Re-thinking Africa’s Energy Future with Bioinorganic Chemistry
By Ugo Aliogo
Energy in Africa is not a single problem but a complicated web of shortages, opportunities, and hard choices that touch nearly every aspect of life viz agriculture, health, transport, finance, and industry. For families, it is the dim glow of a kerosene lamp replacing reliable electricity. For factories, it is the daily hum of diesel generators consuming scarce resources. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), more than 600 million Africans remain without access to electricity, a figure that represents half of the global total. In Nigeria alone, the World Bank estimates that poor power supply drains the economy of nearly 29 billion dollars every year in lost output.
Yet, paradoxically, Africa also holds some of the world’s richest energy potential. The IEA has noted that “Africa is home to 60 percent of the world’s best solar resources, yet it accounts for only 1 percent of global solar PV capacity.” Beyond solar, the continent is blessed with vast biomass reserves, hydropower potential, and untapped industrial byproducts. These realities raise a profound question: how can Africa convert this enormous potential into prosperity?
One of the young scientists asking and answering this question is Precious Uchechi Ebereonwu, a first-class graduate of Industrial Chemistry from the University of Jos and now a PhD researcher at Auburn University in the United States. Graduating in the top one percent of her class, she has turned her academic excellence into a mission: to translate molecular-level discoveries into practical energy solutions for Africa.
Her research draws inspiration from nature’s chemistry. Enzymes such as hydrogenases and nitrogenases perform transformations at room temperature that industries often achieve only under extreme heat and pressure. By mimicking these natural processes and using metals like iron, cobalt, and nickel, Ebereonwu is designing catalysts that can produce clean fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol. Unlike intermittent solar and wind power, these fuels can be stored, transported, and traded thus making them central to industrial growth and job creation.
In one of her projects, Ebereonwu explored how mango leaf extracts rich in natural phytochemicals like tannins, alkaloids, and saponins—could be used to synthesize and stabilize copper nanoparticles. Instead of toxic chemicals, her process uses green chemistry rooted in Africa’s biodiversity. The results, verified through UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy, show that plant-based synthesis can create eco-friendly catalysts for energy conversion. “Nature has already shown us the way,” she explains. “The challenge is how to take these biological lessons and scale them into real energy systems for Africa.”
The urgency is reinforced by sobering economic forecasts. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has warned that “climate change and energy shortages could cut Nigeria’s GDP by up to 11 percent by 2050 if bold measures are not taken.” Energy poverty, in other words, is not just about darkness in homes; it is about lost industrial competitiveness, joblessness, and shrinking national wealth.
International experts agree. Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), has stressed that “Africa’s energy transition is not just a climate imperative it is an opportunity to create millions of jobs and reshape economies.” A recent IRENA study estimates that renewable energy development could generate more than 2 million direct and indirect jobs across Africa by 2030 if governments invest in research-to-industry pipelines.
For Ebereonwu, this is the heart of the matter. Hydrogen has been hailed globally as the fuel of the future, but its storage and transport remain costly. Ammonia, in contrast, is denser and benefits from Africa’s existing fertilizer logistics. Other carriers like liquid organic hydrogen compounds (LOHCs) and metal hydrides are emerging as alternatives. Deciding which pathway to prioritize, she argues, requires not just chemistry but a deep integration of economics, policy, and regional resource mapping. “This is not about what works in the lab,” she insists. “It is about what works in Africa.”
Experts recommend a four-point roadmap. First, governments must fund pilot plants that connect laboratory breakthroughs to industrial deployment. Second, universities need to retool curricula to train engineers and chemists in catalysis, nanotechnology, and computational modeling. Third, technical and vocational training centers must be strengthened to build a workforce capable of running decentralized renewable fuel hubs. Finally, policymakers must adopt a science-first industrial strategy, treating chemistry and materials science as core pillars of economic policy, not as academic silos.
The stakes are high, but so is the promise. If leaders listen to scientists like Ebereonwu and act decisively, Africa’s energy crisis could become the catalyst for its economic renaissance. Reliable energy would not only light homes but power industries, expand exports, and create jobs for millions of young Africans entering the labor market every year.
Ebereonwu’s vision is that Africa should not merely import technologies but develop its own. “Africa must design, produce, and own the innovations that will shape its future,” she says. Her work, combining spectroscopy, computational chemistry, and economic analysis, is more than academic research; it is a blueprint for transformation. The question now is whether policymakers and investors will recognize the urgency and potential in time.
If they do, Africa’s energy story could shift from deficit to dominance, turning its present-day crisis into the foundation of a self-sustaining, climate-resilient, and globally competitive economy.
