Regulatory weakness undermines Africa’s energy future-Napo says
Former Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has called for stronger and genuinely independent energy regulators to protect Africa’s long-term energy future.
He made the appeal at the launch of Energy Regulation in Africa, a new book authored by former PURC Executive Secretary Dr. Ishmael Ackah and Dr. Charly Gatete. The event took place at the British Council in Accra on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
The publication brings together insights from 71 experts across 40 African countries, exploring regulatory reforms, governance structures, investment conditions, and the growing demand for independent oversight in the power and petroleum sectors.
Addressing participants, Opoku Prempeh warned that the continent risks repeating avoidable and costly mistakes if regulatory institutions remain weak or subject to political interference.
“We often call for independent regulators, or we let our regulators be independent.
That is right, but independence is not the same as autonomy,” he said. “Autonomy suggests action without accountability. Independence is more demanding, and that includes fairness.”He explained that an independent regulator “listens but is not influenced or controlled,” adding that such bodies must “respect government policy but not surrender their mandate.
”Opoku Prempeh emphasised that true regulatory independence requires governments to provide clear mandates, stable financing, and consistent adherence to due process. Regulators, he said, must also understand the weight of their decisions on investment flows, consumer protection, and national economic stability.
“Their authority must therefore be exercised in transparency, responsibility, and partnerships,” he noted.Source:Jerry Jeffrey Fiifi Annan
