Africa urged to take up seat at the table in clean energy push

African countries are doubling down on efforts to harness large quantities of mineral resources to unlock supply challenges and use them for energy transition.

This is as the world now focuses on replacing carbon compounds for sustainable development.

These discussions took centre stage when think tanks from the continent and their Chinese counterparts convened in Chad two weeks ago. The same issues are under deliberation by political leaders, policymakers, investment incubators, corporate partners and major global start-ups currently meeting in Abu Dhabi as they work towards a greener future.

Africa has been tipped to take the lead in developing clean energy through geothermal, wind, solar, nuclear and hydropower, all from sources that are abundantly available across the continent, but very little has been done towards this end. Only five sub-Saharan African countries have a working framework for green energy systems. The rest are not even self-sustaining in hydropower despite the big rivers and large forests that cover the vast continent.

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“From 2025 and beyond, more needs to be done because only Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa are attempting to properly utilise available resources for renewable energy development,” said Prof Zacharia Ousman, the chairman of the Chadian Centre for Strategic Studies.

Scholars on the continent also reckon there is an urgent need for proper exploitation and utilisation of rare minerals, which are key in the manufacturing of batteries and conductors for powering smartphones, computer systems and the development of nuclear energy.

It is against this backdrop that the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and the Africa Policy Institute (API) convened the China–Africa Think Tanks Energy Forum in N’djamena, Chad to brainstorm on how natural resources can enhance the production of energy for rapid development and eradication of poverty on the continent.

Also present were researchers and scholars from the Economics and Technology Research Institute (ETRI), a Chinese think tank group based in Beijing.

It was represented by Liu Jia, Director of the Overseas Investment Environment Department and Zhang Yangyun, a senior ETRI engineer for overseas development. Former African Union chairperson Erastus Mwencha told the meeting that stability is Africa’s biggest challenge, yet some external players involved in Africa’s mineral exploitation want the continent to continue being chaotic and unstable. To surmount such challenges, Ambassador Mwencha urged African countries to strengthen legal and regulatory frameworks that can help guide the effective utilisation of natural resources on the continent. He also called for more financial support from partners, as he encouraged African countries to develop policy guidelines that can help in creating proper frameworks for the processing of mineral wealth.

“We have to be on the watch-out and point out forces that want Africa to be in conflict for effective exploration of our resources. We should speak with one voice because it is a reality some forces want Africa to be unstable,” said Amb Mwencha. Dr Liu Jia of ETRI told the meeting that oil exploration is expected to double in 2025 because some countries have adjusted their petroleum policy guidelines with the assistance of China which has helped them to transform from coal to renewable energy.

Eng Yangyun said 12 countries African that are pushing for green energy frameworks are a good example for others to follow.

The Green Hydrogen Alliance that brings together Kenya, Namibia, Egypt and Morocco are the trailblazers.

It is envisaged that by 2050, the green energy sector will have created 20 million jobs, a task that can only be realized through proper processing of energy-producing sources and investment in critical minerals like cobalt, manganese and platinum.

She said Angola’s crude oil production has increased considerably because CNPC strengthened cooperation in exploration, with new players like Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda and Namibia also joining the group.

Dr Wu Jianguo, vice president of CNPC Africa, forecasts Namibia to increase its volume of oil production from 120,000 to 250,000 barrels daily in the near future because of interna

He urged CNPC to be a critical player in creating momentum for development.

Speakers called for more investment in the mineral mining sector and proper management of other natural resources responsible for clean energy production.

Most of them argued that minerals are low-hanging fruits countries on the continent can leverage to increase direct foreign investment and generate foreign exchange for industrial development to create jobs for millions of unemployed youth.

They also called for the strengthening of security for more investors to come and grow the mining sector because attacks by militia and other anti-government elements not only discourage growth but also make business very risky and expensive.

The think tanks also urged strategic partners like China to help African countries mobilise available mineral resources in a more organized and accountable manner as opposed to the current free-for-all and anything-goes scenario.

Prof Ousman envisaged a situation where the energy sector on the continent will have proper human capacity development with adequate transfer of knowledge and innovation for meaningful change to be achieved.

“If China can help develop a knowledge economy for the continent to capitalize on scientific discoveries and research, Africa can stop unscrupulous people and shady foreign mining companies from exploiting precious minerals on the continent,” he said.