Sahara Group has called for a fair and inclusive approach to Africa’s role in the global energy transition, insisting that the continent must not be sidelined in international climate and energy policy discussions.

The appeal was made during the launch of the Asharami Square $5,000 Energy Reporting Fellowship, an initiative designed to deepen understanding of energy transition reporting among journalists.

Speaking with journalists, the Director of Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, Ejiro Gray, said energy transition should not be interpreted as a replacement of one energy source with another, but rather as a balanced optimisation process that ensures environmental protection without undermining development needs.

She emphasised the importance of contextualising energy reporting to reflect Africa’s unique realities.

“This initiative is about equipping journalists to report the energy transition in a balanced way.

“What we see today is mostly reporting energy transition from a global perspective, forgetting that Africa is in itself a unique continent.

“It is important that reporting is contextualised to fit local narrative because we still need our gas and other multiple energy sources in our push for energy transition.

“Energy transition should not be seen only through the lens of global developments, especially in advanced countries. It must also factor in Africa’s peculiarity, challenges, needs, and resources,” she said, adding that access should be granted for inclusion of other forms of energies.

The programme, according to Sahara Group, is aimed at improving media capacity to accurately report energy transition issues in a way that reflects both global standards and African development priorities.

The company also highlighted the importance of nature-based solutions in addressing climate challenges across Africa, noting that increased investment in such initiatives would strengthen climate resilience and unlock financing opportunities.

At the COP30 climate conference in Brazil, Sahara Group representatives stressed that Africa must prioritise resilience-building and ensure access to fair climate financing mechanisms.

“For Africa, this is a crucial moment to build strong resilience systems and access the right kind of financing,” she said. “We must transition in a way that benefits us, justly and responsibly, and that means keeping development firmly at the centre.”

Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Africa continues to bear a disproportionate burden of climate change impacts, reinforcing calls for equitable global climate action.

The company further argued that stronger engagement in global climate negotiations would help African nations secure better funding and technical support for adaptation.

Sahara Group also reiterated that integrating sustainability into development planning will be key to achieving long-term environmental and economic stability across the continent.