By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Dec. 8, GNA – Mr Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, says the national conversation around energy is shifting from purely technical issues to innovation-driven solutions powered by technology.
He said young people with digital skills and innovative thinking now had more entry points into the sector than ever before.
Mr Agbana was speaking during a panel discussion on “Why Should You be Excited About Ghana’s Energy Sector” at the Youth Energy Summit (YES!) as part of the West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit 2025.
YES! is an Energy Net initiative empowering Africa’s youth to lead in the energy sector through knowledge, connections, and opportunity.
Alumni now work with top global companies and run ventures that power entire communities.
The programme explores initiatives like the Adwumawura Programme, the 24-hour economy, and the Volta Lake Economic Corridor, with career workshops, recruitment sessions, and dialogues with employers, investors, and policymakers.
The summit focused on the power sector, particularly in Africa, and facilitated discussions between governments, utilities, and international investors to promote energy projects.
Mr Agbana, who is also a Board Member of ECG, said the Company had increasingly collaborated with non-technical service providers, including developers who build applications to track electricity theft and reduce commercial losses.
“Government reforms, particularly the transition toward renewable and green energy, are widening opportunities for youth,” he added.
He said the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition’s renewed focus on green transition, solar electrification projects for off-grid communities, and the growing need for professionals in law, finance, data science and engineering across the energy value chain.
He said the energy sector remained one of the most financially intensive and dynamic areas of the Ghanaian economy, presenting significant prospects for young people from various backgrounds.
Mr Agbana urged the youth to research government policies, understand budget allocations and stay informed about emerging reforms so they could identify and take advantage of available opportunities.
He called for ambition, innovation and proactive engagement from young people to enable them fully participate in Ghana’s ongoing energy transformation.
Ms Efua Nyamekye Appiah, Energy and Just Transition Lead at the Green Africa Youth Organisation, urged young Ghanaians to be optimistic about the country’s energy future, describing the sector as one of the most promising spaces for youth innovation, employment and leadership.
She said the rapid transformation of Ghana’s energy landscape, driven by clean-energy solutions, industrial expansion and the push for a just transition, had opened new pathways for young people to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Ms Appiah said the energy transition would demand new skills, fresh ideas and bold leadership, placing the youth at the centre of job creation, entrepreneurship and climate-friendly innovation.
She encouraged the youth to take advantage of emerging opportunities in renewable energy, clean-tech entrepreneurship, research, and advocacy, adding that their engagement was essential for achieving a resilient, inclusive and sustainable energy future for Ghana.
Madam Malaka Bakar, Senior Vice President for Energy and Infrastructure at Stanbic Bank, highlighted the vast and emerging opportunities available to young people within Ghana’s evolving energy sector.
She said the Bank continued to invest heavily in youth development through graduate trainee
programmes, tailored youth banking services, entrepreneurship support and technology-focused initiatives such as coding sessions, hackathons and a Ladies in Tech programme.
“Stanbic also runs a teen academy to prepare young graduates for opportunities in the energy sector and beyond,” she added.
Madam Malaka explained that the Bank actively supported young innovators by offering advisory services and blended financing options that help de-risk their projects and make them attractive for funding.
Describing the energy sector as the “oxygen of Ghana’s modern economy,” she said the space now accommodated roles in policy, finance, AI, data and community engagement, creating room for youth with diverse skills.
She encouraged young people to think beyond traditional employment and develop commercially sound ideas that can attract investment and generate long-term income.
GNA
Christian Akorlie