Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has delivered a compelling call for deeper collaboration and integration across the continent’s energy sector at the Africa Energy Technology Conference 2025 in Accra.
Speaking on the theme “Intra-Africa Energy Trade Dialogue”, the Vice President emphasised the urgent need for African countries to leverage their abundant energy resources through coordinated trade and investment in infrastructure, technology, and innovation.
“Africa is not energy-poor—we are energy-rich,” she said. “Our sun, wind, rivers, and critical minerals give us a natural advantage. What we lack is not resources, but integration.”
Prof Opoku-Agyemang stressed that intra-African energy trade must go beyond megawatts and markets to deliver real-life impact—powering schools, clinics, industries, and entrepreneurial dreams across the continent.
She lauded regional frameworks such as the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as critical platforms for economic and energy integration, reiterating Ghana’s strong commitment to regional cooperation.
“Every watt traded across borders is a step towards shared prosperity,” she noted, adding that Ghana is actively investing in cross-border energy projects to connect communities and reduce energy poverty.
The Vice President also outlined Ghana’s efforts in promoting clean and sustainable energy, particularly in household consumption.
She highlighted government programmes such as the National LPG Promotion Policy and the Cylinder Recirculation Model, as well as partnerships with the World Bank, KfW, and South Korea’s Climate Change Centre to promote improved cook stoves.
On the energy transition, Prof Opoku-Agyemang spoke about Ghana’s growing clean energy ambitions, including its Renewable Energy Master Plan, which targets 10% of installed capacity from renewables by 2030.
She further revealed that Ghana has confirmed deposits of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other critical minerals, which are vital to clean energy technology development.
She emphasised the country’s commitment to value addition through initiatives like GIADEC and GIISDEC, and called for responsible mining practices, local participation, and high-quality investments.
“Africa’s minerals must benefit Africans first,” she declared.
Closing her address, the Vice President urged fellow African leaders, innovators, and development partners to see energy not only as a technical issue but as a gateway to sovereignty, prosperity, and continental unity.
