News Guide Africa

Tag: Future of Energy Conference 2025

  • Energy Is Development: Women Miners Lead Africa’s Just Transition

     

    At the Future of Energy Conference (FEC) spearheaded by the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) and partners, women miners, industry leaders, and governance experts gathered for a powerful side event moderated by Faith Mutete a small scale miner, Founder & CEO of Women in Mining Zimbabwe (WIM Zimbabwe) and Resource Governance Ambassadors under ACEP.

    The session explored how energy, mining, and women’s leadership intersect to drive Africa’s just transition.

    From Kenya, Michelle Mwambela of AWEIK (Association of Women in Extractives in Kenya) showcased an inspiring innovation: a solar-powered water pumping system developed through a hackathon. She explained how clean, off-grid energy improves safety, increases productivity, and creates opportunities for value addition and green skilling for women miners.

    Georgette Banzi, CEO of Women in Mining Ghana (WIM Ghana), shared success stories of gender-smart financing models that enabled women miners to grow from small-scale operations into sustainable businesses. She stressed that financing women in mining is a pathway to strengthening entire communities.

    From Tanzania, Lightness Mushi of TWIMMI (Tanzania Women in Mining and Mineral Industry) lifted grassroots voices. She described how women miners often face barriers such as limited financial literacy, poor access to equipment, and cultural biases. Yet, she highlighted creative resilience, like women repurposing traditional stoves into stools, showing how local innovation can transform livelihoods.

    Mahumuza Diders of Uganda focused on governance, emphasizing the need for policies and partnerships that hold both government and industry accountable to ensure equitable access to energy for women miners.

    Joelle from Madagascar, representing Transparency International, underscored the importance of accountability and anti-corruption measures in extractives. She warned of exploitative foreign investment models and argued that women’s inclusion is essential to safeguard community benefits.

    As the discussion wrapped up, Faith Mutete shared her closing message:

    👉 “Energy is not just power. Energy is a proxy indicator of development. When women miners access energy, communities thrive, productivity increases, and Africa takes a bold step toward a just energy transition.”

    Speaking in her capacity as ACEP Resource Governance Ambassador, she added: “I have a lot to do back home in Zimbabwe to continue supporting women miners in renewable energy, governance, and innovation. This is only the beginning—and many thanks to the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) for making this a reality.”

    Faith also serves as a Technical Advisor at the Investing in African Mining Indaba under the Just Energy Transition Committee, where she continues to amplify the voices of women miners in shaping Africa’s extractive and energy future.

    The session concluded with a united call to action: scale innovation, finance women miners, and embed accountability—placing women at the center of Africa’s mining and energy transition.

  • Africa Faces $500bn Bill to Close Energy Poverty Gap and Transition to Sustainable Energy – NRGI President warns

     

     

    Suneeta Kaimal, President and CEO of NRGI

     

     

     

    By Adnan Adams

     

    Sub-Saharan Africa is staring at a staggering $500 billion bill to bridge the energy poverty gap and transition to a sustainable energy system, according to Suneeta Kaimal, President and CEO of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).

     

    Speaking at the Future of Energy Conference 2025 in Accra, Kaimal highlighted the enormous financing gap, noting that in 2023, financing for clean and renewable energy in all developing countries reached only $22 billion.

     

    The stark reality is that over 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, and nearly a billion rely on traditional biomass for cooking, perpetuating cycles of poverty and environmental degradation.

     

    Kaimal emphasized that innovative financing solutions are necessary to address this challenge, citing the potential for taxing premium air travel to raise new revenue streams for sustainable development

     

    Among some of the key challenges she noted included mounting debt burden, financing gap and unsustainable lending.

     

    According to available statistics, African governments spend nearly 17% of their revenues on debt service, the highest of any developing region, with over half of Africans living in countries that spend more on debt than on health or education.

     

    It is required that $500 billion is needed for sub-Saharan Africa’s energy transition, a significant challenge, with current financing models falling short. To avert this, new lending models are needed to mobilize private capital at fair interest rates, avoiding overburdening public budgets.

     

    The NRGI Chief proffered that, to remedy the current situation; strategic, inclusive transitions are needed. Emphasising that, context-specific solutions aligned with development ambitions and public priorities are essential for successful energy transitions.

     

    Also, leveraging Africa’s immense resources, including 30% of the world’s transition mineral reserves, can help increase public resources and drive sustainable development and exploring new financing mechanisms, such as the tax on premium air travel, can provide predictable revenue streams for sustainable development.

     

     

  • Jinapor Calls for Collective Action at Future of Energy Conference 2025

    John Jinapor interacting with keynote speakers at the Future of Energy Conference 2025

     

    The Minister for Energy, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor, has emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to address Africa’s energy challenges and unlock the continent’s economic potential.

     

    Speaking at the Future of Energy Conference 2025, held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Minister Jinapor highlighted the critical role energy plays in driving industrialization, digital transformation, and social development.

     

    Among major concerns the Minister amplified in his speech are staggering statistics that over 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, and more than one billion rely on traditional biomass for cooking, hindering economic growth and perpetuating inequality. Thereby stressing on the importance of cooperation between governments, the private sector, and development institutions to transform Africa’s energy sector.

     

    The Minister advised Africa’s path to a green transition must be carefully calibrated to ensure energy affordability, industrial growth, and job creation, with regional value chain development and local processing of critical minerals being crucial.

     

    In the case of Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework, which aims to decarbonize the power and petroleum sectors while maintaining energy security, with initiatives such as scaling up renewables, clean cooking solutions, and green hydrogen studies.

     

     

    Minister’s Call to Action:

     

    Hon Jinapor in ending his speech made a critical call to participants to move beyond brainstorming ideas to commitment and actions. Setting the stage, he indicated that competitive and sustainable financing mechanisms, including bonds markets, carbon trading, and green funds, are essential for Africa’s energy future.

     

    He noted that, sovereign guarantees, policy predictability, and transparent regulation can help mitigate risks associated with energy investments as well as scaling up innovation and research in clean technologies adapted to Africa’s realities is vital for a sustainable energy future.

     

    The Minister urged governments, businesses, investors, and civil society to work together, make commitments, and act decisively to transform Africa’s energy sector.