Sahara Group Pushes for Urgent Action on Africa’s Energy Future

Samuel Mobolaji

Sahara Group has called on African leaders to adopt bold, innovative, and inclusive strategies to secure the continent’s energy future and accelerate sustainable development across all sectors.

The energy and infrastructure conglomerate appealed ahead of the African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARDA) Week 2025, urging stakeholders to take immediate steps that reflect Africa’s development realities and aspirations.

The Group’s Executive Director, Mr Wale Ajibade, emphasised the need for practical actions that go beyond rhetoric, highlighting the urgent need to close infrastructure gaps, drive investment in cleaner technologies, and expand access to electricity for millions of Africans.

Speaking ahead of ARDA 2025, which will take place from May 7 to 11 in Cape Town, South Africa, Ajibade stressed that Africa must take charge of its energy agenda with a clear vision centred on equity and inclusivity.

Sahara Group’s delegation to the high-level forum includes notable executives such as Mr Alex Cole, Director; Mr Nomnso Dike, CEO of Asharami Synergy, the Group’s downstream subsidiary; and Mr Tolu Fadipe, General Counsel, among others.

The event, themed “Africa First: Delivering Our Energy Future,” presents an opportunity for Sahara Group and other key players to galvanise efforts aimed at bridging Africa’s energy gap responsibly and sustainably.

According to Mr Bethel Obioma, Head of Corporate Communications at Sahara Group, the company’s presence at ARDA 2025 will reinforce the narrative that Africans must take the driver’s seat in defining and delivering their energy security strategies.

He added that the conference is expected to create momentum for collaborative solutions, public-private partnerships, and innovative funding mechanisms that can unlock long-term transformation in the energy landscape.

A key highlight of Sahara’s participation is a keynote address by Mr Jerome Espinasse, Head of Trading at Sahara Energy International Geneva, who will speak on the importance of building an inclusive and equitable energy framework. With over 600 million Africans still lacking access to electricity, Espinasse will advocate for urgent investments and regulatory reforms that prioritise social impact alongside economic growth.

Ms Nathalie Musson-Genon, Head of Trade Finance at Sahara Energy, will contribute to a panel discussion on Africa’s infrastructure needs, where she is expected to push for enhanced regional cooperation and strategic financing. The International Energy Agency projects that Africa’s energy consumption will increase by more than 70 per cent over the next two decades, and Musson-Genon will argue that collaboration is the continent’s most viable tool to close the infrastructure deficit and meet future energy demand.

The conference will also feature Ms Jessica Akintade, Regional HR Manager at Sahara Group, on a panel discussing investment in human capital. Akintade, who rose through Sahara’s internal leadership development pipeline, will promote policies that empower Africa’s youthful population to take up critical roles in the evolving energy industry. With young people making up more than 60 per cent of Africa’s population—a figure expected to double by 2050—she will advocate for intentional strategies to bridge the generational gap in leadership and technical expertise.

Obioma added that Sahara Group remains committed to championing sustainable energy solutions and contributing to Africa’s long-term economic growth. “We believe ARDA 2025 should catalyse the Africa-for-Africa vision, where Africans lead their energy transformation, supported by global cooperation,” he said.