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POLICY
West African energy

ministers emphasise: “Gas
is good for Africa”

Headlining this year’s high-level panel discus-
sions at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2022, the
Ministerial panel on “Developing a Domestic
Natural Gas Economy in the MSGBC Region &
Beyond” unpacked the future of natural gas in
West Africa and the role it will play in the region’s
energy future. NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of
the African Energy Chamber, moderated the
session, with panelists including H.E. Sophie
Gladima, Minister of Petroleum and Energies,
the Republic of Senegal and H.E. Abdessalam
Ould Mohamed Salah, Minister of Petroleum,
Mines and Energy of the Islamic Republic of
Mauritania. Africa, Egypt and others, this will be long-term. other. What I hope is that projects like GTA open
Hon. Abdoulie Jobe, Minister of Petroleum To secure our future and reduce energy poverty, the market and explore other markets like our-
and Energy of the Republic of The Gambia; H.E. we need to create energy security.” selves and neighboring countries.”
Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines Adding onto this, H.E. Itoua emphasised Concluding the panel discussion, H.E.
and Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Equatorial the role gas will play in meeting future energy Gladima stated: “Africa is the first to be affected
Guinea; H.E. Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, OPEC demand, with the minister stating: “For the next by climate change, but our explorers can help
President and Minister of Hydrocarbons of the 25 years we will see energy demand growing. We us to understand the impacts of climate change
Republic of the Congo; Hon. Tom Alweendo, cannot face this demand without gas. We need a whilst exploiting these gas riches… we should
Minister of Mines and Energy, Republic of minimal 40% of energy coming from fossil fuels push our youth to start their own businesses
Namibia; H.E. Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, over these 25 years. The question is not to stop which will become large companies and take
Minister of Hydrocarbons, Democratic Repub- producing oil or gas, this is the worst thing to over the field. We should work with all those
lic of the Congo (DRC); and Hon. Foday Man- do. The European commission, in 2022, decided actors who possess experience and at COP27,
saray, Director General, Petroleum Directorate, that gas is a green transition energy. There needs we will push to develop the resources of Africa
Office of the President of the Republic of Sierra to be no more debates about gas. We need to stop for Africa itself.”
Leone were also part of the panel. wasting time discussing why gas is the solution. Energy Capital & Power, September 1 2022
Kicking off discussions, Hon. Jobe stated: We need to start producing as much as we can.”
“We all know the basin is very rich in oil and gas On the exploration front, H.E. Ntubuanga NCDMB emerges as
resources. What we need to do is provide access emphasised the potential of the DRC, stating:
to affordable, clean and sustainable energy. “The DRC does have natural wealth in the basin Nigeria’s best state
Gas is an integral element for transformational it shares with Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon.
change.” Fortunately, the technology we now have in agency in Ease of
The advantages of gas for domestic econo- Africa and across the world allows us to tap the
mies were highlighted, with speakers empha- rich oil reserves these areas hold without touch- Doing Business ranking
sising the need to address energy poverty in ing biodiversity.”
Africa using gas. On this note, H.E. Salah stated Representing another frontier market, Hon. The Nigerian Content Development and Mon-
that, “The real problem is how we get energy to Alweendo added: “We have been lucky to make itoring Board (NCDMB) has been adjudged as
every African citizen. Some Africans have been two substantial discoveries. This was after more the best among all Ministries, Departments and
producing oil and gas for decades but we still than 30 years of exploration. What helped us was Agencies in the country in the latest Executive
have the highest energy poverty because we are that we never gave up. Our licensing systems are Order (EO1) performance ranking for Ease of
exporting oil and gas. We need to give priority attractive for people. Our turnaround time for Doing Business from January to June 2022.
to access for every African citizen to energy and evaluating applications for licensing has been The report is compiled by the Presiden-
security.” really efficient. We persevered and the explora- tial Enabling Business Environment Council
Further to this, extant global geopolitics tion companies were with us during this time.” (PEBEC), under the office of the Vice President,
were raised with specific reference to Europe’s Finally, Hon. Mansaray provided insight into Federal Republic of Nigeria.
current craving for West African gas, in light Sierra Leone’s exploration progress, stating: “We NCDMB came tops with 81.48%, according
of the fuel source’s green-labeling by the EU. “It are currently in the middle of a licensing round to the report, released officially on Tuesday in
is important to be able to look not only at the that will continue until the end of September. Abuja.
short-term, but also the long-term,” stated H.E. Our responsibility is to provide electricity to the PEBEC was established in 2016 by President
Lima, adding: “The most secure market for Afri- people of Sierra Leone. The discoveries in the Muhammadu Buhari to address bottlenecks and
can producers is Africa. We need to be able to MSGBC region give people more confidence bureaucratic constraints to executing business in
create a market. If we can export LNG to South in the region. We know that IOCs follow each Nigeria.

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