African leaders told to tackle energy poverty, climate change

Executive Director, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), Dr Michael Terungwa David, has urged African leaders to prioritise unity and pan-African cooperation in addressing the continent’s pressing challenges, especially climate change, energy poverty and food insecurity.

David made the call at a forum to mark Africa Day 2025 in Abuja. He said African leaders must invest in clean energy and youth empowerment to unlock the continent’s vast human and natural potential.

Africa Day is a day of celebration of African identity, resilience, and progress. The day is also marked to reflect on the continent’s achievements, address ongoing challenges, and foster unity and pride among Africans globally.

In a statement, David stressed that it was time for the continent to shift from dependency to resilience by supporting local industries, promoting innovation and ensuring environmental stewardship, adding that good governance, accountability and inclusive policies were essential to foster trust and prosperity across nations.

“One of the biggest challenges facing Africa, 62 years after the Organisation of African Unity (now African Union) was formed, is energy poverty and climate injustice. Africa is rich in sunlight and wind. Yet over 600 million people still live without electricity. Our energy systems were never built to serve the people of Africa, they were built to extract, export and enrich the few. It is shaped by debt, foreign control, and fossil fuel dependency. Whether it’s oil and gas for export, or expensive solar projects owned by corporations, our energy is still privatised and controlled by profit-driven companies, centralised and disconnected from communities,” he said.

He also urged African citizens to raise their voices to demand access to clean energy and transparency from their leaders. To him, clean energy is essential not only for powering homes and livelihoods, but also for reducing pollution, improving health and unlocking economic opportunities.

According to him, Africa must speak with one voice on the global stage, demanding climate justice, fair trade, and reparations for historical exploitation as well as rise with dignity, strength, and a shared vision for a just and sustainable future.