Founder and President of the Africa Energy Technology Centre (AETC), Madam Emilia Cedar Palm Akuma, has urged African governments, investors, and industry leaders to strengthen collaboration in order to accelerate the continent’s energy transformation and boost intra-African trade through technology, sustainability, and climate action.
Speaking at the opening of the Africa Energy Technology Conference 2026 in Accra, Madam Akuma stressed the need for African countries to move beyond discussions and take practical steps toward developing integrated energy systems capable of supporting industrialisation and economic growth.
Addressing participants under the theme, “From Borders to Bridges: Driving Intra-African Trade and Development through Energy Technology, Sustainability, and Climate Action,” she said Africa’s progress would depend on the successful integration of energy infrastructure, technology, and trade policies across the continent.
Madam Akuma also highlighted the importance of youth participation in shaping Africa’s energy future, commending Youth Ambassador Joojo for his presentation at the conference and describing him as part of a new generation of African innovators and entrepreneurs.
According to her, his contribution reflected the vision behind the establishment of the Africa Energy Technology Centre and its Youth Energy Entrepreneurship & Incubation Program (YEEIP), which is expected to be officially launched during the conference gala dinner.
She noted that Africa cannot achieve meaningful transformation while excluding young people, adding that the programme seeks to position African youth as active contributors and future leaders within the continent’s energy sector.
Madam Akuma further stated that Africa possesses vast energy resources, including significant oil, gas, and renewable energy potential, yet millions of people across the continent still lack access to electricity.
She attributed the challenge to weak coordination, inadequate infrastructure, limited financing, and insufficient political commitment rather than a lack of natural resources.
The AETC President also observed that although Africa now has a single market of more than 1.4 billion people under the AfCFTA framework, intra-African trade remains low due to infrastructure and energy constraints.
To help address these challenges, she announced three major initiatives being championed by the Africa Energy Technology Centre.
These include the Youth Energy Entrepreneurship & Incubation Program to support green startups, the establishment of Africa’s first Smart Energy Technology Hub in Ghana for skills development and innovation, and the Africa Solar Prosumer Initiative aimed at expanding decentralised clean energy production through smart solar systems.
Madam Akuma also stressed the importance of balancing Africa’s energy transition with the responsible use of existing oil and gas resources, noting that technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, IoT-enabled systems, and carbon capture solutions could help reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency within the hydrocarbon sector.
She called on governments, investors, and policymakers to treat Africa as one integrated energy and technology market and urged countries to harmonise regulations to attract greater private sector investment into regional energy projects.
The Africa Energy Technology Conference 2026 is scheduled to conclude on May 21, 2026.