Ghana’s energy transition ambitions came into sharp focus at the 2025 West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit, where government officials, financial institutions, and youth leaders charted a collective path toward a clean, resilient, and innovation-driven energy future.

The summit brought together policymakers, investors, and young innovators to examine how technology, financing, and skills development can meet the region’s rapidly rising energy demand.

Deputy Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, said West Africa’s energy challenges, rising demand, climate pressures, and infrastructure gaps, should be a call to action for the youth. He highlighted Ghana’s transition framework, which targets 30% renewable energy penetration, enhanced energy efficiency, expanded gas infrastructure, and the shift of over one million households to clean cooking solutions.

“You are not just the future; you are the force shaping the present. The challenges we face are opportunities for leadership. Borders may divide us, but energy can unite us.”

He stressed that achieving net-zero by 2070 requires youth who can design interconnected systems, build clean-tech startups, cut distribution losses, and strengthen regional energy markets such as the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and AFSEM.

Afua Nyamekye Appiah, who leads Energy and Gas Transition work at the Green Africa Youth Organization, emphasized the need for Ghana to carve a competitive niche in the global energy market. She argued that while countries like China dominate manufacturing, Ghana can position itself as a powerhouse in installation, maintenance, and high-skilled technical labor, provided the government intentionally builds youth capacity.

“The energy transition presents huge opportunities. If we develop world-class skills, our young people can serve global markets, even without domestic manufacturing. Platforms like this give us the knowledge to demand what we need and to hold leaders accountable.”

From the financial sector, Malaika Bakar, Senior Vice President for Energy and Infrastructure at Stanbic Bank Ghana, highlighted the bank’s commitment to supporting youth-led clean-energy startups.She noted that Stanbic’s incubators, advisory services, and technology-focused training programs are designed to strengthen youth capacity in project development, financial literacy, and bankability.

“We have the youth, we have the ideas, but projects must be bankable. We are ready to guide young entrepreneurs on turning opportunities into viable, fundable businesses.”

Bakar added that as Africa adopts gas as a transition fuel and expands into solar, wind, and digital energy solutions, financial institutions must remain central partners in driving the shift.

The summit reaffirmed that West Africa’s energy future, marked by rising consumption, population growth, and rapid urbanization, will depend heavily on the innovation and resilience of its youth.

Stakeholders agreed that with strategic investments in skills training, financing, and regional collaboration, young Africans could become the engineers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs powering the continent’s transition.