Success Nwogu 
The Managing Director of Platform Petroleum, Engr. John Anim, has said that over a billion people in Africa still depend on traditional fuels for cooking. While lamenting the scale of Africa’s energy gap, he also said that nearly half a billion Africans lacked reliable electricity.
He, therefore, underscored the urgent need for Africa to build a self-sufficient and sustainable energy future. He emphasised that securing Africa’s energy supply will require unprecedented cooperation across industries and borders.
He spoke during the Upstream E&P Forum session at the concluded African Energy Week (AEW 2024) in Cape Town, South Africa. His speech was titled: “Achieving Afri – can Energy Security – The Critical Role of Cross-Sector Collaboration,” according to a statement over the weekend Anim said:
“Energy security is not just an economic necessity; it is a cornerstone for stability, quality of life, and shared prosperity. The time has come for us to transform ambition into action, resources into results, and potential into power.”
He opined that Africa’s energy demand was accelerating at a record pace, driven by rapid urbanisation, industrial growth, and demographic expansion. Anim projected that over the next decade, industrial and household energy demands were expected to skyrocket.
He said: “With Africa home to nearly seven per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves and nine per cent of its natural gas reserves, these resources hold the key to meeting future demand – but only if managed sustainably and strategically.”
He noted that despite Africa’s abundance of resources, the continent remained a net importer of refined fuels. Anim attributed this to limited refining capacity and outdated infrastructure.
According to him, while Africa currently exports around 5 million barrels of crude oil daily, it still imports nearly half of that in refined petroleum products. He stated that this supply-demand imbalance was both a challenge and an opportunity for collaborative investment.
He called for a new investment model rooted in partnership, where companies can share the financial burden and operational risks associated with large-scale projects.
