Critical minerals have become a focal point of U.S.–China competition. The bigger question for Africa is whether it can capture more processing, manufacturing and economic value before another extractive cycle takes hold.
There is a phrase that has followed Africa through almost every global climate forum in recent years: “clean energy for people and planet.” And it sounds inclusive, moral and hard to argue against....
Africa is being courted again. This time, the language is cleaner: energy transition, critical minerals, clean infrastructure, climate finance. The urgency is sharper, the timelines are shorter, and...
Africa is central to the global energy transition, yet marginal within it. The minerals that make modern clean energy possible are increasingly sourced from Africa. Cobalt stabilises batteries,...
When the United States withdraws from global climate institutions, the consequences are never confined to Washington. They ripple outward through markets, multilateral banks, diplomatic alignments,...
Africa often arrives at global climate summits speaking the language of unity. “A just transition.” “Common but differentiated responsibilities.” “Development first.” Behind the scenes, the reality...
“Only 14% of committed mini-grid funding has actually been disbursed.” That figure should stop every energy conversation in its tracks. I have spent years travelling through African communities where...
The most radical thing I have learned about Africa’s energy future did not come from a policy report, a donor strategy, or a conference panel. It came from watching young Africans refuse to wait. In...
For much of the last decade, the global energy transition was framed as a technical exercise, a matter of replacing fossil fuels with renewables, coal plants with solar farms, and internal combustion...
Africa’s energy transition is often described as a problem of scarcity: there is not enough capital, not enough concessional finance, and not enough international support. But this diagnosis is...
When I spoke to a senior human-resources lead at a major solar-energy company early this year, I expected standard answers: “We need more graduates,” “We lack training,” “We need government...
Africa stands at a critical crossroads in its energy story. On one path lies renewal, powered by clean technologies, decentralised systems, local value chains and climate resilience. On the other...