AFREC Builds Momentum for Africa’s First Energy Efficiency Conference at Landmark Energy Efficiency Training Week in Accra

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Oct 27, 2025

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The African Energy Commission (AFREC) in partnership with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), has successfully concluded energy efficiency training of more than 200 energy practitioners during the African Energy Efficiency Training Week, in Accra, Ghana. This event rallies support for the inaugural African Energy Efficiency Conference scheduled to take place on December 10-11, 2025, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Co-hosted by Ghana’s Ministry of Energy and Green Transition and the International Energy Agency, the energy efficiency training brought together policy makers and energy professionals from nearly 20 African Union (AU) Member States, focusing on five thematic areas: buildings, industry, appliances and equipment, transport, and indicators and evaluation.

This initiative aligns with AFREC’s ongoing efforts to operationalise the African Energy Efficiency Alliance as a collaborative platform that promotes knowledge sharing, capacity building, advocacy, research, technology transfer, and financing for energy efficiency programs in AU Member states. This is to build momentum towards the continental target to increase Africa’s energy productivity by 50% by 2050 and 70% by 2063 as part of Africa’s commitment to the global pledge to double energy efficiency improvements by 2030.

Opening the training week, Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor (MP), Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, emphasised that energy efficiency is central to his country’s energy transformation agenda. “Energy efficiency is a central pillar in Ghana's Mission 300 Energy Compact, complementing renewable energy expansion by reducing overall demand, improving system reliability, and maximising the value of every unit of energy produced”.

He highlighted Ghana’s success stories, including the Refrigerator Energy Efficiency Programme, which saved the country of about 400 gigawatts, and the Nationwide Energy Efficient Lighting Programme, which achieved approximately 124 megawatts of peak load reduction”.

Representing AFREC in the opening panel, Eng. Nickson Bukachi reiterated the importance of energy efficiency as Africa’s “first fuel”. “Energy efficiency is Africa’s low hanging fruit. The negawatts generated can be used to provide access to close to one billion people living in clean cooking poverty. This is in addition to reducing emissions, saving money, and powering inclusive growth.”

Meanwhile, the event concluded with an invitation to stakeholders to participate in the first African Energy Efficiency Conference organised under the African Energy Efficiency Alliance and scheduled to take place on December 10-11, 2025, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference will convene African Ministers, international partners, business leaders, energy professionals, businesses, NGOs, research institutions and other key stakeholders to take stock of progress made in energy efficiency in Africa, share experiences and strengthen partnerships around existing initiatives. This will include preconference trainings organised with partners, a Ministerial RoundTable and High-Level Panels, an investment forum, technology and networking events.

The African Energy Commission calls on energy sector stakeholders and partners to support and participate in this landmark conference to help advance energy efficiency initiatives across Africa. More information on the conference is available here: https://afeea.au-afrec.org/register-attend.

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