Business
SAHARA Group has called for a new approach to Africa’s energy transition, infrastructure financing and energy journalism.
The company urged governments, investors, policymakers and the media to focus on practical solutions that reflect the continent’s unique realities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the call was made at the third edition of Asharami Square, Sahara Group’s thought leadership platform on Wednesday in Lagos.
The platform has the theme, “Energising Africa’s Future: Legacy, Impact and Transformation”.
Speaking at the event, Director of Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, Mr Ejiro Gray, said the company’s Beyond XXX vision is focused on shaping the future through innovation, collaboration and sustainable development.
Gray stressed that Africa’s energy transition must be driven by local needs and supported by balanced, evidence-based journalism.
“Effective journalism should not only tell us what happened; it should help us understand why it matters, whose interests are affected and what perspectives are missing from the conversation,” she said.
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Adviser to the President on Power Infrastructure, Mr Sadiq Wanka, said Nigeria’s ongoing power sector reforms were creating significant investment opportunities across embedded generation, mini-grids, renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and industrial power.
According to him, the biggest challenge is no longer technology but attracting long-term investment.
“The issue is no longer technology. The real challenge is mobilising capital at scale, structuring bankable opportunities and creating an ecosystem that attracts long-term financing,” Wanka said.
He also encouraged journalists to pay closer attention to energy policies, reforms and their impact on economic development.
Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Director of the Institute of Continuing Education, University of Lagos, called for more investigative and solutions-driven energy reporting.
“Energy reporting must go beyond headline events and announcements.
“Journalists need to ask deeper questions, examine the evidence and connect policy decisions to their impact on communities and everyday lives,” she said.
Mr Temitope George, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), noted that investors are more likely to support projects that are well planned, structured and investment-ready.
Ms Kemi Awodein, Managing Director, Investment Banking, Chapel Hill Denham, said good governance remains the key to attracting capital.
“Nigeria has demonstrated that domestic capital can finance transformational infrastructure at scale.
The real differentiator is governance, transparency and a clear pathway to value creation,” she said.
The event also featured the unveiling of the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship Judging Panel, a new initiative aimed at strengthening energy journalism across Africa.
Also, Head of Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, Mr Bethel Obioma, said the fellowship will equip journalists with a deeper understanding of the technical, commercial, environmental and policy issues shaping the energy sector.
“Through the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship, we are investing in the capacity of journalists to tell more solutions-driven and evidence-based stories that reflect the realities, opportunities and challenges of Africa’s energy transition,” Obioma said.
He added that the fellowship supports Sahara Group’s Beyond XXX vision of investing in people and platforms that will help shape Africa’s future.
Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika will serve as the lead assessor for the programme.
Since its launch in 2024, Asharami Square has continued to provide a platform for dialogue, partnerships and practical solutions to advance Africa’s evolving energy landscape and support sustainable development.
NAN also reports that panelists during the discussion on “Who is Financing Africa’s Energy Future?” agreed that Africa had sufficient capital to support infrastructure development.
They, however, said stronger governance, investor confidence and better-prepared projects were essential to unlock financing.(NAN)
A.I
July 23, 2026
Tags: Chapel Hill Denham Investment Banking LASERC Mr Ejiro Gray Mr Temitope George Ms Kemi Awodein Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika Sahara Group