By Prof. Bart O. Nnaji FAS, FA Eng. CON, NNOM \u2013 Founder\/Chairman, Geometric
Power Limited and former Nigerian Minister of Power
Africa\u2019s energy journey is often portrayed as a stark choice between climate responsibility and development. In reality, the continent faces a more nuanced challenge: finding a fair, gradual energy transition that matches its unique needs and ambitions. Technology and innovation can drive this change, helping secure affordable and sustainable energy for all.
In the coming decades, Africa\u2019s population is expected to soar to nearly 2.5 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cities will grow. Industries will expand. Digital connections will multiply. The demand for energy will increase significantly. Right now, expecting Africa to abandon fossil fuels overnight is neither
realistic nor fair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the near future, fossil fuels remain crucial for base power that is reliable,
and affordable. In particular, natural gas is key transition fuel that will remain the base power solution for the next decade. Africa must not embrace renewable energy primarily when they
have abundance of fossil fuel for their industrialization as other emerging and emerged nations have done. A just energy transition recognises these realities and seeks ways to build cleaner, more resilient systems over time.
Technology as the Enabler of Africa\u2019s Energy Future
Exciting new technologies are already reshaping Africa\u2019s energy landscape:
\uf0b7 Decentralised solutions, like mini-grids, off-grid solar, and batteries, bring electricity to
places traditional grids can\u2019t reach. By 2030, these distributed renewables could
provide most new connections in underserved communities.
\uf0b7 Smart grids and AI-driven management can reduce waste. They help utilities serve
people better.
\uf0b7 Modern batteries ensure that solar and wind energy can be delivered steadily, even
when the sun isn\u2019t shining or the wind isn\u2019t blowing.
Decentralised approaches are essential to Africa\u2019s path toward universal energy access.
While technology is not a fix-all solution, it is a crucial enabler of efficiency, resilience, and
affordability, shaping Africa\u2019s energy future.
African entrepreneurs are leading much of this change. They\u2019re developing solutions that
meet local needs, such as pay-as-you-go solar, community-run mini-grids, and mobile
payment platforms. These innovations don\u2019t just bring power; they create jobs, build skills,
and reap economic benefits for the continent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Prof. Bart O. Nnaji FAS, FA Eng. CON, NNOM \u2013 Founder\/Chairman, GeometricPower Limited and former Nigerian Minister of PowerAfrica\u2019s energy journey is often portrayed as a stark choice between climate responsibility and development. In reality, the continent faces a more nuanced challenge: finding a fair, gradual energy transition that matches its unique needs and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kenya"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2738"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2739,"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2738\/revisions\/2739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailykenya.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}