In today’s shifting global economy, nations are recalibrating their strategies around resources that promise both resilience and growth. For Africa, three stand out as pillars of influence: gold, whose value endures through centuries of market volatility; natural gas, a pragmatic engine for industrial and fiscal stability; and green energy, the frontier of future competitiveness. Together, they present the continent with a rare opportunity, not only to strengthen its position within the global supply chain, but to shape the terms of its economic engagement with the rest of the world.
According to the African Energy 2025 Outlook Report, global oil supply is projected to reach 87.4 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of next year, driven largely by production increases in North America and the Middle East. Meanwhile, global liquids demand is expected to hit around 106 million bpd, with Asia leading the growth. Africa is anticipated to maintain its contribution of roughly 8% to the global oil supply, with much of this growth coming from OPEC member states and Angola. However, due to above-ground risks, such as the accelerating energy transition, security concerns, and regulatory hurdles, the continent may only realize half of its potential liquids production capacity by 2040.
READ ALSO: Global Development Finance Deal Reached in Ethiopia
Gold has been the continent’s gleaming emblem for generations. Ghana, reclaiming its place at the helm, is expected to increase its gold output by 6.25 percent to 5.1 million ounces in 2025, up from a record 4.8 million ounces in 2024, underpinned by large-scale operations such as Newmont’s Ahafo South Mine and Shandong’s Namdini Mine, and supported by artisanal miners accounting for nearly 40 percent of production. Across West Africa, bold expansion plans are underway: Ghana’s Cardinal Namdini Mine is slated to begin commercial production by mid-2025, while projects in Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso promise to sustain the region’s upward momentum.
Simultaneously, legacy players like South Africa face a crossroads. A recent PwC report warns that without renewed investment, its gold sector may diminish within two decades, urging a pivot toward critical minerals needed for clean-energy technologies.
Gas as the Continent’s Steady Hearth
Natural gas continues to emerge as Africa’s pragmatic powerhouse. In 2025, Algeria, Egypt, and Nigeria remain the top producers, while Mozambique, Ghana, Mauritania, and Senegal are ascending fast. Algeria leads with an estimated 100.7 billion cubic metres, followed by Egypt at 64.8 billion cubic metres. Offshore projects like Senegal’s Grand Tortue Ahmeyim are already yielding LNG destined for global markets, though not without local tensions, with fishing communities voicing concerns over ecological disruption.
In Ghana, a surge in oil revenues, estimated at 5 billion US dollars in 2024, together with fresh investment pledges, reveals a growing regional ambition to capture energy value at home rather than exporting raw resources. The continent accounts for approximately 40 percent of global oil and gas discoveries, testament to its vital role in the evolving global energy balance.
Africa’s Renewable Revolution
Yet the most compelling narrative is that of green energy, where Africa is not merely a supplier, but a potential trailblazer. The continent’s installed renewable energy capacity rose to nearly 67 gigawatts in 2024, up from 59 gigawatts in 2022, while expanding by 6.7 percent in that year alone, notably led by Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa. This is set against a backdrop where fossil fuels still account for 69 percent of power capacity, with renewables expected to rise to 45 percent by 2035, highlighting both the challenge and the opportunity.
Transformative projects are underway across the continent. Egypt’s Benban Solar Park (1,650 MW), Congo’s Grand Inga hydropower scheme (Phase 1: 4,800 MW), Kenya’s Lake Turkana Wind Farm expansion (310 MW), Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate solar complex (580 MW), as well as South Africa’s KaXu Solar One (100 MW), are all scheduled for completion in 2025, each representing a generative leap in local economies and energy access. Meanwhile, Niger is commissioning its first large-scale wind farm, the 250 MW Savannah Tarka station, marking a milestone in Sub-Saharan Africa’s clean energy journey.
Collectively, these three sectors, gold, gas, and renewables form a strategic nexus through which Africa may forge economic resilience, energy security, and developmental sovereignty. Gold brings immediate capital, gas ensures short- to medium-term energy reliability, and green energy secures long-term transformation. Together, they compose a diversified portfolio with immense global relevance.
However, unlocking that potential demands more than natural wealth. It requires robust investment frameworks, governance structures that encourage value addition, for instance, processing critical minerals like lithium or cobalt locally rather than exporting raw and inclusive policies that align community and economic interests.
A Global Marketplace Poised for African Momentum
Today’s global economy is at an inflection point. Volatility in commodity markets, energy security concerns, and the transition to low-carbon energy models are reshaping demand. Gold continues to benefit from safe-haven investor interest Gold Fields in South Africa forecasts headline earnings per share to surge by up to 236 percent in the first half of 2025 amid elevated output and soaring prices above 3,300 US dollars per ounce. Simultaneously, global backing for renewables continues to gain, though Africa captures only a fraction of total allocation, less than 2 percent historically, underscoring the imperative for funding mobilisation.
Globally, African energy infrastructure and resource policy are evolving. The United Arab Emirates invested 110 billion US dollars across sectors between 2019 and 2023, of which 72 billion US dollars was directed at renewable energy, surpassing contributions from Europe and the United States, though concerns persist about labour and environmental practices.
At the Heart of a Global Ascent
In the grand chessboard of global economics, Africa’s triple play in gold, gas, and green energy is not about incremental gains, it is about strategic ascent. The continent stands at a crossroads where diversified natural assets, policy innovation, and global investment converge. Success depends on harnessing each resource for its strength while weaving them into a coherent and inclusive economic fabric.
If that fabric is woven with foresight, transparency, and equitable benefit, Africa may not simply enter the arena of global dominance, it may help redraw its boundaries.
