From Borders to Bridges

“The pace of our energy economic development is too slow; we must shift to high-speed mode immediately. The time is up for us to put African-owned companies in the commanding heights of our energy economy. Africa is not a risk; it is an investment opportunity.”

“Africa must no longer remain merely a source of raw material for global industrialisation whilst others capture the manufacturing, technology, and economic value chain. No country in this world has industrialised without cheap base load power. The model of borrowing back our own capital at high interest rates is simply not fit for purpose.”

“The future is not something we wait for. It is something we build, deliberately, courageously, and sustainably. Africa is ready to lead its own energy conversation. We are ready to build systems that reflect our realities, our values, our ambitions, and our identity. Energy without technology is underutilized potential, while technology without energy is stalled ambition. Together, they form the bedrock of a modern African economy. The tools are in our hands. The talent is in this room. The future is right now. Let’s go to work.”

“For Africa, this transition must become a transformation, not a recipient of change, but a driver of it. Too many economies remain exposed to old patterns of extraction, where value leaves the continent and vulnerability becomes destiny. Without justice in the energy transition, the countries with the greatest potential will once again be left carrying the greatest burden. The answer to fragmentation is not isolation; it is purposeful cooperation.”

“Our continent cannot build a market on fragmented energy infrastructure and disconnected national energy systems. If power cannot move efficiently across borders, industry will not be able to move. Regional trade requires regional infrastructure that is planned regionally.”

“For too long, Africa’s energy landscape has been shaped by borders. Africa does not lack vision; what Africa needs today is execution, coordination, and bankable projects. For APPO, the path forward is clear: We must think Africa, plan Africa, finance Africa, and deliver for Africa.”

“The challenge before us is not the absence of resources. Because Africa is richly endowed with energy potential, from hydropower and solar to natural gas and emerging nuclear capabilities. The challenge has always been how to connect these resources to people, to markets, and to opportunity in a way that is efficient, fair, and sustainable.”

“If you do not have electricity, you cannot realise your country. You cannot have a commitment with the future. You cannot bring up the younger generations. You cannot dream even if you do not have electricity. We have a proverb: Please, don’t walk in front of me or of us. I may not follow you. Don’t walk behind me. I may not lead you. Walk beside me. Be my friend. Let’s jump together.”

“Development cannot be powered by theory alone; it must be powered by real grids, real investments, and real jobs. Energy is not a luxury to be added after development: it is the foundation on which development stands. A hospital cannot run on aspiration.”

“We are the custodians of the two most critical inputs for energy transition: land and trust. No solar farm can be built, no transmission line can be laid without our lands. No amount of connected infrastructure can unite us if our mindsets are not changed.”

“Our countries taken individually are very, very weak. But working together, implementing design first and implementing projects together will make our countries stronger. If a country puts the development priority of its population at the front and takes the lead, the private sector will follow.”

“Local content is important, but let’s make it an African local content. Let’s not have barriers where Ghanaian local content is different from Nigerian local content. If a government projects money for renewables, you find out that billions leave Africa to buy panels elsewhere because we aren’t building capacity and manufacturing locally.”

“The one single thing that Africa must do is have an Africa-wide gas master plan. Understand what you have, understand where you want to go, and understand what you want to use it for. You have to know what you want to get a balanced agreement, because you’re better off negotiating from your rule book rather than asking somebody to bring you a contract and then negotiate from that.”

“The goal is not simply to structure a deal and get it done; the goal is to build a capital structure that makes the project viable into the future. Every investor brings a different appetite for risk and return, and our job is to allocate that risk efficiently, so that the project is not only financed but sustainable.”

“As the world transitions, our task is not simply to follow global trends, but to shape our own path, one that balances energy security, economic growth, and sustainability. For Ghana, this means unlocking the full value of our natural resources while investing in local capability, innovation, and technology.”

“We should look at clean cooking not only from the perspective of addressing a poverty issue, but also to look at this as an energy service that needs to be sustainable, accessible, affordable, and also meaningful for the entrepreneurs that need to participate.”

“It’s about signalling. It’s not about the quantity. If you can signal to the international markets or to the foreign capital donors or other big lenders that there are local or regional appetite and local uptake of a project, then you get that interest from these external people.”

“The one single thing that Africa must do is have an Africa-wide gas master plan. Understand what you have, understand where you want to go, and understand what you want to use it for. You have to know what you want to get a balanced agreement, because you’re better off negotiating from your rule book rather than asking somebody to bring you a contract and then negotiate from that. You don’t get what you want; you get what they want. The more important thing is building local capacity, and the better way to do that is to have people who know come to your country and work with you. My bottom line is: understand what you have, understand where you want to go, but certainly get help. Look for help.”

“We can think of all the technological progress that we want, but if we don’t consider the human being, we will not get to the point. Beyond technology, we need human character, because without it, technology will not work.”

“No country anywhere in the world has ever developed without industrialisation, and at the centre of industrialisation is energy. You can actually increase the cost of conflict by having cross-border infrastructure developed.”