Africa's Energy Future: Leaders, Innovators, and Experts chart a path at ASED 2025

On May 16, 2025, the Africa Sustainable Energy Dialogue (ASED) brought together a distinguished assembly of policymakers, energy experts, financiers, and innovators in a high-level virtual forum to address one of Africa's most persistent and pressing challenges: the continent's energy access gap.

Organised under the theme "Bridging Africa's Energy Access Gap - Challenges, Innovations & the Path Forward," this year's dialogue was a landmark event, sparking candid discussions, showcasing homegrown solutions, and reinforcing the urgent call for African-led leadership in driving the continent's energy transition. With over 600 million Africans still lacking access to reliable electricity, the dialogue served as both a mirror to the continent's current realities and a platform for collaborative problem-solving.

The discussions delved into the core barriers - from financing constraints and infrastructure deficits to policy fragmentation and institutional coordination challenges - while also highlighting successful models and actionable pathways forward. A testament to the significance of the event was the full attendance of all invited speakers, each bringing a unique perspective from their respective sectors.

Among the notable panelists were Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers' Organization (APPO); Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, Former Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Energy; Dr. Alfred O. Ahenkorah, Former Executive Secretary of Ghana's Energy Commission; Monique P. Motty from the African Development Bank Group; Daniel Bungey of the Norwegian Refugee Council; Sabrine Emran from the Policy Centre for the New South; and Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Board Chairman of United Bank for Africa-Ghana.

Leadership and Accountability: The Core of Africa's Energy Dilemma

Setting the tone for the session, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim delivered a candid reflection on Africa's energy predicament. He debunked the oft-repeated narrative that poverty is the root cause of Africa's lack of energy access, asserting instead that the continent's biggest challenge is a lack of visionary leadership.

"Our priority as a continent should change if we are committed to making energy accessible to our people," he emphasised. His remarks resonated deeply, framing the dialogue around the necessity of African-led solutions and political willpower as non-negotiable prerequisites for progress.

The Financing Imperative: Africa Energy Bank as a Catalyst

A critical topic was the chronic underinvestment in Africa's energy sector. Africa accounts for nearly 20% of the global population but receives only 2% of global clean energy investments. Dr. Ibrahim highlighted that even within global funding for clean energy, Africa receives just about 3%, a figure woefully inadequate to address both current deficits and future needs.

Against this backdrop, the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, championed by APPO, emerged as a pivotal development. The Bank is envisioned as a dedicated vehicle to mobilise and channel investments into Africa's energy infrastructure, enabling the continent to exploit its resources while charting a sustainable transition path.

Policy, Regulation, and Investor Confidence Prof. Sani Sambo stressed the importance of robust, transparent regulatory frameworks to attract and secure

investment. He pointed out that policy uncertainty and currency volatility remain significant deterrents for investors.

"What gives investors confidence is clarity, transparency, and long-term planning. Without these pillars, capital will remain hesitant," he remarked. His call for future-proof regulatory environments resonated as a practical step African governments must take to unlock private sector participation.

Electrification as a Government Responsibility

Dr. Alfred Ahenkorah brought attention back to the fundamentals of governance, emphasising that mass electrification is a responsibility that rests squarely with governments.

"No individual can take it upon themselves to electrify a country. It is the government that has to do that," he asserted. He further stressed the need for accountability, noting that leaders must be held responsible for progress, or lack thereof, in expanding access to energy.

The Role of Education and Cultural Context

Monique P. Motty brought a critical perspective to the table, focusing on the intersection of education, cultural identity, and energy solutions. She highlighted how Africa's development has often been shaped by systems and rules imposed externally, which do not always align with the continent's unique needs.

"The barriers to energy access are an example of how our cultural identity clashes with the systems imposed on us," she said. Motty advocated for integrating technology and engineering into African curricula to nurture a new generation of problem-solvers equipped to drive localised solutions.

Regional Integration and Grid Interconnection

Daniel Bungey spoke on the transformative potential of regional grid interconnections, emphasising that collaboration across borders is essential to enhance energy security and accessibility.

"Regional interconnection really does assure, or contributes strongly to, the development of partnerships that enable access," he noted. He also underlined the need to balance energy security concerns with sustainability goals, arguing that Africa must craft its own pragmatic approach to the energy transition.

Beyond Privatisation: A Social Service Perspective

Challenging common assumptions, Kweku Andoh Awotwi addressed the limitations of privatisation as a panacea for Africa's energy woes. "Privatisation is not a silver bullet that will solve all our problems," he cautioned.  

He urged policymakers to recognise that electricity provision should be treated as a social service, not merely a profit-driven venture. His comments echoed a broader sentiment that Africa's energy strategies must prioritise social equity alongside economic viability.

A Call for African-Led Change

Throughout the dialogue, a unifying theme was evident: Africa's energy future must be owned, designed, and led by Africans. From innovative financing mechanisms like the Africa Energy Bank to the push for regulatory reforms and education-driven capacity building, the discussions underscored the need for homegrown solutions tailored to Africa's realities.

The Africa Sustainable Energy Dialogue 2025 was not just a talking shop - it was a platform that facilitated actionable insights, fostered strategic partnerships, and reignited the collective will to address Africa's energy challenges with renewed urgency and focus. By amplifying African voices and fostering cross-sector collaboration, ASED 2025 reaffirmed its role as a catalyst for transformative change.

As the continent stands at the crossroads of its energy transition, the message from the dialogue was unequivocal: Africa's energy future is in African hands. It is time to act.