Europe’s gas dash risks leaving African countries high and dry

In May, the European Commission announced a €210bn plan to end its dependency on Russian fossil fuels.

Among REpowerEU’s stated goals was a desire to explore the energy export potential of African countries, despite promises at Cop26 to move away from fossil fuels. 

...“It’s worth remembering from history that developed countries have not lived up to their commitments.” Amos Wemanya, a senior analyst at Power Shift Africa is also doubtful that any fossil fuel investment can pay off for Africa. 

“What we have seen with fossil fuel development in Africa before is that it is actually counterproductive to development. Multinational corporations work in cahoots with a few local elites,” he says, pointing to the Niger Delta where battles over control of oil have led to thousands of deaths and the displacement of people.

Despite the short-term lure, governments across Africa should forgo any invitation to produce more fossil fuels for the European market, says Wemanya.

The idea that exploitation of fossil fuels is necessary for countries to develop is, he says, based on outdated ideas. “The existing narrative holds that no country has ever developed without exploiting its fossil fuels, but we are living in different times. Africa has a huge benefit in being a latecomer in building the foundational infrastructure for development, including in energy. It can leapfrog the development pathways that the north underwent and build smarter, distributed energy systems powered by renewables.”