Addressing Energy Poverty will Take a Multi-Resource Approach in Africa

Addressing Energy Poverty will Take a Multi-Resource Approach in Africa

The African continent has the most people without access to energy and yet also represents the continent with the fastest growing population. As demand continues to far outweigh supply, energy poverty becomes more of a crisis across the continent. In order to address this crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 – universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity – NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.EnergyChamber.org) has outlined a strategy.

Speaking during the January 2022 edition of the Rystad Talks Energy webinar – a platform for enhanced dialogue on Africa’s economy, led by CEO Jarand Rystad -, Ayuk emphasized that in order to address energy poverty, Africa needs to have a multi-resource approach, whereby the continent utilizes all of its natural resources in the short term, slowly reducing the reliance on oil and coal in the medium term through the uptake of natural gas, and transitioning to cleaner sources in the longer term.

“If we want to look at a solution, we need to make sure we create the energy we need immediately and use the resources we have. We have to use all forms of energy we have. Climate change is a big problem, but