Latest news with #NJAyuk
Zawya
21-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa's Leapfrogging from Oil and Gas is not the Quick Energy Fix the World Seems to Think it Will be (By NJ Ayuk)
By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber ( As the hottest year ever recorded draws to a close, climate change is passing from theory to reality and gaining ever-increasing urgency in statehouses around the world. The goal of achieving net zero CO 2 emissions worldwide by 2050 is widely agreed upon by climate experts as necessary to avoid irreversible changes in Earth's weather patterns that could cause centuries of harm for everyone. The big question, of course, is how do we get there? Who bears what burdens, and how? For the developed world, the answer is strikingly simple: cut, cut, and cut some more. The countries that generate and consume the most energy have brought us to this point, and it's their responsibility to become more efficient and find new and cleaner ways to maintain their current, comfortable lifestyle. While the cutting part has left much to be desired so far, the new and cleaner part looks promising. The cost of renewable energy (RE) sources such as wind and solar have been drastically reduced over the last decade to become some of the cheapest options available. This is where the question gets thorny: What about the developing world, which has barely even begun to emit carbon, yet desperately wants (and deserves) to catch up to the developed world's standard of living? How do places like Africa get what they want without erasing progress toward net zero? For many, the answer is leapfrogging. What is Leapfrogging? In short, leapfrogging is the idea that developing nations can bypass the last century and a half of carbon-heavy energy technology and jump straight to 100% renewable energy with no middle stage. It's easy to see why this idea is tempting, and why so much talk of it is focused on Africa. Cheap technology is appealing to poor countries, and our equatorial continent between two oceans has some of the greatest potential for solar and wind power to be found anywhere on the planet. Currently, more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have no access to electricity, and the total population is expected to double in the next three decades, so the demand is already enormous and accelerating by the day. By 2050, one in four people on Earth will be African. Western attendees at climate conferences such as the United Nations Conference of Parties have opined that the world 'cannot afford' for developing countries to follow the same trajectory as Europe, the U.S., and China to reach abundant, reliable energy supply. Mohamed Adow, director of the energy and climate think-tank Power Shift Africa, states that 'Africa stands on the cusp of sweeping economic development. Whether this development is powered by clean renewables, or dirty fossil fuels, will go a long way to determining if the world meets the Paris Agreement goal…' Greenpeace urges African leaders 'to avoid falling into the fossil fuel trap and lead the continent towards a clean, renewable, affordable and sustainable energy future.' Boiled down, the implication is that Africa should avoid ANY investment in fossil fuels —complete prohibition. Suggesting otherwise in some circles verges on taboo. But is it realistic to expect Africa to go all-in on the latest technology and forego other resources it has in great abundance, like natural gas? Do the numbers back up their assertions? And is it even fair to ask so much from people with so far to go? Not as Cheap as It Sounds Even as solar panels and windmills drop in price, obtaining them is only one part of a much larger equation. Solar arrays, for instance, can be installed on a single home or in a microgrid connected to a small group of residences to power them directly. Multiply this by hundreds or thousands and the arrangement is known as distributed solar energy. Leapfrogging using distributed solar has been described as similar to how the developing world leapt right past landlines and straight to cell phones with seeming ease just in the last couple of decades. If we can do it with communications, then why not energy? Cost, for starters. A basic 8W solar array can cost 10 times more than a cell phone in a single year in Kenya. An 8W system is just enough to power a couple of LED lights and a cell phone charger. If you want to power a TV, a refrigerator, a washing machine, or other energy-intensive appliances, you'll need a bigger and more costly array. If your village's microgrid is small, what happens when too many people get refrigerators and air conditioning? Time to increase the size of the grid. And then inevitably, what happens when the sun doesn't shine? Add storage batteries, or a local power storage facility. Expand from powering homes to industrial and agricultural use? Now your costs are growing exponentially. Realistically, who would stay satisfied for long with just two lights and a phone charger? The difference between distributed cellular and distributed solar is networks. Distributed cellular works because everyone's cell phone connects to a huge, centralized network of cell towers that are connected to reliable power and do all the work of connecting calls on the back end. Imagine if every home had to have its own cell tower and all the necessary hardware and software to connect to all the other phones in the world, and you can see how quickly that would get very expensive. That is distributed solar's disadvantage — every separate grid has to do it all, and if one fails, the others can't pick up the slack. The end result is a patchy, uneven, and unreliable supply of energy that is easily sabotaged by spikes in demand or ebbs in supply. Like cellular, energy works best with economies of scale. Large central networks allow energy demand to be distributed based on supply and demand, with one region's excess balancing out another's shortage such that only