In the International Climate Webinar Series, Dr Carole Nakhle, CEO of Crystol Energy, spoke with Salima Hebbache Steven about what Africa needs most after COP30. The discussion focused on energy access, climate finance, oil and gas revenues, critical minerals, local entrepreneurship, and the role of women in the green economy. Throughout the conversation, she stressed the need for pragmatic solutions rooted in local realities, stronger institutions, and better governance to turn Africa’s resource wealth into broad based progress.
Key takeaways from her remarks include:
- Africa’s most urgent energy challenge remains access to reliable energy and electricity, as many countries still face the basic problem of securing dependable supply for their populations.
- The biggest barrier to climate finance is often the policy and investment environment, as clear, stable, and predictable systems can do far more to attract capital than incentives alone.
- Oil and gas revenues should be treated as an opportunity rather than a contradiction, provided governments manage them well and invest them to support a cleaner and more resilient energy future.
- Africa’s critical minerals can create major economic value, but only if countries avoid the mistakes of the past and strengthen governance across the sector.
- There is no single model for unlocking investment or supporting local entrepreneurs, because successful solutions must reflect each country’s institutions, policies, and economic conditions.
- The green economy should open more opportunities for women, especially as new technologies, flexible business models, and greater awareness of inclusion reshape the energy sector.
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