By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Sept 28, GNA – A book examining energy management, green investment and sustainable energy transition in Africa has been launched in Tamale.
The book, titled: “Energy Management and Green Investment in Africa: Navigating Sustainable Solutions”, featured contributions from scholars and academics including Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition.
Energy Management and Green Investments in Africa: Navigating Sustainable Solutions has five thematic areas covering critical dimensions of Africa’s energy transition ranging from policy and institutional foundations to finance, regulation, technology and country-specific energy issues.
It examines the strategic foundations for Africa’s green energy transition including fiscal policy, energy subsidies and pricing, renewable energy policy, energy access and institutional efficiency.
It also focuses on finance and investment exploring the roles of green finance, banking policy, financial inclusion and trade-related policies in mobilising capital for sustainable energy transition.
The book examines regulation and governance, including green investment regulation, the need for a continental green taxonomy for Africa, private sector participation, smart energy regulation and decentralised energy systems.
It was edited by Dr Ibrahim Nandom Yakubu, the Head, Department of Business Innovation and Incubation, University for Development Studies (UDS), and Dr Khadijah Iddrisu, Lecturer and Coordinator, Department of Accounting and Finance, Islamic University College.
Dr Yakubu, speaking at the launch, said energy had become a critical global issue as countries sought to meet growing energy demand while responding to climate change and building sustainable economies.
He said the challenge was particularly significant for Africa, which continued to grapple with energy access and unreliable electricity systems while facing difficulties in mobilising the investments required to support a sustainable green transition.
He said despite the continent’s considerable renewable energy potential, Africa continued to face energy poverty, infrastructure gaps and financing constraints that affected its ability to fully harness its energy resources.
He said those challenges motivated the development of the book adding the objective was not merely to produce another academic publication explaining why Africa needed an energy transition.
Dr Yakubu said a central message of the book was that Africa’s energy transition must reflect the continent’s realities.
He said although African countries could learn from successful energy-transition experiences elsewhere, such approaches had to be adapted to local circumstances.
Dr Jinapor, whose speech was read on his behalf during the launch, said investment in the energy sector was critical to Africa’s development particularly given the continent’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change and the need to strengthen energy systems.
He said the government was working to create a dynamic energy sector and attract investment, adding that a conducive business environment was essential to encouraging greater private sector participation.
He said the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition had developed some bankable projects to provide opportunities for investors interested in the energy sector.
Professor Mohammed Muniru Iddrisu, Vice-Chancellor of UDS, whose speech was read on his behalf, said the book addressed the need for African countries to expand energy access, strengthen climate resilience and attract the green investment required to achieve sustainable growth.
He said addressing Africa’s energy challenges required interdisciplinary collaboration because energy infrastructure, renewable technologies and reliable power systems were not only engineering issues but also depended on effective governance, appropriate financing and public participation.
GNA
Edited by Albert Futukpor/ Benjamin Mensah
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