Africa G20 Declaration: Let African Fossil Fuels Power Our Industrial Future
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 24, 2025 — As G20 leaders gather in Johannesburg, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) is calling for a decisive shift in global energy policy — one that places African fossil fuels at the heart of energy security, industrial advancement and poverty reduction. For too long, ideologically driven policies have sidelined Africa’s vast resource potential. The continent is now insisting on a pragmatic path forward: responsible, strategic development of its oil and gas to meet the needs of hundreds of millions who continue to live without reliable energy.
Africa’s upstream landscape holds enormous promise. The AEC’s 2026 Outlook forecasts oil and gas production rising to 11.4 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2026, progressing toward 13.6 million bpd by 2030 as exploration expands in frontier regions. By 2026, Africa is expected to attract approximately $41 billion in global upstream capital expenditure, with major developments underway in Mozambique, Angola and Nigeria. Active and upcoming licensing rounds — spanning established markets like Angola, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo, as well as emerging frontiers including Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and South Africa — continue to draw interest from global explorers.
With more than 620 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, Africa is positioned as a vital supplier for global markets and regional energy development. Mozambique is advancing multiple LNG megaprojects in the Rovuma Basin, Senegal is progressing Phase 2 of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim development alongside Yaakar-Teranga, and Equatorial Guinea is expanding its Gas Mega Hub to link stranded fields with onshore processing infrastructure. Libya’s return as a stable upstream destination has attracted major international companies back to its fields. In East Africa, Uganda and Tanzania continue to advance the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, underscoring the region’s commitment to integrated energy infrastructure. South Africa, meanwhile, relies on coal for energy security even as it accelerates gas exploration to support industry and growth.
At the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum last Friday, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, underscored the country’s stance: “Drill, baby, drill. We have no legal restriction on oil and gas exploration and exploitation in South Africa. If we make a breakthrough on oil and gas, our GDP will grow exponentially. Our people will never breathe fresh air in darkness.” His remarks reinforce the view that unlocking fossil-fuel resources is essential for energy access, industrial expansion, employment creation and national economic development.
Despite the scale of this opportunity, restrictive global financing policies threaten to stall essential investment. The World Bank’s fossil-fuel lending ban and risk-averse Western financial institutions jeopardize critical projects just as the continent needs them most for industrial clusters, electrification and gas infrastructure. Reopening capital flows represents a generational opportunity to use Africa’s natural resources to drive growth, reduce energy poverty and enhance global energy security.
Accelerated exploration is fundamental to Africa’s energy future. Upstream investment is the engine of industrialization, and natural gas must serve as the backbone of this transformation. The AEC urges the G20 to support — rather than penalize — financing for exploration. Neglecting gas risks condemning millions to persistent energy poverty. Today, 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, while 900 million still depend on unsafe cooking fuels. Gas is not a mere transitional option; it is a lifeline for powering cities, industries and homes, enabling a more prosperous and sustainable future.
The Chamber commends the United States for its landmark $4.5 billion commitment to Mozambique’s LNG development — a clear demonstration that G20 nations can invest responsibly in African fossil fuels while generating long-term economic and social benefits. However, far more large-scale investment is needed to unlock the full potential of Africa’s hydrocarbon resources.
The AEC urges the International Energy Agency to revise its projections, which undervalue Africa’s resource base and overlook the essential role of gas in driving energy access, employment and industrial capacity. The stigmatization of fossil fuels must end. Rhetoric without action will not solve Africa’s energy crisis. Meaningful progress requires aligned financing, supportive policy and recognition of Africa’s energy priorities.
The Chamber also welcomes U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright’s endorsement of LPG and clean-cooking solutions as realistic pathways to expand energy access. While the G20 has correctly identified LPG as a priority for Africa, clean cooking is only one component of a broader solution. The continent requires a full energy mix — LPG, gas-to-power, modular GTL and large-scale gas development — working together to support industrial growth, power cities and build resilient economies.
African governments are ready. From Nigeria to Senegal, Angola to Egypt and Libya to Mozambique, countries are implementing reforms to attract investment through stable fiscal frameworks, licensing rounds and pragmatic regulatory environments. The continent is committed to local content development, cross-border infrastructure and long-term strategic partnerships. But it needs financing, technology and a global financial system that supports development rather than constrains it.
Africa rejects calls for a premature fossil-fuel phase-out disguised as climate virtue — a path that threatens economic progress and keeps millions in poverty. Instead, the continent demands a just energy future powered by African resources, developed by African workers and delivering real, measurable benefits to African communities.
The AEC calls on the G20 to position fossil-fuel development at the core of its Africa strategy: unlock financing, remove ideological barriers, champion exploration and invest in the gas infrastructure that will power homes, industries and economies across the continent.