the largest events can impact the entire grid at once. Can solar and wind grids be built this way? Yes, but to support industrial and agricultural use, it requires a huge investment in land as well as money for a payoff that is currently underwhelming at best. The Benban Solar Farm in Egypt covers more than 37 square kilometers (14.3 square miles) — large enough to be visible from space — but can still only power 420,000 Egyptian homes; a small fraction of the country's 102 million people. Expanding further might be fine in a country that's mostly empty desert, but how much land can be set aside in more humid, arable climates where every scrap of farmland is needed to survive? Mixed Energy Won't Be the End of the World While renewable energy does look like a great way to get people up and running who are starting with nothing, it clearly isn't ready to solve all the problems of nations seeking higher levels of prosperity without all the guilt. African countries need to tap the power of the grid and every resource available to them in order to achieve what the West takes for granted every day. That includes fossil fuels, which Africa possesses in abundance, like it or not. But wouldn't industrializing Africa with fossil fuels lead to climate catastrophe? The answer to that question is often greatly exaggerated. Adding 250 million homes to the grid with 35 kWh/month usage (enough for a TV, refrigerator, and fan), even entirely from coal, would only increase current global greenhouse gas emissions by 0.25%. Of course, no one is suggesting firing up hundreds of coal plants across the continent, but natural gas is widely acknowledged as the cleanest form of fossil fuel, its use for generating electricity is well established, and Africa already has massive amounts of it. Instead of starting at the bottom of the carbon ladder, burning the dirtiest stuff first in its own industrial revolution, Africa is poised to start at the top. The no-carbon approach may not be fully feasible, but a low-carbon approach most certainly is. A Question of Fairness According to a special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), staying within a 1.5°C maximum average global temperature rise will require a 45% decline in global CO 2 emissions from 2010 levels by 2030. In reality, it needs to decline more than twice that fast since global emissions actually grew 10% between 2010 and 2019. In 2021, Africa accounted for just 3.9% of all CO 2 emissions worldwide. All of sub-Saharan Africa could triple its electricity use overnight using only natural gas and still account for only a 1% increase in global emissions, so low is its starting point. By combining natural gas with renewable energy to make the best use of both, the increase would certainly be less than that. It is hardly fair for the rest of the world to tell Africa to hold itself back for the 'common good' while they continue to belch out 96% of the problem. The solution to climate change is not for the developing world to risk 'leapfrogging' over vital steps to industrialization, but for the developed world to do far more to reduce its own output that created the mess in the first place. Africa deserves the chance to improve the quality of life for its people, and it has the resources to solve its own problems if given the chance. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Zawya
14-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa Rallies for Gas-Driven Growth at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025
African energy leaders kicked off the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum in Paris with a resounding call for deeper cross-border collaboration, strategic gas monetization and inclusive national development policies, signaling a united front in shaping Africa's energy future. Leading the charge, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, lauded the successful execution of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project by Mauritania and Senegal – which loaded its first LNG cargo last month – as a model for regional cooperation. 'No country has been able to do cross-border projects like Mauritania and Senegal. They showed that it is possible in Africa to come together and do cross-border collaboration,' he said, emphasizing that regionalism and pragmatism must outweigh isolationist tendencies. 'Resource nationalism slows down projects.' Technip Energies' Chief Business Officer, Marco Villa, echoed Ayuk's sentiment on the continent's energy potential, calling natural gas a 'strategic driver' rather than just a tradable commodity. 'Resources alone are not enough – the real opportunity is transforming this potential into sustainable, prosperous and inclusive growth,' said Villa. 'We believe natural gas is more than a commodity – it is a strategic driver for countries and for Africa – in terms of industrialization, energy security and global integration.' Villa stressed the importance of both large-scale export infrastructure and domestic gas valorization, positioning gas as a dual solution for global competitiveness and local economic development. 'While exports are important, local valorization of gas is equally crucial. Africa cannot only be an exporter of gas – gas can be a lever for domestic transportation, power generation, enabling petrochemical industries, modernizing refineries and supporting agribusiness.' Petroleum Commissioner at Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy, Maggy Shino, highlighted Namibia's rapid emergence as a global hydrocarbon hotspot, following massive offshore discoveries from Shell, TotalEnergies, Galp and Rhino Resources in the deepwater Orange Basin. 'Namibia has emerged as one of the world's most exciting hydrocarbon frontiers… These discoveries are among the largest of our decade. With more than 80% of our offshore unexplored, Namibia is not only a frontier – it's a first mover advantage waiting to be seized,' said Shino. She also emphasized Namibia's commitment to fast-tracking development and fostering a responsible investment environment, highlighting the ongoing development of the National Upstream Petroleum Local Content Policy as a key step toward embedding local content from the outset. 