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The report summarizes a peer learning workshop held in Abuja on April 29-30, 2025, focused on designing a 'Country Platform' for Nigeria to manage Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) and climate action. It argues that Nigeria should avoid replicating donor-driven models, instead creating a state-owned, multi-stakeholder platform that integrates climate goals with national development, job creation, and energy access.

The research paper analyzes South Africa's Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy for South Africa (CMMSSA), released on 20 May 2025. The strategy aims to leverage the country's mineral wealth to drive industrialization and economic growth during the global energy transition. While the paper acknowledges the strategy's ambitious vision and integrated approach, it highlights significant risks regarding institutional capacity, regulatory contradictions with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), and a lack of concrete justice frameworks for affected communities.

The Africa Policy Research Institute argues that climate finance in Africa must shift from a narrow focus on large-scale infrastructure to a 'dual mandate' that equally supports decentralized, consumer-led energy transitions. The document asserts that while utility-scale projects are foundational, the most dynamic energy growth is occurring through off-grid systems and MSMEs, which currently lack the structured local-currency credit and trade finance necessary to scale.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the role of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in accelerating the transfer and adoption of green technologies (greentech) across Africa. It argues that while patents are often prohibitively expensive for local innovators, non-patent IPR—such as utility models, trademarks, and geographical indications—can drive incremental innovation and job creation. The document analyzes the IPR landscapes of Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, highlighting the gap between high-level regional strategies (like AfCFTA and the AU Green Recovery Action Plan) and the practical, detailed IPR mechanisms needed to scale green businesses.

This report analyzes the integration of climate action into the operations of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI). It identifies a significant gap between Nigeria's international climate commitments and the actual policies and bureaucratic capacity of the FMITI, proposing a new green industrial policy and a comprehensive implementation framework to align economic growth with environmental sustainability.

This research paper examines how the trade war between the US and China, alongside President Trump's critical mineral diplomacy, creates a strategic window for African nations to transition from raw material exporters to green technology manufacturing hubs. It argues that countries rich in minerals like cobalt and lithium can leverage geopolitical competition to secure technology transfer, domestic value addition, and diversified investment portfolios.

This research paper examines Morocco's strategic position as a supplier of green transition minerals (GTMs) and its bilateral relationships with China and the European Union. The authors argue that while Morocco benefits from the distinct strengths of both partners—China's industrial scale and speed versus the EU's regulatory standards and capacity building—its current engagement is fragmented. To overcome this, the paper proposes a five-step trilateral framework designed to transform geopolitical competition into pragmatic cooperation, aiming to establish Morocco as a regional hub for green value chains and industrial processing.

This research paper examines the role of the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) in driving trade and industrialization in Africa. It analyzes the agency's efforts to implement structural transformation through frameworks like the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063, while highlighting the systemic tensions between continental ambitions, national sovereignty, and the influence of external donors.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the role of private sector investment in unlocking Africa's renewable energy (RE) potential. Using Nigeria as a case study, it identifies financial, regulatory, and infrastructural barriers that hinder the scaling of clean energy and provides strategic recommendations to create a more predictable and attractive investment environment.

This research paper evaluates the partnership between Germany and African nations regarding agrifood systems transformation. It identifies a predominant reliance on aid-based cooperation and recommends a strategic shift toward private sector-led investment, trade promotion, and the development of regional agricultural value chains to enhance food security and economic growth.

This research paper argues that Kenya can accelerate its transition to e-mobility and create more youth employment by integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the design, assembly, and maintenance of electric vehicles. While Kenya has seen a surge in EV sales and has a high renewable energy mix (90%), current policies favor the import of fully built units over local manufacturing. The paper highlights successful local innovations, such as the 'eMkoko' cargo cart, but notes that the 'jua kali' informal sector remains ignored. It recommends policy reforms to incentivize local assembly, zero-rate manufacturing machinery, and incorporate IKS into formal technical education to overcome barriers like high battery costs and inadequate rural charging infrastructure.

This research paper examines the opportunities and challenges of integrating Indigenous Knowledge (IK) with Climate-Smart Agricultural (CSA) technology to address climate change and youth unemployment in Ghana. While CSA startups like Farmerline and AgroCenta are creating new digital and technical roles for youth, the document highlights a significant gap in technology adoption among young farmers and a lack of cohesive national policies that formally integrate IK into modern agricultural strategies. The authors recommend establishing multi-stakeholder platforms, creating a national digital IK repository, and providing targeted financial incentives for startups that blend traditional practices with climate-resilient technology.

This case study details the founding and growth of Green Afro Palms, a Ghanaian agri-tech startup established by engineer Kwame Ababio to modernize the oil palm industry. The company focuses on empowering smallholder farmers through technology, training, and processing yields into palm and kernel oil to reduce import dependence and discourage environmentally damaging activities.

This case study details the growth of Osomobegbe Global Ventures Limited (OGV), a Nigerian enterprise founded by Osomobegbe Eugene to combat post-harvest losses through solar drying technology. The document outlines OGV's technical approach, its business model for smallholder farmers, its youth employment initiatives, and the systemic challenges facing agritech startups in Nigeria.

This case study details the founding and growth of Complete Farmer, a Ghanaian startup established in 2017 by entrepreneur Desmond to digitize the agricultural value chain and connect smallholder farmers to global markets. The document outlines the company's operational model, its focus on youth employment, and the infrastructure and funding challenges it faces while scaling across Africa.

This case study profiles Chibunna Ogbonna, a 27-year-old Nigerian entrepreneur and founder of Kiru Energy, detailing his journey from launching a cleantech startup in 2017 to scaling solar energy solutions. The document outlines the financial growth of the company, the operational challenges of the Nigerian energy sector, and Ogbonna's advocacy for better regulatory environments and youth empowerment in Africa's renewable energy transition.

This case study profiles Kiri EV, a company founded in 2020 by Kenyan entrepreneur Chris Maara to manufacture affordable electric vehicles and charging systems for the Kenyan and East African markets. The document details the company's transition from early R&D and prototype development to scaling production, its strategies for talent acquisition from the solar sector and T-VET institutions, and the regulatory challenges faced by e-mobility startups in Kenya.

This research paper examines Turkey's strategic efforts to secure critical raw materials (CRMs) in Africa to support its domestic industrial goals in defence, electric vehicles, and renewables. It analyzes Turkey's diverse engagement modalities—ranging from direct extraction to integrated industrial hubs and security-linked partnerships—and proposes a trilateral cooperation framework involving the European Union (EU) and African nations to align standards and enhance supply chain resilience.

This research paper evaluates the potential for Nigeria to establish a Country Platform for Climate Action (CPCA) to address a significant climate financing gap. It analyzes the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) in other nations as a model, suggesting that Nigeria should adopt a more inclusive approach that integrates resilience, industrial growth, and social equity alongside energy transition.

This research paper examines the potential for trilateral cooperation between the European Union (EU), China, and African nations within critical raw material (CRM) supply chains. It argues that while the EU seeks to reduce its dependence on China, the deep integration of Chinese firms in midstream and downstream processing, combined with African demands for local value addition, makes a cooperative approach more viable than immediate decoupling. The author proposes a specific model for trilateral cooperation in the Democratic Republic of Congo's cobalt sector to balance the strategic interests of all three parties.