In a significant move to bridge the gap between policy and energy innovation, the President and Founder of the Africa Energy Technology Centre (AETC), Ms. Emelia Akumah, led a high-level delegation on a courtesy visit to the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
The engagement, held at the Jubilee House, marks a pivotal moment in the AETC’s mission to position Africa at the global forefront of energy technology innovation. The meeting served as a strategic platform for both the Office of the Vice President and the AETC to reaffirm their shared commitment to a more inclusive, sustainable, and technologically advanced energy landscape for the continent.
Fostering a New Era of Innovation and Local Content
The core mandate of the AETC is to ensure that Africa is no longer a mere consumer of energy technology but a leading hub for its creation and implementation. During the deliberations, Ms. Akumah emphasized that the AETC serves as a catalyst for local content development, ensuring that African brilliance remains at the heart of the global energy transition. By fostering sustained partnerships with the highest levels of government, the AETC aims to transform Ghana into the definitive gateway for energy transformation across the sub-region.
Intentional Inclusion: Empowering Women and the Next Generation
A primary focus of the discussion was the deliberate empowerment of women and youth within the fast-evolving energy sector. H.E. Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang underscored the necessity of addressing structural and social vulnerabilities that often stifle the potential of these groups. She noted that for Africa to truly thrive, the participation of women and young people must be intentionally “baked into” the design of energy initiatives not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental driver of long-term impact.
The Vice President commended the AETC for its visible leadership as a woman-led institution, noting that the collaboration between her office and the Centre represents a powerful synergy of innovation, policy, and governance.
From Participants to Owners: Scaling the Green Value Chain
Reflecting on the shifting energy paradigm, Ms. Akumah highlighted the vast opportunities emerging within the renewables and green industrial value chains.
“The energy sector is opening up real, innovative, and scalable pathways across innovation, financing, project development, and digital energy services,” Ms. Akumah stated. “With the right partnerships, young people and women can move beyond being simple participants; they can become leaders and owners of the solutions that will power Africa’s future. Purposeful collaboration and visible leadership are the keys to translating this potential into measurable global impact.”
AETC 2026
The AETC expressed profound appreciation for the Vice President’s endorsement of AETC 2025. This high-level support strengthens investor and stakeholder confidence in platforms that prioritize Africa’s developmental sovereignty.
In a formal gesture of partnership, Ms. Akumah extended a special invitation to the Vice President to participate in the upcoming Africa Energy Technology Conference (AETC) 2026, scheduled to take place from 19th to 21st May 2026 in Accra. The conference is set to be the premier continental stage for showcasing the innovations and talent pipelines that will define the next century of African energy.
As the AETC advances its “Borders to Bridges” collaborations, it remains committed to ensuring that Africa’s energy transition is not only sustainable but driven by a new generation of African innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders prepared to take their place on the global stage.
