- Africa’s energy future remains a difficult question for policymakers to answer. Can Africa really deliver on its promise to eradicate energy poverty by 2030?
- Optimism should not come from wishful thinking, but from tangible evidence that Africans can seize control of their destiny.
- As we move forward, it is imperative that we unleash our collective potential and take responsibility for our energy future.
As Africa Energy Week in Cape Town draws to a close, we are faced with a pressing question: can we really deliver on the pledge to eradicate energy poverty by 2030? The answer does not depend on foreign investment or external solutions, but rather on one crucial factor: African responsibility for our own challenges.
Currently around 600 million Africans live without electricity. In Nigeria alone, more than 85 million people lack reliable access to electricity, despite the continent’s vast natural gas reserves that could potentially power the region.
This paradox of resource abundance, combined with energy scarcity, highlights a significant crisis of purpose and execution within our energy sector. The real question is not whether Africa can bridge this debilitating energy gap; what matters is whether we, as Africans, are willing to take responsibility for the problem and act decisively to find solutions.
Liberation from dependence
For far too long, Africa’s energy story has been dictated by external forces. Policies are created by advisors, timelines are set by financiers and agendas are shaped by global institutions. This dependence has fostered a culture of blame, citing external factors such as sanctions, market fluctuations and investor hesitation as reasons for our failure.
However, these excuses do not take into account the fact that proven reserves remain untapped, that gas continues to flare up while millions remain in darkness, and that oil production has declined over the past two decades.
The uncomfortable truth is that Africans must develop and implement solutions based on our local realities. No one understands our complexity better than we do, nor do they care more about our development. The moment we take full responsibility for our challenges is the moment we can make real progress.
Defining responsibility in energy management
Accountability is not just a buzzword; it is a measurable standard. Take, for example, Nigeria’s OML 17, one of the country’s most complex onshore assets. Under new management, production doubled in just 100 days, achieving a remarkable reconciliation factor of 99.8 percent in a region historically plagued by losses.
Every drop of oil reached the terminal and every molecule of gas contributed to Nigeria’s domestic market, powering homes and industries alike. The success of OML 17 serves as a replicable model for other countries such as Congo, Angola and Gabon, which face similar challenges due to aging infrastructure and declining production.
The methodology is proven, the approach is scalable, and the results show that African-led operations can achieve world-class performance when accountability is prioritized. These achievements did not come from foreign expertise or massive capital inflows. They arose from rejecting the idea that theft and inefficiency are inherent in African operations.
When Africans use their skills with purpose, create transparent systems, engage communities as partners and hold themselves to high standards, transformation is not only possible – it is inevitable.
Also read: Africa’s energy transition must be locally led
The ambitious goal of 2030
Can Africa really eradicate energy poverty by 2030? While the timeline is undeniably ambitious, the focus should not just be on the date itself, but rather on putting in place the systems and local ownership needed to make progress a reality.
To meet the continent’s energy needs, Africa will need around $2 trillion in infrastructure investment by 2030. Current investment levels fall significantly short of this target, and global capital increasingly prefers markets with proven governance.
To attract the necessary investment, we must demonstrate that African operations can deliver returns, secure assets and benefit local communities. Optimism should not come from wishful thinking, but from tangible evidence that Africans can seize control of their destiny. Every successful operation and community partnership serves as evidence that the narrative of the need for outside management is outdated.
Also read: After 14 years in Kenya, Tullow Oil completes asset sale to Gulf Energy
Africa’s energy future
Africa’s energy future must move from a history characterized by extraction to one focused on sustainable development. This shift requires measurable commitment: building a local workforce, investing in training, developing indigenous expertise, engaging communities as partners, adhering to global standards, and investing local capital alongside foreign investment.
Energy poverty will not disappear simply because 2030 arrives; it will end when Africans collectively decide that living in darkness is unacceptable and take decisive action to change this. The resources, technology and talent are already in place.
What remains is the courage to fully embrace the challenge and drive the continent towards energy security. As we move forward, it is imperative that we unleash our collective potential and take responsibility for our energy future.
The author Osa Igiehon is a transformational energy manager, thought leader and innovator. He is the CEO of Heirs Energiesan African energy company.
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