Africa’s Energy and Extractives Landscape: Current State and Future Projections
Africa’s energy and extractives sectors occupy a critical position in the continent’s development trajectory. Despite vast endowments of fossil fuels, renewable energy resources, and critical minerals, Africa continues to experience deep energy access inequalities and governance challenges in the extractives sector. At the same time, global efforts to address climate change and accelerate the energy transition have intensified interest in Africa’s resources, particularly minerals essential for clean energy technologies.
The continent faces a complex balancing act: meeting immediate development and energy needs while navigating climate commitments, demographic pressures, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. These challenges are further compounded by persistent gender inequalities and the underrepresentation of women and youth in decision-making and leadership across the energy and extractives sectors.
The webinar sought to:
- Examine Africa’s current energy and extractives landscape within the context of the global energy transition.
- Analyse energy access challenges and the developmental impact of extractive industries.
- Explore demographic and geopolitical factors shaping future energy demand and resource governance.
- Highlight the role of women and youth and identify strategies for achieving inclusive and just energy systems.
Discussions highlighted Africa’s paradoxical position as both resource-rich and energy-poor. Speakers noted that while fossil fuels remain central to many African economies, renewable energy investments are increasing—albeit unevenly across countries and regions. Geothermal, solar, wind, and hydropower were identified as key opportunities for expanding clean energy access.
Participants emphasised the growing global demand for Africa’s critical minerals, positioning the continent as a cornerstone of the clean energy transition. However, concerns were raised that without deliberate policy choices, Africa risks perpetuating a model of raw material export with limited local value addition. Speakers called for stronger industrial policies that promote beneficiation, local manufacturing, and technology transfer.
Energy access emerged as a central concern throughout the webinar. Despite decades of extractive activity and revenue generation, millions of Africans—particularly women and rural communities—remain without access to reliable electricity and clean cooking solutions.
Participants questioned development models that prioritise large-scale extraction while failing to deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives. There was strong consensus on the need to:
- Link extractive revenues more directly to energy access investments.
- Strengthen accountability and transparency in revenue management.
- Prioritise community-centred energy planning that responds to local needs.
Africa’s rapidly growing and youthful population was identified as a defining factor in future energy demand. Urbanisation, industrialisation, and expanding transport needs are expected to significantly increase energy consumption across the continent.
Speakers cautioned that failure to plan for these demographic realities could deepen unemployment, inequality, and environmental degradation. At the same time, youth were recognised as a powerful force for innovation, entrepreneurship, and advocacy within the energy transition, provided they are supported through skills development, access to finance, and inclusive policy frameworks.
Gender and youth inclusion featured as a cross-cutting theme. Speakers highlighted the persistent underrepresentation of women in technical roles, leadership positions, and policy-making spaces within the energy and extractives sectors. Energy poverty was repeatedly framed as a gendered issue, with women bearing disproportionate burdens related to unpaid care work and reliance on traditional fuels.
Participants called for a shift from tokenistic inclusion to structural change, including:
- Gender-responsive energy and extractives policies.
- Targeted financing and capacity-building for women and youth.
- Institutional reforms that enable meaningful participation and leadership.
The webinar underscored how global geopolitics is reshaping Africa’s energy and extractives sectors. Heightened competition for critical minerals has intensified foreign interest in African resources, raising concerns about unequal power relations, unfavourable contracts, and a potential resurgence of extractive exploitation under the guise of green transition.
Participants stressed the importance of:
- Strengthening negotiation capacity at national and regional levels.
- Enhancing transparency in contracts and supply chains.
- Promoting regional cooperation to increase Africa’s collective bargaining power in global markets.
- Africa’s energy transition must be defined by the continent’s development priorities and social realities.
- Energy access remains a fundamental challenge that must be addressed alongside extractive sector reforms.
- Demographic trends demand urgent, forward-looking energy planning.
- Geopolitical dynamics present both opportunities and risks for Africa’s resource governance.
- Gender-responsive and youth-inclusive approaches are essential for sustainable and just energy systems.
- Continue convening inclusive, evidence-based dialogues on energy, extractives, and gender justice.
- Strengthen advocacy for gender-responsive and people-centred energy policies.
- Support capacity-building initiatives that empower women and youth in energy governance and leadership.
- Integrate gender and social inclusion into energy and extractives policy frameworks.
- Align extractive revenues with energy access and sustainable development goals.
- Improve transparency, accountability, and public participation in the sector.
- Invest in renewable energy, value addition, and local manufacturing.
- Promote responsible sourcing and equitable partnerships in extractives.
- Support initiatives that advance women’s and youth participation across the energy value chain.