'This policy is more than a regulation for us. It's a platform to align global expertise with Namibian empowerment. We are actively engaging industry stakeholders to create a framework that balances skill development, supplier integration and the upliftment of Namibian citizens with operational efficiency.' Meanwhile, Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners&Distributors Association, cautioned against overdependence on petroleum imports and underscored the urgency of building domestic refining capacity and storage resilience. 'If you're going to maximize your returns, then you have to run the full value chain and refine… What happens to Africa if we cannot import a single petroleum product for 30 days? How many countries have strategic storage beyond two weeks?' said Kragha. 'Africa's energy boom is not just about oil and gas.' The opening keynotes set the tone for a forward-looking IAE 2025 agenda – one centered on transforming Africa's resource wealth into tangible, inclusive and strategically driven development. The forum continues in Paris through May 14. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
Zawya
13-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
African Ministers to Tackle Energy Investment Gap at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025
At Invest in African Energy 2025, a high-level ministerial panel will bring together energy ministers from Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe to examine the capital requirements and strategic partnerships needed to bring Africa's next generation of energy projects online. Set against a backdrop of evolving global energy dynamics and intensifying pressure to meet net-zero targets, the session – 'Africa on the Global Energy Stage: Financing the Next Generation of Energy Projects' – will explore how African nations are navigating complex investment landscapes to drive sustainable hydrocarbon development. Moderated by NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, the discussion will feature Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) of Nigeria; Malam Sambu, Minister of Energy of Guinea-Bissau; Wivine Moleka, Deputy Minister of Hydrocarbons of the DRC; and July Moyo, Minister of Energy&Power Development of Zimbabwe. IAE 2025 ( is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@ Nigeria, which holds the largest natural gas reserves in Africa, is advancing its 'Decade of Gas' agenda under a reform-oriented administration working to reposition the country as a global gas hub. The government is prioritizing infrastructure development, market liberalization and targeted policy incentives to draw large-scale investment into the sector, which has already led to major capital commitments from international players including Shell, Chevron and TotalEnergies, and the rollout of new LNG, FLNG and mini-LNG projects. In Guinea-Bissau, the energy sector is entering a new phase of exploration and frontier investment. As one of the continent's least developed hydrocarbon markets, the country is laying the institutional and regulatory foundations for future growth, with an emphasis on public-private collaboration and regional integration. Last September, Guinea-Bissau spudded a deep offshore exploration well near the neighboring Sangomar discovery in Senegal, marking a significant step toward unlocking its offshore potential. The DRC, meanwhile, is pushing to unlock the potential of its underexplored hydrocarbon basins. With a renewed focus on exploration and development, the DRC is pursuing strategic licensing efforts and engaging international partners to accelerate activity, while also seeking to balance environmental considerations with its economic development goals. Zimbabwe continues to prioritize energy diversification and regional power security. In recent years, the country has undertaken efforts to expand its generation capacity and foster investment through independent power producers and infrastructure partnerships. As southern Africa faces persistent energy shortfalls, Zimbabwe is positioning itself as a critical part of the regional solution. Together, Africa's leading energy ministers will engage in a forward-looking dialogue on innovative partnership models, policy frameworks and the capital flows needed to ensure Africa's energy projects not only get off the ground, but also deliver long-term value for both investors and local economies. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
Zawya
12-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025: Exploring Global Partnerships to Unlock Africa's Energy Potential
The Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 forum in Paris will host a high-level panel discussion on "The Future of Global Energy Partnerships: Seizing Africa's Untapped Market Opportunities", sponsored by Energean. Bringing together African energy ministers, CEOs and leading energy executives, the session will explore how shifting global dynamics are reshaping cross-border collaboration and investment strategies in Africa's energy sector. The panel will be moderated by NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, and will feature: Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Republic of Congo; Maggy Shino, Petroleum Commissioner, Minister of Mines and Energy, Namibia; Mathios Rigas, CEO, Energean; and Marco Villa, Chief Business Officer, Technip Energies. IAE 2025 ( is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@ As international players from the Middle East and BRIC nations expand their global energy footprint, Africa is becoming an increasingly vital partner in advancing shared goals around energy security, industrial growth and sustainable development. Countries like the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Nigeria