In his keynote address to the Africa Oil Week 2022 conference in Cape Town on Tuesday, South African Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe highlighted that petroleum and natural gas still had an important role to play in the development of Africa. “Africa’s oil and gas resources,” he said, “can help accelerate and guarantee the continent’s energy security, [and] drive regional economic development through the processing and beneficiation of petroleum products.”

This was not solely a matter of energy. Oil and natural gas were also used to produce fertilisers.

“Africa can feed itself, and feed other continents,” he pointed out. “But we do not. I submit it’s a leadership question. … It’s not a resource issue. … Africa needs to feed itself and feed everybody else.”

There had been, and there continued to be, significant oil and gas discoveries in Africa, especially offshore. “South Africa has set an ambitious programme to attract local and international investment in oil and gas exploration and production,” he noted.

“The continent is [however] witnessing a decline in refining capacity.” South Africa used to have five refineries, now only two remained; this was because companies preferred to import finished products, for it was easier for them if they did so. But this put African economies at risk, with the danger of supplies becoming unreliable.

African oil must be refined in Africa, he affirmed. The continent currently consumed 66% of the oil it produced and exported 33%.

“The imminent reopening of the Glencore-owned Astron refinery in Cape Town is welcome news,” said Mantashe. “When it closed due to an accident it ran on West African crudes, and we expect it to continue where it had left off. This reopening will boost security of supply to the region.”

Regarding natural gas in particular, he pointed out that Europe was phasing out Russian natural gas. That created an opportunity for Africa, to export gas to Europe.

“As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, we are committed to the global agenda to decarbonise,” he assured. “We should speak in one voice about Africa’s choice for her energy pathway. One that is just, is about her people, her fauna and flora, and her economic well-bearing. This includes food security.”