Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), has joined the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum. Taking place November 21 in Johannesburg ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the forum offers a strategic platform for African governments to come together and foster inclusive strategies for the continent’s development. Bringing global investors to the conversation, the forum is expected to serve as a launchpad for new deals and partnerships as Africa pursues accelerated energy development.
As Africa’s first-ever continental technical and development agency of the African Union, AUDA-NEPAD is tasked with accelerating the implementation of Africa’s 50-year development framework: Agency 2063. The framework represents a blueprint and masterplan for transforming the continent into a global powerhouse, driven by sustainable development, inclusive governance and continental unity. Energy represents a catalyst for realizing Agenda 2063, serving as vehicle for addressing Africa’s most pressing development challenges.
Across the continent, large-scale oil, gas and energy projects are seeking foreign investment, all of which have the potential to strengthen regional energy security, transform economies and support sustainable development. From exploration projects in Namibia’s Orange Basin to offshore LNG development in Mozambique to Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery, Mauritania’s green hydrogen facilities and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, African projects have the potential to reshape regional energy dynamics. However, as new projects come online, all eyes have turned to domestic infrastructure, with gaps in requisite receiving, storage and distribution acting as an impediment to regional trade. In this scenario, organizations such as the AUDA-NEPAD have a critical role to play.
As Africa pursues universal energy access and stronger regional integration, AUDA-NEPAD continues to drive policy alignment, infrastructure harmonization and coordinated development among its 55 member states. Under Bekele-Thomas’ leadership, AUDA-NEPAD has expanded its focus on energy security, infrastructure corridors, cross-border transmission networks and catalytic financing mechanisms essential to unlocking large-scale oil, gas, and power projects. By harmonizing policy, facilitating cross-border infrastructure and mobilizing investment, the organization focuses on regional integration, ensuring energy projects are not isolated within national borders. In addition to supporting regional oil and gas projects, the organization facilitates cross-border power projects under efforts to alleviate energy poverty through strengthened trade. Key projects include the Central African Interconnection Line, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya Power Transmission Project, among others.
Meanwhile, taking into account Africa’s energy and climate challenges, AUDA-NEPAD has been a strong advocate for leveraging hydrocarbons alongside renewables to drive industrialization, expand manufacturing and create long-term economic opportunity. This approach prioritizes energy addition, representing an inclusive strategy to the continent’s energy transition.
“Africa’s energy future will be built through stronger cooperation between our states, and the African Union is the institution best positioned to drive that unity. AUDA-NEPAD plays a crucial role in coordinating cross-border infrastructure, harmonizing regulations and fast-tracking the projects that unlock real economic growth. If we want pipelines, refineries, LNG plants and transmission networks to reach completion, we need a continental approach anchored in collaboration, shared priorities and bold leadership,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.
Bekele-Thomas’ participation at the G20 Forum underscores the growing importance of aligning political will, financial innovation and regional cooperation to unlock Africa’s energy potential. As investment momentum builds across oil, gas, and power markets, the African Union’s vision and coordination will be central to ensuring that new developments create long-lasting, inclusive benefits for all Africans.
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