Let's Talk Energy Podcast

In partnership with The Electricity Hub, this episode explored how scalable, bankable energy projects are unlocking long-term private capital and reshaping Africa's infrastructure investment landscape. Karim Nasser, Executive Chairman of NANT Power and Advisor to the Petrodex Board, shared the story behind the Nant Power Generation Project in Sierra Leone—a landmark combined-cycle gas project desi...

As Ghana prepares to host YES! On The Road, the conversation turns to the generation already reshaping Africa's energy landscape. In partnership with The Electricity Hub, we speak with Damilola Hamid Balogun, Co-Founder of Youth Sustainable Development Network (YSDN) — a leader working at the frontline of clean energy access, climate advocacy and green skills development across the continent. From...

Regional power integration is increasingly critical as West African countries seek to expand access, stabilise grids, and reduce electricity costs. The West African Power Pool (WAPP) provides the framework for interconnected systems and regional power trade, but progress depends on close coordination between governments, utilities, and the private sector. Recorded at WAECS25 in Ghana in partnershi...

As West Africa seeks scalable solutions to close its persistent energy access gap, governments and industry leaders are rethinking the role of off-grid and decentralised power. With grid expansion struggling to keep pace with population growth and rising demand, mini-grids, solar home systems, and captive power plants are becoming central to electrification efforts. Solar has transformed rural acc...

Recorded in partnership with The Electricity Hub in Ghana during the West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WA-ECS), this episode captures a timely discussion at the heart of West Africa's evolving power market. Against a backdrop of shifting development finance priorities and tighter global liquidity, we sit down with Roger Stuart , Head of the Regional Hub at the European Investment Bank, to exp...

Recorded at the Africa Energy Forum in Cape Town last year, this episode — produced in partnership with The Electricity Hub — examines how development finance is driving Africa's just energy transition. In conversation with British International Investment (BII), we explore the shift from corporate finance to energy access investing, how large-scale infrastructure is balanced with decentralised so...

Nigeria's electricity sector is at a critical turning point, facing persistent grid instability, limited generation capacity, and the urgent need to integrate renewable energy at scale. In this episode, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Honourable Minister of Power , discusses the strategic vision guiding Nigeria's electricity future and the reforms needed to build a reliable, efficient, and inclusive power...

West Africa is at a critical juncture in its energy transition. As countries expand generation, strengthen transmission and deepen cross-border power trade, the region is also racing to crowd in long-term private capital. But political risk, utility liquidity constraints and currency volatility continue to weigh heavily on project bankability. In this podcast interview, recorded during WA-ECS...

Recorded at aef in Cape Town, this episode of Let's Talk Energy explores how African power systems are being built from cables to clean energy. Produced in partnership with The Electricity Hub, the conversation features Ms. Nadia Derafa, Regional Business Development Director – Africa at Elsewedy Electric. From manufacturing cables, transformers, and meters to delivering large-scale renewable and...

Recorded in Ghana during WA-ECS last December , and produced in partnership with The Electricity Hub , this conversation explores how finance is shaping Africa's energy future. Sydney Nii Ayitey Tetteh, Executive Head of Client Coverage, Corporate & Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Gh ana, unpacks the role of strategic financing, partnerships, and market frameworks in turning energy ambition...

Recorded in Cape Town during aef 2025 and produced in partnership with The Electricity Hub , this episode features Hadyr Koumakpai , VP & GM Africa at JA Solar , on what it takes to scale solar across Africa. From utility-scale projects to systems powering farms, mines, and homes, the conversation explores how technology, partnerships, and policy are shaping a more resilient solar future for t...

Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are becoming central to West Africa's push for stronger regional integration, cleaner energy systems, and more reliable power supply. As countries work to expand generation capacity, improve grid resilience, and accelerate sustainable development, strategic IPP investments are reshaping how the region plans, finances, and delivers energy infrastructure. Erik Gran...

Across West Africa, the energy transition is advancing, but delivering results on the ground remains a challenge. Mini-grids, off-grid systems, and results-based finance are expanding access, yet depend on clear regulation, tariff certainty, and long-term commitment. Many communities still face limited access and high energy costs. Ngozi Beckley-Lines, Country Manager for Sierra Leone at Sustainab...

