Unity Key to Africa’s Energy Sovereignty – Senegalese Minister

Senegal’s Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, Birame Soulèye Diop, has emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between Francophone and Anglophone countries to achieve energy security and sustainable development in Africa.

Speaking at the sidelines of Decade of Gas and World Bank Ministerial Roundtable and Workshop, Minister Diop stressed that African countries must work together to translate their vast resource endowments into energy sovereignty. “We have sufficient natural resources, but we haven’t exploited them enough to ensure our sovereignty,” he said.

“This is crucial for a country to progress; it’s important that the results are felt at the national level. But we are part of an African community where each country shares the same objectives,” Diop said.

Minister Diop noted that despite vast resource endowments, African countries are yet to fully translate potential into sovereignty.

“We have sufficient natural resources, but we haven’t exploited them enough to ensure our sovereignty,” he stated.

The Minister stressed that present realities demand a unified approach. “Today, the challenges we face call for us to work together, collaborate, and develop projects jointly.”

Also, Diop highlighted Nigeria’s decade-long experience in gas development as a valuable resource for emerging producers like Senegal. “Nigeria now has about ten years of experience in gas development. Many countries have gas today, but they are still in the early stages… as is the case with Senegal. We need to exchange ideas, share our experiences, and learn from the mistakes we’ve made,” he said.

The Minister emphasised that mutual interest should drive continental cooperation, citing the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline as a strategic infrastructure project that embodies African unity. “The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline represents a significant response to our need to live together, work together, and succeed together.”

Diop concluded: “We are one people. We have simply created physical borders, but the reality is that we are the same people… We must work together, and we will work together.”

The event, hosted by Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, drew participation from African gas ministers, industry players, and continental and national stakeholders

The Roundtable and Workshop themed “Cooperation In Advancing Gas Development With Regional Impact Across Africa”, hosted by Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo drew participation from African Gas Ministers from Africa, industry players and continental and national stakeholders.