African energy experts, feminists, economists and climate justice advocates have warned that continued dependence on fossil fuels is worsening poverty, inequality and economic instability across the continent, calling instead for a community-driven transition to renewable energy.
The experts spoke during a high-level webinar moderated by Kenyan journalist Edith Kimani, where discussions focused on findings from the Pipe Dreams report presented by climate and energy researcher Gregg Muttitt.
Participants challenged the long-standing assumption that oil and gas exploitation would automatically translate into economic prosperity for African nations, arguing that decades of extraction have instead left many countries trapped in fragile economies marked by inflation, corruption and widening inequality.
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“Oil-based economies consistently perform worse than non-resource-intensive economies,” Muttitt said. “They record lower economic growth, higher inflation and greater vulnerability to external shocks.”
He noted that recent geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran had once again exposed Africa’s vulnerability to volatile global fossil fuel markets, resulting in rising fuel prices and worsening food insecurity across several countries.
Speakers stressed that ordinary citizens, particularly women and rural populations, continue to bear the heaviest burden of recurring energy crises.
Women bear the burden of energy poverty
Executive Director of Shine Collab, Mela Chiponda, described Africa’s energy crisis as “a crisis of care and survival,” saying millions of women continue to subsidise failed energy systems through unpaid labour.
“The lack of access to clean, affordable and safe energy increases unpaid care work for women and further impoverishes them,” Chiponda said. “This is not only an economic crisis; it is a crisis of dignity.”
According to her, women in many rural communities still rely heavily on firewood and charcoal for cooking because governments have failed to provide accessible, clean energy alternatives. In some regions, up to 98 per cent of rural women reportedly depend on polluting cooking fuels.
The webinar also highlighted the contradiction in several oil-producing African countries that still import refined petroleum products due to inadequate domestic refining capacity.
Countries such as South Sudan and Nigeria were cited as examples where vast oil wealth has failed to improve living standards or guarantee affordable energy access.
Muttitt pointed to the limited domestic impact of mega projects such as Dangote Refinery, arguing that international oil pricing systems continue to determine local fuel prices despite local refining efforts.
Renewable energy offers a better development pathway
Climate justice advocate Kudakwashe Manjonjo warned that African governments risk locking the continent into outdated and extractive economic systems by continuing heavy investments in oil and gas projects.
“Africa should not double down on fossil fuels,” Manjonjo said. “Renewable energy creates local incomes, stimulates local economic activity and strengthens national sovereignty.”
Panelists revealed that Africans imported an estimated 15 gigawatts of solar panels for private use, reflecting growing grassroots demand for renewable energy solutions despite limited institutional support.
However, they expressed concern that Africa currently receives only about two per cent of global climate finance, a situation they said continues to constrain investment in renewable energy infrastructure.
Muttitt blamed the situation partly on high borrowing costs imposed on African countries by international financial systems and credit rating agencies.
“There needs to be a massive increase in climate finance if Africa is to transition effectively,” he said.
Corruption and weak policies are slowing the energy transition
Energy expert Joab Okanda warned that corruption, poor regulation and delays in infrastructure development continue to hinder renewable energy investments across Africa.
Using Kenya as an example, Okanda noted that some wind power projects generate electricity faster than transmission infrastructure can distribute it, leaving many communities without access to available power.
Although Kenya generates nearly 90 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, speakers maintained that affordability and access remain serious challenges for low-income households.
Chiponda also criticised what she described as Africa’s “extractive development model,” warning that the rush for critical minerals required for the global energy transition could reproduce the same inequalities associated with oil and gas exploitation.
“We must abandon development models that dispossess communities,” she said. “Even renewable energy projects can become exploitative if they are imposed on indigenous territories without community control.”
The panel advocated for decentralised renewable energy systems managed by local communities instead of large-scale corporate-controlled projects.
Push for feminist, community-led alternatives
A recurring theme during the webinar was the call for development models rooted in feminism, environmental justice and community ownership.
Chiponda urged African governments and civil society groups to rethink development beyond neoliberal and extractive economic systems.
“Women are already building alternative economies rooted in care, sustainability and community well-being,” she said. “These are the models Africa should invest in.”
Participants also called for stronger implementation of African legal frameworks, including the African Union’s Maputo Protocol, to protect indigenous communities affected by mining and energy projects.
Countries such as Morocco, Algeria and Libya were highlighted for making notable investments in renewable energy or maintaining stronger domestic participation in their energy sectors.
The webinar ended with a broad consensus among participants that Africa’s long-term future lies not in expanding fossil fuel extraction, but in accelerating a just and inclusive transition to renewable energy systems that prioritise equity, resilience and local development.
