Africa's energy transition must reflect its development needs — Jinapor

Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has called for Africa's energy transition to be guided by the continent's development priorities rather than externally imposed conditions.

According to him, efforts to address climate change must be balanced with the need to expand access to energy, create jobs and drive economic growth across Africa.

The minister made the remarks during a panel discussion on the theme, "What Does a Just Energy Transition Mean for Africa?" at the Africa Energy Forum being held in Cape Town, South Africa, from June 16 to June 19.

In a social media post on Friday, June 19, Dr Jinapor said Ghana remains committed to building an energy future that promotes sustainability while supporting industrialisation and development.

“Africa must pursue its transition on terms that reflect its development needs, ensuring that climate action goes hand in hand with economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction,” he stated.

Dr Jinapor said Ghana's approach to the energy transition is focused on attracting investment through credible policies while pursuing practical solutions that guarantee reliable and affordable energy.

He highlighted the role of natural gas as a transition fuel and outlined measures being implemented by Ghana to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy.

These include large-scale solar deployment, energy storage systems, home solar installations and the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The minister stressed that Africa's energy transition should be designed to address the continent's unique challenges, including energy poverty and limited access to clean cooking solutions.

“Africa must pursue a just energy transition on its own terms, one that expands access to reliable energy, supports industrial growth, promotes clean cooking solutions, addresses energy poverty and delivers a sustainable future without leaving anyone behind,” he noted.