South Africa will use its position as Chair of the G20 (the group of 19 major global economies plus the African Union and the European Union) next year to champion Africa’s energy priorities on the global stage. So assured Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in his keynote address on the first day of the African Energy Week conference and exhibition, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

He affirmed that accessibility, affordability and sustainability had to be energy priorities for the continent. Africa needed affordable clean energy, with the aim of creating a resilient energy system across the continent.

Strengthening Africa’s cross-border energy infrastructure would spread access to energy across the continent. It would also provide resilience and energy security and ensure inclusive growth across Africa. But it would require compatible national, or standardised regional, regulatory frameworks across the continent.

He stressed that Africa had the right to exploit all its natural resources, including coal, oil, gas, and, in future, nuclear power. Renewable energy alone would not be enough to end the continent’s energy poverty. He cited an International Energy Agency report that African energy demand would increase by 33% between 2020 and 2030.

Among existing energy resources, he in particular cited the importance of natural gas. Africa hosted 8% of global gas reserves. Natural gas would help the continent meet its climate change goals. It was, in fact, critically important as a transitional energy source to help Africa move to a low carbon future.

He noted that the global pipeline gas trade was rebounding this year, after disruptions caused by “geopolitical tensions”. Africa was responsible for 7% of this global trade, but the vast majority of the continent’s share was accounted for by Algerian exports to Europe. Africa lacked intra-regional gas pipeline infrastructure, which inhibited the use of natural gas across the continent. Developing such pipelines would facilitate African gas use, including for industrialisation.  

At the G20, he highlighted, South Africa would champion an energy system for Africa that would be bold, just, and rooted in African value systems. The continent stood on the brink of an energy transformation, he asserted. Energy would cease to be a barrier to development (because of its scarcity and cost) and become a source of development. He called on Africa to seize the moment.