Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Hon. Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, has called on African countries to depend more on local engineering expertise to address the continent’s energy challenges, stressing that Africa has the talent and technical capacity needed to develop its own solutions.
He made the remarks during the opening of the Africa Energy Technology Conference 2026, held in Accra from May 19 to May 21, 2026.
The conference brought together energy professionals, government officials, researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders from across the continent.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Dr. Jinapor said African countries should reduce dependence on expatriate expertise and place greater confidence in local engineers, noting that homegrown solutions are often more affordable and sustainable.
He cited Ghana’s recent power restoration efforts following a fire outbreak at the Akosombo Generation Station, which destroyed the switchyard responsible for transmitting electricity from the plant to the national grid.
According to him, the incident led to the sudden loss of about 1,000 megawatts of power, placing significant pressure on the country’s electricity supply system.
Hon. Dr. Jinapor explained that despite the scale of the disruption, Ghanaian engineers successfully restored stable power supply within five days, demonstrating the capability of African professionals to handle complex energy challenges independently.
The Africa Energy Technology Conference 2026 was organised by the Africa Energy Technology Centre in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Energy and Green Transition under the theme, “From Borders to Bridges: Driving Intra-African Trade and Development through Energy & Technology Services.”
Touching on the theme, Hon. Dr. Jinapor underscored the importance of regional collaboration, knowledge sharing, and resource integration among African countries.
He highlighted Ghana’s energy trade relationship with Nigeria, noting that Ghana imports natural gas from the country for electricity generation and also exports power to neighbouring states within the sub-region.
The Minister further revealed that Ghana had recently engaged a delegation from Benin, which requested increased electricity exports from Ghana, describing the development as an example of how regional cooperation can strengthen Africa’s energy future.