Nigeria, South Africa deepen energy ties

The South African government has intensified moves to deepen energy collaboration with Nigeria as part of a broader push to strengthen energy security across Africa.

Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday at the South Africa Energy Collaboration Breakfast Roundtable held in partnership with the Africa Energy Chamber, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Thandi Moraka, said both countries must leverage their strategic positions to build a resilient continental energy system.

Moraka said, “We can gain a resilient energy economy that is centred around the benefit of both our nations and ultimately the continent at large.

Energy diplomacy is an instrument of foreign policy because without a reliable energy source, there will not be any foreign direct investment that comes to any country.”

She added that Nigeria’s vast oil and gas reserves position it as a key partner in achieving Africa’s energy security goals.

“We are doing this deliberately because Nigeria is a country that has those resources available naturally to it in terms of oil and gas. So how do we then position Nigeria as a strategic partner of the continent in the space of energy security?” Moraka asked.

The Deputy Minister called for stronger institutional collaboration, noting that both countries must prioritise energy diplomacy within the African Union framework and scale up joint investments in modern energy infrastructure.

She said, “We must build on the process of modernising our energy sources because we continue to see innovation taking place even in the energy sector.”

Highlighting the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area, she urged stakeholders to reduce trade barriers and promote seamless market access for energy commodities and technologies across the continent.

Moraka said, “Let us work together between South Africa and Nigeria so that we can reduce the trade barriers that continue to affect our two nations and make it a point that we come up with regulations that can help us to harmonise all those frustrations.”

She stressed that deeper integration would unlock cross-border projects and accelerate investment flows, noting, “We must now look together towards fostering a seamless energy market access across the continent of Africa. It is an integration that can accelerate cross-border projects and en able the movement of renewable energy technologies and also attract regional investment opportunities.”

The Deputy Minister also pointed to Nigeria’s refinery capacity as a strategic asset for Africa’s energy independence amid global supply disruptions.

Moraka said, “As one of the largest oil refineries in the world, it is a pivotal player in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. It is not only a programme that benefits Nigeria by reducing dependence on imported petroleum products but also continues to position Africa as a significant role player in the global energy market.”

She added that current geopolitical tensions, including instability in the Middle East, have heightened the urgency for African countries to collaborate more closely on energy supply chains.

Moraka said, “The refinery offers a strategic advantage for the continent of Africa and Nigeria as a whole. It therefore enhances Africa’s energy security and also provides a buffer against global supply disruptions.”

She further called for improved logistics infrastructure between both countries to support energy trade, saying, “We need to take up the capacity of our roads and rail networks, including the port networks that we have between Nigeria and South Africa, and make it a way that we start to trade amongst each other, especially in the space of energy and gas sectors.”

The diplomat affirmed that enhanced collaboration between Africa’s two largest economies would drive industrialisation, job creation, and sustainable growth across the continent.

Moraka said, “When South Africa and Nigeria continue to collaborate, we need to be assured of meaningful and mutually beneficial programmes that can be both impactful to our individual economies. We can drive impactful change and also build a sustainable energy landscape that mutually benefits our people and our continent of Africa as a whole.”

The roundtable formed part of the ongoing South Africa Focus Week in Lagos, which aims to deepen bilateral relations and expand economic cooperation between both countries, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and trade.

The South African Consulate General in Lagos organised the 4th edition of the South Africa Focus Week in Lagos in partnership with Brand South Africa and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.