Shifting from fossil fuels will fail without funding for African industry and energy infrastructure

“Moving to renewable energy will fail unless wealthy nations help finance cleaner energy systems, industrialisation and local mineral processing across the African continent. This was the argument that African countries put to a recent meeting of 57 governments on phasing out fossil fuels. The Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels , hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands and held in Colombia in April 2026, was the first major international gathering focused specifically on how countries might gradually reduce their dependence on coal, oil and gas. At present, there is no global agreement on how to wind down down fossil fuel production. Read more: African countries shouldn’t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused – economist International climate agreements focus mainly on reducing emissions rather than deciding how and when countries should stop producing coal, oil and gas. Yet these fossil fuels are responsible for almost 90% of the carbon emissions driving climate change. I am an international trade lawyer and legal academic whose research focuses on the intersection of climate change, trade policy and sustainable development. I see Africa becoming a key site of debate over how the transition should be managed in countries that are seeking to rapidly industrialise yet highly exposed to climate disasters. Read more: Kenya’s double climate crisis: it needs funds to adapt, and disaster aid is damaging the environment For African countries, moving away from fossil fuels is far more complicated than simply switching energy sources. Many of them suffer from poverty, weak electricity systems, and mounting debt. Their economies still depend on oil, gas and coal for government revenue, exports, jobs and even basic energy access. Wealthier economies industrialised using fossil fuels over many decades. Asking African states to stop producing oil and gas without substantial financial support, affordable technology and credible alternatives would therefore risk deepening inequality. From cutting emissions to ending fossil fuel extraction The conference called on governments to move beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions and begin confronting the harder question of ending fossil fuel extraction. About half of the global fossil fuel producers also attended the conference (including those from Nigeria and Angola). This was a significant step towards working out how countries can stop using fossil fuels. Many countries have pledged to limit global warming but continue to approve new oil and gas projects and subsidise fossil fuel production. For example, the Nigerian government wants to almost double oil output over the next five years and increase gas production. South Africa also wants to increase gas production. Because it set up a state-owned petroleum company, it will likely expand petrol production too. Read more: Nigeria and South Africa plan to boost fossil fuel production, risking their climate change pledges A “supply side” agreement could work. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that 18 states and thousands of civil society organisations have so far endorsed wants to commit states to lowering the production of coal, oil and gas. In practical terms, it would encourage countries to plan for a managed transition away from fossil fuels rather than expanding production indefinitely. A just transition needs investment, not lectures For African countries to transition to clean energy, they’d need to do without the revenues they get from selling fossil fuels. They’d also have to restructure their economies beyond the current global fossil fuel dependency. This dependence is substantial. Fossil fuels account for over 90% of export earnings in countries such as Nigeria and Angola . Oil and gas revenues provide between 50% and 70% of government income in several states across the continent. Any abrupt transition without alternative sources of growth and finance will be economically disruptive. Read more: Climate finance has failed Africa twice over – how to fix it Countries cannot be left to fend for themselves when global trade and energy systems are deeply interconnected. Africa already faces a climate financing shortfall of about US$2.5 trillion by 2030. It would not be just to ask African countries to pay for the transition themselves. This would amount to adjustment without solidarity. Without meaningful financial support , many African countries may struggle to move beyond fossil fuels while maintaining jobs, government revenue and energy access. Africa must build green energy industries What Africa needs is not charity, but investment in credible projects. These include renewable power, electricity grids, battery assembly, clean cooking, and public transport, among others. These green energy industries would create jobs and long-term economic value on the African continent. Africa already has many of the ingredients needed for this shift. The continent has abundant solar and wind resources, growing markets and a young workforce. Some African countries also have the minerals needed for clean energy technologies. But success will depend on using these advantages to build industries at home. Read more: Why Africa needs a green bank to fund climate action and build its own renewable technology Countries will also need stronger infrastructure, stable regulations, and investment in technical skills. If properly managed, the energy transition could help Africa industrialise in cleaner ways that do not exacerbate the climate crisis. But without deliberate planning and financing, the continent risks remaining a consumer of imported technologies rather than becoming a producer in the global green economy. What the Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels meant for Africa The conference in Santa Marta, Colombia did not settle the future of fossil fuel governance. Its contribution is more modest – but still important. It made clear that governments cannot seriously tackle emissions while continuing to treat fossil fuel extraction as a side issue. Read more: South Africa needs R250 billion just to meet basic climate adaptation needs over the next decade For Africa, the task is not to resist transition. It is to insist that transition be financed, sequenced and governed fairly. Ese Owie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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