By Peter.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume has issued a strong call to African governments and industry leaders to aggressively embrace emerging technologies or risk being left behind in the global energy and economic race.
Speaking at the 9th Solewant Energy Summit in Abuja on Friday, November 28, 2025, themed “Emerging Technologies and the Future of Sustainable Development in Africa”, Akume warned:
“Artificial intelligence, robotics, digital monitoring, and smart infrastructure are already transforming global energy ecosystems. Africa must not remain on the sidelines.”
Represented by his Special Adviser (Technical Operations), Prof. Babatunde Bolaji Bernard, the SGF stressed that Africa’s booming population, rapid urbanization, and soaring energy demand require more than adoption — the continent must actively develop and scale its own technologies to achieve long-term economic resilience and energy security.
Key highlights from Akume’s address:
- Emerging tech is the engine of sustainable development — critical for tackling poverty, slashing energy costs, boosting efficiency, and creating millions of jobs for Africa’s youth.
- President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing reforms signal Nigeria’s readiness to build a modern, competitive, technology-driven energy economy.
- Africa must move from being a consumer of technology to a producer and innovator.
Akume also praised the Solewant Group for nearly a decade of leadership in connecting policymakers, innovators, and industry players, describing the summit as “one of Africa’s most credible platforms for shaping energy policy and collaboration.”
With Africa’s energy demand projected to double by 2040, the SGF’s message is clear: innovate now or be left behind.
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