At the 2nd Edition of the Africa Energy Technology Conference (AETC) 2025, held at Labardi Beach Hotel from May 27, 2025 to May 29, 2025, Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor (MP), called on Africa leaders to break free from its dependence on foreign energy models and chart a self-determined path toward sustainable energy growth.
Under the theme, “Innovate, Invest, Implement: Revolutionising Financing for Sustainable Energy Growth in Africa,” Jinapor’s address critiqued Africa’s historical role as a raw material exporter and a passionate appeal for a new era of energy sovereignty.
“For centuries, Africa has played the role of a raw material exporter, a resource-rich continent trapped in an extractive economic model. This model has failed us and yet, we cling to it hoping for different results,” Jinapor said
Energy, he argued, is the backbone of economic transformation, yet Africa remains the most energy-poor continent. With per capita energy consumption at only 40% of the global average and 600 million people 43% of Africa’s population still lacking electricity, the current trajectory is unsustainable.
Jinapor’s address came just four months after the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration (January 2025), where 30 African heads of state committed to electrifying 300 million people by 2030 under the Mission 300 initiative, a $50 billion partnership with the World Bank and African Development Bank . Yet, as the minister noted, this ambition clashes with a stark reality while Africa chases universal access, Western nations are backtracking on their own climate pledges
In January 2025, the Trump administration declared a “National Energy Emergency,” reviving coal plants and scrapping EV mandates to prioritize fossil fuel security . Germany and Italy reopened coal plants during the 2022–2024 energy crisis, while pressuring Africa to reject gas projects . Africa receives only 2% of global green energy funding despite hosting 20% of the world’s population .
According to the Minister, in pursuit of a brighter future for Africa, Africa must acknowledge the importance of self-determination in addressing its energy needs.
“Africa must define its own pathway to liberate it from energy poverty through science, driven by context, and unapologetically in our own interest,” he said
The solution, according to Jinapor, lies in a radical shift, noting that Africa must take ownership of its energy future. “Our people must be the producers, not just the consumers of energy solutions, we must maximize value along the entire energy value chain from exploration and generation to distribution and innovation,” he added.
This vision requires more than incremental reforms it demands a fundamental reset. Africa’s greatest resource is not buried underground, but walks among us. According to Jinapor, the youth who are bold, brilliant, and boundless in potential and women who are strong and strategic are severely underutilized in the energy sector, representing a missed opportunity.
He also pointed to Ghana’s One Million Coders initiative as a model for empowering young Africans to drive innovation in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. However, training alone is not enough. Africans must also retain them to build an Africa where its most talented no longer flee for opportunity, but stay to create it.
Jinapor criticized Africa’s tendency to adopt foreign energy policies without scrutiny, highlighting a concerning double standard. While Western nations are revisiting and reviving coal and nuclear power to address their own energy needs, Africa is often pressured to abandon these options, despite their potential benefits for the continent’s energy landscape. This approach can come at great cost to Africa, limiting its energy options and hindering its ability to develop sustainable and reliable energy solutions tailored to its unique needs.
The global energy landscape is shifting rapidly, with trade wars, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical rivalries reshaping markets. Yet, Africa remains at the mercy of external agendas.
