A major new report unveiled ahead of the Africa–France Summit 2026 has delivered a sharp warning to African leaders and global investors, arguing that decades of oil and gas extraction have failed to bring meaningful development to producing countries across the continent.
The report, Pipe Dreams, released by Oil Change International and Power Shift Africa, examines evidence from 13 African oil-producing nations and concludes that fossil fuel wealth has largely enriched multinational corporations and political elites while leaving millions trapped in poverty, energy insecurity and economic vulnerability.
Its release comes at a politically charged moment as heads of state, CEOs and policymakers gather in Nairobi for the Africa–France Summit themed Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth, where energy investment and industrialisation are expected to dominate discussions.
According to the report, many African countries continue exporting crude oil and gas while remaining heavily dependent on imported fuels and exposed to volatile global energy markets.
Millions of Africans still lack reliable electricity and clean cooking solutions despite living in resource-rich nations.
Thuli Makama said the current fossil fuel model has concentrated wealth among multinational firms and political elites while communities bear the cost through pollution, displacement, and rising living expenses.
“The current geopolitical conflict has laid bare once again just how volatile and unjust this system is,” she said, warning that rising fuel and food prices are pushing millions closer to hunger.
The report further argues that the global shift away from fossil fuels could leave African countries stranded with debt-heavy projects and declining revenues as worldwide demand for oil and gas begins to peak and fall.
Mohamed Adow described the situation as one of Africa’s greatest contradictions: a continent exporting energy while millions still cook with charcoal and live without dependable electricity.
Speakers at the report launch called for a radical pivot toward renewable energy, arguing that Africa’s vast solar, wind, geothermal and hydro resources offer a more sustainable path to industrialisation, job creation and economic resilience.
Climate advocates also challenged France and other global powers to move beyond extractive relationships centred on raw resource exports and instead support green industrialisation, local manufacturing, and climate-resilient development across Africa.
As debates intensify over the continent’s energy future, the Nairobi summit has become more than a diplomatic gathering. It is rapidly emerging as a battleground over who profits from Africa’s resources and what true development should look like in the decades ahead.