As Africa accelerates its push to expand electricity access, attention is shifting from capacity alone to performance. Solar trackers—designed to follow the sun's path and maximise output—are becoming a critical tool in improving project economics, reliability, and scale across both grid-connected and off-grid systems. In this episode of Let's Talk Energy  recorded during aef last year in Cap...

Southern Africa is entering a pivotal decade for energy, with rising demand, climate pressures, and an urgent need for investment. In this episode of Let's Talk Energy , in partnership with The Electricity Hub , Helen Lubamba of Stanbic Bank Zambia and Rentia van Tonder of Standard Bank — Lead Sponsor of ZimZam 2025 — spoke about financing the region's energy transition. The conversation explored...

In this episode of the Let's Talk Energy Podcast, The Electricity Hub is delighted to speak with Kuso Kamwambi, Head of Zambia's Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) and Permanent Secretary of the Management Development Division. As Zambia works to turn national priorities into real results, Kuso Kamwambi explains how the PDU is reshaping policy delivery—expanding energy access, accelerating infrastru...

As Africa's energy landscape rapidly evolves, a new class of market actors is reshaping how power moves across the continent.  In this 1st interview of the ZimZam 'Let's Talk Energy' Podcast, The Electricity Hub speaks with Monie Captan, Deputy CEO of Petrodex, one of West Africa's leading energy trading companies.  With deep insight into the region's power markets, Monie Captan is drivi...

South Africa's power market reform marks a pivotal step toward a more reliable, competitive, and sustainable energy system. In this episode, Kesh Mudaly and Adwoa Banful, Power Sector experts at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), join Let's Talk Energy to discuss how structural reforms can unlock over R1.5 trillion in investment, strengthen grid capacity, and enable a just transition.   From regu...

Nigeria's energy transition is both a national imperative and a global expectation — and at its core lies the question of legal readiness. In this episode, Oludare Senbore, Partner at ALN Nigeria, Aluko & Oyebode, joins Let's Talk Energy to unpack how legal frameworks, policy reforms, and regulatory clarity will shape Nigeria's path toward a low-carbon future.   From balancing the role of...

In this episode, Sean Naude, Account Manager at Sungrow, discusses how the global renewable energy leader is driving Africa's clean energy transition. From pioneering solar-plus-storage in Malawi to enabling South Africa's first hybrid wind-solar-battery plant, Sungrow is redefining what's possible for sustainable power on the continent. Naude shares insights on how Sungrow is tackling the challen...

In this episode, Thabile Ngwato , Co-Founder and CEO of Newzroom Afrika , reflects on her journey as a young media entrepreneur redefining how African stories are told. She shares insights on building a trusted news platform in a rapidly changing media landscape and explores how communication can influence public perception, policy, and participation in Africa's energy transition. Ngwato also high...

In this episode, Harry Boyd-Carpenter, Managing Director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Group at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), discusses how African countries can successfully navigate the complex shift from coal to clean energy. Drawing on global experience from the EBRD's just transition initiatives, he shares insights on designing practical coal-to-clean roadma...

In this episode, Dr. Enos Banda, CEO of ENERTRAG South Africa, explores how Contracts for Difference (CfDs) could accelerate renewable energy deployment across the continent. From ENERTRAG's legacy Darling Wind Farm to the upcoming 210 MW Hendrina Wind Project in Mpumalanga, Dr. Banda highlights how CfDs can de-risk investment, integrate hybrid systems like wind, solar, and hydrogen, and attract d...

Recorded at the Africa Energy Forum 2025 in Cape Town, this episode of the Let's Talk Energy podcast features Peter Venn, CEO of Seriti Green, on the company's bold shift from coal to renewables. From building one of Africa's largest wind portfolios to navigating carbon markets and innovative financing, Peter unpacks how Seriti Green is reshaping the continent's energy transition while balancing i...

Africa's energy transition is moving at pace, with solar, wind, hydro, and storage opening new pathways for security, resilience, and growth. In this episode, Alberto Gambacorta, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Scatec ASA, reflects on the opportunities and challenges of scaling renewables across the continent. From the launch of the Lyra Energy platform to la...