At this week’s United Nations climate meeting, African countries made it plain that the continent will utilize its fossil fuel resources to deal with fuel shortages, help elevate local communities out of poverty, and promote essential economic growth.
However, the energy systems of the five biggest economies on the continent—Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco—can offer hints about what may be anticipated in various regions of the continent.
Natural gas is quickly gaining ground in energy systems all throughout Northern Africa. Morocco, the continent’s fifth-largest economy and one of Nigeria’s principal prospective customers, has seen 20% growth since 2017.
Nearly 60% of Morocco’s electricity is now produced using imported coal, but a recent pipeline agreement with Nigeria may allow Moroccan energy companies to transition from dirty coal to cleaner natural gas.
Indeed, increased natural gas production and distribution, together with the development of renewable energy sources, may enable certain coal-dependent African nations to reduce their reliance on the dirtiest fuel even as they raise their overall energy consumption.