Energy leaders and policymakers at a recent high-level forum have called on African governments to make urgent and strategic decisions that can unlock the continent’s huge natural gas and renewable energy potential. The forum ended with a strong message: Africa is no longer just a frontier for energy investment — it is now the centre of attention, and time is running out to take advantage of it.
Mathios Rigas, CEO of Energean, shared a clear and practical proposal. Drawing from his company’s experience with over $3 billion invested in the Mediterranean gas sector, Rigas urged African governments to take bold steps to turn natural gas into a tool for inclusive, affordable, and sustainable energy systems. But he warned that bureaucracy and slow decision-making could waste Africa’s window of opportunity.
He stressed that Africa must act quickly and treat its natural gas resources not as something to delay, but as a bridge to a stable and greener energy future. “The time for cautious optimism has passed,” he said. “For Africa to power its future and attract serious capital, ambition must meet action — and that means betting big on its own resources before someone else does.”
His remarks were echoed and balanced by Tim Gould, Chief Energy Economist at the International Energy Agency (IEA). Gould noted that Africa has enormous renewable energy potential, especially solar and wind. However, he said the conversation about Africa’s development must include natural gas, not just renewables.
“For the IEA, energy security is our core mandate. We don’t see security and sustainability at opposite ends of the spectrum,” Gould explained. He said Africa’s energy strategy should be realistic and include an “integrated development of energy systems” that focus on sustainability, affordability, and national control.
From Namibia, Petroleum Commissioner Maggy Shino brought a national perspective. She described how her country plans to use recent oil discoveries to build a strong energy economy. She announced that Namibia plans to turn the coastal town of Lüderitz into a major energy hub. This would support both green hydrogen production and the petrochemical industry.
Shino said that African countries must stop using resource revenues only for short-term needs. Instead, the money should be invested in long-term development like skills, industry, and infrastructure. “We are at a time where Africa should move away from using revenues from resources to address the problems of today. They should be used as seed capital to grow the future,” she said.
Cheick-Omar Diallo, spokesperson for TotalEnergies on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), defended the controversial project linking Uganda and Tanzania. He stressed that it was a decision made by sovereign nations and not just a corporate venture. Diallo said TotalEnergies had made efforts to protect the environment, avoid sensitive areas, and reduce the number of people displaced by the project.
“We want to be a responsible operator – that means producing to the highest standards while addressing biodiversity and community concerns,” he said. He also noted that while displacement is never ideal, it is often necessary in large infrastructure projects.
The panel ended with a mix of urgency, realism, and hope. Global experts like Energean and the IEA called for action and flexibility, while African leaders reminded everyone that solutions must be locally driven and focused on long-term impact. As energy partnerships continue to shift, the message was clear: Africa must lead its own energy future with confidence and speed.
