arise from sudden transition.

He stated that Ghana is driving development of integrated energy solutions that are sustainable and resilient in spite of its evolving petroleum industry.

According to him, the company has well developed programmes on hydroelectric power generation, gas-to-power, large capacity solar energy development and green hydrogen.

He said renewables already account for significant 10 percent or 5,500 megawatts of Ghana’s total generation capacity; enabling government meet about 90 percent of electricity access across regions of the country.

He added that Ghanaian government is working on off-grid solutions to connect over 150 remote communities with electricity.

He told delegates that Ghana uses solar power water pumps for irrigation, powering systems at hydropower stations and street lighting.

In advising other African countries to start early in positioning for low carbon future, Jinapor pointed out that key consumers of oil, gas and coal including China and Europe have already progressed far with adoption of electric vehicles.

He noted that with the prices of electric vehicles going rapidly cheaper, prices of oil and gas would eventually crash and become uneconomic to produce.

Minister of Energy and Oil, Mauritania, Mohammed Ould Khaled, stated that his country has become the first to launch green hydrogen as part of its climate action. He added Mauritania now meets sizeable part of its energy needs with green hydrogen.

Other panelists at the Industry Leadership Forum are Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, Birame Souleye Diop; Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Burkina Faso, Yacouba Zabre Gouba; and Leader , ER&I in Africa, Deloitte, Olumide Esan who moderated the session.

In their contributions, the ministers agreed on the need for African countries to collaborate on policies, programmes and projects that attract global investments.

They also called on countries and governments to honor their commitments to investors, implement policies that underpin investments and build sizeable sovereign funds that make them independent of multilateral lenders.