By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Officials of the South African government have called for a balanced approach to energy transition in Africa, arguing that economic development and environmental protection must work in tandem rather than at cross purposes.
“We must be allowed to integrate the two,” the country’s Minister of Mineral and Energy Resources, Gwede Mantashe, said on Tuesday at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan.
“We cannot kill the economy to preserve ecology,” he declared.
The Minister highlighted what he described as an imbalance in global climate responsibilities, arguing that Africa contributes the least greenhouse gas emissions globally yet faces disproportionate pressure to decarbonise.
“We have a carbon tax, but the US, China and Russia don’t have it. It’s a tax on us because we’re trading with the EU,” Mantashe said, describing it as an “undue burden on a neglected continent.”
South Africa, which holds the presidency of the G20, has focused its term of office, lasting until November, on “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” advocating for financing solutions that support growth and inclusion alongside climate objectives.
Another official, Minister in the Presidency Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, during a separate session, emphasised that Africa’s energy transition must address basic needs first.
“We transition, you don’t transition in darkness,” Ramokgopa said.
“When the lights are on, when industries and manufacturing pick up, when we lift people out of hunger and into jobs — then the conversation becomes real for Africa, not just an elite debate.”
According to the International Energy Agency, about 600 million Africans still lack access to reliable electricity.
The two-day Africa CEO Forum brought together finance ministers, business leaders and investors to discuss investment strategies and development priorities across the continent.
