Africa must fix energy, infrastructure and trade to industrialise - Gyan-Mensah

Africa must urgently align energy systems, infrastructure development and trade policies to unlock industrial growth and competitiveness, the Deputy Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, has said.

Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, at the Roundtable on Energy, Infrastructure and Trade Connectivity during the Africa Trade Summit 2026, Gyan-Mensah stressed that Africa’s industrial ambitions are being held back not by a lack of talent or ideas, but by fragmented systems.

He noted that successful industrial economies are built on three pillars: reliable energy, resilient infrastructure and efficient trade systems, and warned that where these elements are not aligned, growth stalls.

Despite significant infrastructure investment in recent years, the deputy minister said Africa continues to face structural gaps due to poor coordination.

Energy policy, infrastructure development and trade facilitation have often progressed in silos, resulting in high production costs, inefficient logistics and weakened trade competitiveness.

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Energy, he emphasised, remains central to Africa’s industrial challenge.

While industry consumes up to half of electricity supply in industrialised regions, it accounts for less than 20 per cent in much of Africa due to unreliable and costly power systems.

High electricity tariffs and frequent outages continue to undermine manufacturing and investor confidence.

Gyan-Mensah highlighted Ghana’s recent reforms, including the clearance of approximately US$1.47 billion in legacy energy sector debt, which helped stabilise power supply and restore investor confidence.

He described Ghana’s gas-to-power approach as a pragmatic transition strategy.

He also underscored the importance of regional power pools, trade corridors, customs reform and digital systems, noting that infrastructure delivers value only when goods move efficiently across borders.

The deputy minister called for infrastructure diplomacy, stronger regional coordination and innovative financing, noting that Africa requires US$130–170 billion annually to close its infrastructure gap.

He concluded by urging stakeholders to move from dialogue to action, stressing that Africa’s industrial future depends on integrated energy, infrastructure and trade systems.

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