Horizons Live: Asset rich, energy poor
Maximising Africa’s natural resources to transform the continent
1 minute read
The November Horizons explores one of the defining development challenges of our time: how Africa can convert extraordinary resource wealth into reliable, affordable energy for its people.
Africa holds vast renewable potential, world-class oil and gas resources and a critical role in the global supply of minerals essential to the energy transition. Yet around 600 million people across the continent still lack access to electricity. The issue is not a lack of resources – it is how those resources are developed, financed and governed.
Wood Mackenzie’s latest Horizons analysis sets out what it would take to close Africa’s energy access gap while supporting economic growth and contributing to global decarbonisation. It highlights the role of pragmatic policy, targeted investment and international partnership in unlocking the continent’s full energy potential.
Our Horizons Live session brought together experts to debate the findings, explore the trade-offs and answer audience questions in a live Q&A.
Key themes include:
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Energy endowment vs. energy access: why a resource-rich continent remains energy poor and how that can change.
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Clean energy acceleration: how distributed solar, storage, mini-grids and innovative financing can rapidly expand electricity access.
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Hydrocarbon opportunity: why Africa’s oil and gas resources still matter, and what governance and fiscal reform are needed to unlock investment.
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Critical minerals advantage: how Africa’s mineral wealth can attract capital and support domestic clean energy development.
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Upstream emissions in context: what the data shows about Africa’s emissions footprint and viable low-carbon development pathways.
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Geopolitics and capital access: how shifting global priorities could reshape Africa’s energy financing options.
Watch the full Horizons Live replay to hear our panel’s insights and explore how Africa can turn resource abundance into energy prosperity.
Our panel:
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Mansur Mohammed, Principal Analyst & Author, Horizons: Asset rich, energy poor
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Gavin Thompson, Vice Chairman, Energy – Europe, Middle East & Africa
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Hadiza Adukonu, Vice President, Opportunity Maturation and New Ventures - Oando Clean Energy
Fill in the form to watch the replay and catch up on the full discussion.
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