are at the center of this momentum, offering a diverse mix of upstream and midstream assets, growing domestic demand and a clear push for value-added investment in petrochemicals and infrastructure. This panel will examine how strategic partnerships – whether through equity participation, joint ventures or technical collaboration – are unlocking opportunities across Africa's oil, gas, power and petrochemical sectors, while also helping to close investment and capacity gaps. The session will provide firsthand insights from the policymakers and executives driving these initiatives, highlighting how countries are positioning themselves to attract capital and what international players consider bankable, high-value opportunities. From gas monetization strategies in Nigeria to integrated development plans in Congo and downstream expansion in Gabon, the discussion will explore the key factors fueling global investment interest in Africa's energy landscape. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
Zawya
05-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa Energies Summit in London Must Prioritize Hiring Black Africans
In the evolving and competitive energy landscape of Africa, the Frontier and Africa Energies Summit in London holds a critical position, drawing substantial revenue from the continent's thriving markets. However, there is a glaring issue that the organization cannot afford to ignore: the lack of Black Africans in its workforce. This absence raises serious concerns about the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion, and it's time for Africa Energies Summit to address this inequality. The African Energy Chamber ( has issued a direct call for action, urging the summit to rectify this imbalance by hiring Black Africans. It is deeply disappointing that, despite reaping significant benefits from Africa's economic contributions, Frontier and Africa Energies Summit in London has failed to reflect the continent's rich diversity by hiring Black employees. The company continues to prioritize personal networks in its hiring practices, which perpetuates exclusionary systems. As a result, many highly qualified Black Africans, with the necessary skills and experience, are left outside the company's inner circle. This issue becomes even more perplexing when we consider that Black Africans are not merely passive participants in the success of the Africa Energies Summit; they are active sponsors and contributors to its events and programs. This contradiction calls into question the sincerity of the company's commitment to inclusivity and raises concerns about the integrity of its diversity policies. NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, has highlighted the remarkable progress of the Oil and Gas industry in promoting Africans, especially women, into leadership positions. He praises the industry for fostering entrepreneurship and providing opportunities for Africans to rise to the top. This success serves as a stark reminder that Africans, especially African women, are not only capable but essential to the success of organizations operating within the continent. The African Energy Chamber believes firmly that Black Africans possess the expertise, leadership qualities, and vision required for positions at the highest levels within the Africa Energies Summit. Inclusion is not just a matter of social justice—it is a strategic necessity for a company that depends heavily on Africa's energy market for its revenue. It is time for Frontier and Africa Energies Summit in London to move beyond lip service and show real, meaningful commitment to diversity by empowering Africans within its workforce. The issue at hand goes beyond tokenism; it speaks to the very principles of fairness and equal opportunity. The idea that Africans can contribute to the financial success of the company through large exhibitions, yet are denied equal representation within the organization, is both unacceptable and unsustainable. The time to act is now, and this imbalance must be addressed without delay. While it may be uncomfortable to raise these concerns, the African Energy Chamber is committed to shining a light on uncomfortable truths within the industry. The progress made in the Oil and Gas sector—particularly in the hiring, training, and promotion of Africans—demonstrates that genuine diversity efforts lead to entrepreneurial success and organizational growth. The African Energy Chamber urges Africa Energies Summit in London to adopt similar practices and take lessons from the success stories in the Oil and Gas industry. Countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, and Tanzania—along with others that actively support the summit and participate in its events—deserve to see their talent represented at the highest levels of the organization. Africa Energies Summit must step up and ensure that the diversity it benefits from in its African markets is reflected in the diversity of its workforce. "Frontier makes a huge part of its revenue from Africa, yet no Black people are hired within the company. They hire people they know, trust, and like, but we are not part of that circle. I am deeply disappointed. Black Africans are major participants and sponsors of their programs. I believe we are more than capable of doing the job, but there has been no true commitment to hiring or promoting us. We also need to have a serious conversation about why Africa Energies Summit in London isn't hosted in Africa," said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. The African Energy Chamber calls on Africa Energies Summit in London to recognize the urgent need to address the underrepresentation of Black Africans in leadership roles within its organization. This is a critical opportunity for the summit to prove its commitment to true diversity and inclusivity by embracing the talents, skills, and potential of Africa's brightest minds. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
