By Samuel Shay; enterpeneur and special economic advisor for the Abraham Accord
Due to the growing instability in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, the world is beginning to understand how dangerous it is to rely on narrow maritime chokepoints and conflict zones for energy supply. The blocking of straits, attacks on ships, and geopolitical threats have turned oil and gas supply into a strategic weapon. In this reality, a historic window of opportunity has opened for Africa to become the world’s stable energy alternative.
Africa is not only a resource-rich continent, but a continent that can become the energy center of the world. Countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana, and Tanzania hold some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. If African countries act together, they can supply a very large share of the energy consumption of Europe, Asia, and other global markets.
The main problem of Africa is not resources, but lack of coordination, lack of trust, and lack of shared infrastructure. The world is not only looking for oil and gas, but for stability, reliability, continuous supply, secure shipping routes, and infrastructure investment. For Africa to become a major energy supplier, it must present a united front of countries committed to stable and continuous supply for decades.
To achieve this, African countries must implement several strategic steps:
First – Establish an African Energy Alliance.
A joint organization of African oil and gas countries that will coordinate production, pricing, investments, and infrastructure, similar in concept to OPEC but broader and including gas-producing countries.
Second – Build new transportation infrastructure.
Oil and gas pipelines from North Africa to Europe, LNG facilities in West and East Africa, new ports, and export terminals that will allow continuous supply even during crises in the Red Sea or the Persian Gulf.
Third – Establish an African Energy Investment Fund.
A joint fund with the United States, Europe, Gulf countries, and China to finance infrastructure, refineries, LNG facilities, power plants, and logistics infrastructure.
Fourth – Long-term supply agreements.
Africa should sign 20–30 year supply contracts with Europe, India, China, and Japan, turning Africa into a permanent energy supplier rather than an occasional supplier.
Fifth – Secure maritime routes.
Naval cooperation between African countries to protect shipping routes in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to ensure continuous supply.
If Africa acts in unity, it can become within 10–15 years the largest energy hub in the world. The world is looking for a stable alternative to the Middle East, and Africa can become that alternative.
The big question is not whether Africa has resources.
The real question is whether Africa has the leadership that can unite, cooperate, and build trust between the countries of the continent in order to become the energy power of the world.
The future global energy map may pass through Africa.
But for that to happen, Africa must think and act as a unified bloc, not as separate countries.
