‎Ghana has been urged to pursue a balanced energy transition that protects jobs, strengthens energy security and sustains economic growth while fulfilling its climate commitments.

A Policy Lead for Climate Change and Energy Transition at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Charles Gyamfi Ofori, speaking at a seminar on the theme "A Just Energy Transition: The Role of Petroleum Engineers in Africa's Energy Future" at Takoradi Technical University, said the country's transition to cleaner energy should not come at the expense of economic development.

‎"The transition would happen, but petroleum still becomes relevant in the way we manage our lives. What we can do is position ourselves to benefit not just around the environment but also around the economics and the social opportunities," he said.

‎Mr. Ofori explained that although the global energy transition is driven by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, Ghana must implement policies that reflect its development needs.

‎He noted that under the Paris Agreement, Ghana has continued to strengthen its climate commitments through its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

‎"Ghana submitted its first Nationally Determined Contributions in 2015. It was updated in 2021, and in 2026 we are now working on our NDC 3.0," he said.

‎According to him, Ghana's commitments include increasing renewable energy's share in electricity generation to 10 per cent, improving energy efficiency and replacing liquid fuels with natural gas in thermal power generation to reduce carbon emissions.

‎Mr. Ofori stressed that while renewable energy is expanding rapidly, oil and gas will continue to play an important role in Ghana's economy over the next few decades.

‎"Do you think petroleum will be relevant in the next 20 to 30 years? Yes. Do you think renewable energy will also be relevant? Yes. The issue is not choosing one over the other but positioning ourselves to benefit from both," he stated.

‎Mr. Ofori noted that affordability is increasingly influencing consumer choices.

‎"People are thinking not just around the environment but also around economics. If I can spend GH¢100 to charge my car and travel about 300 kilometres instead of buying GH¢500 worth of fuel for the same distance, which one becomes more economical?" he asked.

‎He encouraged engineering students to broaden their expertise beyond petroleum, saying "the evolving energy landscape presents opportunities in renewable energy, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy and critical minerals such as lithium."

‎The Head of the Department of Oil and Natural Gas Engineering at Takoradi Technical University, Dr. Joseph Sakyi-Ansah, said Africa's energy transition must be pursued in a way that addresses the continent's development challenges.

‎"While the world accelerates its transition to low-carbon energy systems, over 600 million Africans still lack access to reliable electricity. For Africa, a Just Energy Transition cannot simply mean abandoning fossil fuels. It must balance environmental sustainability with energy security, economic growth and social development," he said.

‎"Petroleum engineers remain central to Africa's future because their expertise is increasingly required in carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy, hydrogen systems and integrated energy infrastructure," he added.

‎He urged students to equip themselves with multidisciplinary skills that would enable them to remain relevant as the global energy sector evolves.

‎Also speaking at the seminar, Dr. Joseph Willie Amoah, Consultant and Technical Advisor at ACEP, said natural gas pricing remains a critical issue for Ghana because of its direct impact on electricity costs.

‎"About 70 per cent of all the electricity produced in Ghana is generated using natural gas, and that has implications for the cost of electricity because the end price of natural gas feeds into electricity pricing," he said.

‎Dr. Amoah said policymakers must carefully consider who bears the cost of decisions made in the natural gas sector.

‎"The key question is: Who bears the cost of the decisions that are taken?"

‎He said Africa's energy challenges are not due to a lack of natural gas resources.

‎"Africa is not gas poor."

‎He added: ‎"Africa has about 600 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, with Nigeria alone holding about 180 trillion cubic feet, yet more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity. Although the continent consumes only about six per cent of the natural gas it produces, it has enough reserves to support electricity generation across the continent. Africa is not gas poor."

‎Dr. Amoah said Africa's greatest challenge lies not in the availability of resources or technical expertise but in its institutional and policy frameworks.

‎"The issue is not geological—we know where the gas is. The issue is not technological—we have the expertise to develop our gas resources. The problem is that we have not designed institutions that ensure our gas is produced and used for the benefit of Africans."

‎He described the situation as a developmental injustice, noting that Africa has enough natural gas to improve electricity access and support industrialisation, yet millions remain without power while much of the continent's gas is exported. He urged policymakers to balance export ambitions with domestic energy security and long-term development as Africa pursues a just energy transition.

‎The seminar, which was organised by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) in collaboration with Takoradi Technical University, brought together students, academics and energy professionals to discuss the role of petroleum engineers in Africa's evolving energy landscape and prepare future engineers to support Ghana's transition to a low-carbon economy while ensuring energy security and sustainable national development.