Blindspot Africa
Blindspot Africa is a podcast initiative designed by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) to fill this critical void. It is a podcast that unpacks multifaceted challenges within the energy and extractive space and provides a dedicated, in-depth platform for candid, unfiltered conversations with key stakeholders across the continent. It is a specialised platform that promotes knowledge sharing, transparency, and constructive dialogue, ultimately contributing to more informed decision-making and policy formulation.
Blindspot Africa
Africa's Energy Transition: Policy, Access, and Economic Development
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In this episode of Blindspot Africa, Kodzo sits down with Bob Felix Ocitti, Senior Policy Officer for Research, Oil and Gas at the African Energy Commission (AFREC), to explore Africa's evolving energy landscape and the policies shaping the continent's future.
The conversation provides an in-depth look at AFREC's mandate, from developing energy policies and collecting continental energy data to advancing renewable energy, clean cooking, energy transition, and regional energy cooperation. Bob explains why Africa's energy transition must reflect the continent's unique realities—balancing climate commitments with the urgent need for energy access, industrialisation, and economic growth.
The episode also examines the African Common Position on Energy Access and Just Transition, the role of oil and gas in Africa's development, the importance of domestic refining, regional electricity markets, and why affordable, reliable energy is essential for value addition, mining, and manufacturing.
Other key topics include:
- Africa's energy transition and climate commitments
- Clean cooking and energy poverty
- Renewable energy and fossil fuels in Africa's energy mix
- Regional power pools and the African Single Electricity Market
- Energy data and evidence-based policymaking
- Industrialization, critical minerals, and energy security
- Youth participation in Africa's energy future
A comprehensive discussion on how Africa can build an energy system that delivers universal access, economic transformation, and sustainable development while defining its own path in the global energy transition.