TotalEnergies Backs Africa’s Right to Shape Its Own Energy Future

Africa must have the freedom to develop its vast energy resources according to its own priorities, Mike Sangster, Senior Vice President Africa at TotalEnergies, declared at the opening ceremony of African Energy Week 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Sangster reaffirmed TotalEnergies’ long-standing commitment to the continent, highlighting the company’s investments and partnerships across Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda, Angola and Nigeria. He argued that Africa’s energy future should be shaped by African priorities, with stable and competitive conditions key to unlocking investment.

TotalEnergies has been active in Africa for over a century, building a portfolio that spans offshore developments like Namibia’s Venus-1 and Congo’s Moho Nord, as well as expansion into new markets like South Africa. The company is also steering a transition to a multi-energy future through investments in renewables and gas infrastructure.

At African Energy Week 2026, held from the 12th to the 16th of October in Cape Town, Sangster joined energy leaders and industry experts to discuss investment opportunities and partnerships shaping the continent’s energy landscape. He emphasised that TotalEnergies is motivated to continue investing and growing energy supply from Africa.

Sangster posed a central question at the event: can Africa become the world’s next strategic hydrocarbon growth hub? He highlighted the continent’s potential, arguing that stable, competitive conditions are essential to unlocking investment and expanding energy supply.

The discussion comes as Africa’s electricity demand is projected to rise by 75 per cent this decade, according to the International Energy Agency. The investment question is increasingly technical: whether clean energy can beat gas on full-cycle returns for greenfield industrial loads, or whether hydrocarbons remain the lowest-risk route to reliable power.

Sangster’s message underscores a growing push for Africa to assert greater control over its energy resources and development priorities. By emphasising the continent’s freedom to shape its own energy future, he positioned TotalEnergies as a partner in Africa’s energy ambitions rather than an external actor dictating terms.

For African policymakers and investors, the statement signals a continued commitment from major energy companies to the continent. The challenge now is to translate that commitment into investments that deliver reliable, affordable and sustainable energy for African populations.

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