Energy minister John Jinapor (3rd Left) with stakeholders at AETC 2025
Founder and President of the Africa Energy Technology Centre (AETC), Emelia Akumah, has called for decisive action and a renewed commitment to drive Africa’s energy transformation through homegrown innovation, regional integration, and inclusive financing models.
Speaking at the conclusion of the second edition of the Africa Energy Technology Conference (AETC 2025) in Accra, Akumah reaffirmed her bold vision to establish Africa’s first smart energy technology hub, a pan-African centre for innovation where technologists, financiers, and policymakers collaborate to design solutions for the continent’s unique energy needs.
“We are building a home for Africa’s energy innovators, a place where ideas meet capital, where research meets policy, and where Africans lead the solutions to our energy challenges,” Akumah said.
She added that Africa must build its own future through an energy innovation hub backed by strategic partners across the public and private sectors.
The hub is expected to incubate next-generation energy solutions, support startups, and facilitate cross-border collaboration.
“The future of energy is African, not just because of our resources, but because of our resolve,” she declared.
Held under the theme “Innovate, Invest, Implement: Revolutionised Financing for Sustainable Energy Sector Growth in Africa,” AETC 2025 brought together a high-level delegation of policymakers, investors, development partners, entrepreneurs, and energy leaders from across the continent and beyond.
Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, delivered a keynote address in which he underscored the role of collaboration and innovation in achieving energy diversification.
He also announced new government initiatives, including the nationwide rollout of solar-powered streetlights, as part of Ghana’s renewable energy drive.
H.E. Rt Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), called for deeper regional cooperation to unlock Africa’s vast gas potential.
He also highlighted major infrastructure projects such as the West African Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline as key drivers of integration, stressing the importance of using gas for domestic industrialisation, electricity access, and job creation, not just for export.
Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim, echoed the call for the strategic use of Africa’s oil and gas resources to combat poverty while gradually transitioning to cleaner energy sources.
Global energy leaders also joined the conversation virtually. Francesco La Camera, Director General of IRENA, and H.E Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, both emphasised Africa’s pivotal role in the global energy transition and the importance of international collaboration that respects local priorities.
Organised by AETC, the conference served as a platform to chart a unified path forward for Africa’s energy sector. The Centre is a forward-looking institution committed to advancing local innovation, capital mobilisation, and policy integration across the energy value chain.
A key highlight of the conference was the vision for the smart energy technology hub, an initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and delivering scalable, sustainable energy solutions tailored to Africa’s realities.
The hub will also serve as a springboard for innovation, providing space for local expertise to thrive and shape the continent’s energy narrative.
SP/MA
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