Samira Bawumia Urges Global Leaders to Fast-Track Clean Energy Transition
Samira Bawumia calls for immediate action to tackle Africa’s energy crisis, emphasizing clean energy as a path to justice, security, and prosperity.
Founder and Chair of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), Mrs. Samira Bawumia, has issued an urgent call for an accelerated transition to clean energy, warning that time is running out to achieve universal energy access.
Speaking at the 2025 Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Global Forum in Barbados, she challenged world leaders, businesses, and civil society to move beyond rhetoric and take bold, concrete steps toward energy transformation.
“Clean energy is not just about sustainability; it is about justice, security, and shared prosperity,” she stressed. “With less than five years left to meet the SDG7 targets, decisive and immediate action is imperative.”
Mrs. Bawumia painted a stark picture of the global energy crisis, particularly in Africa, where over 675 million people remain without electricity, and 2.3 billion rely on hazardous biomass fuels for cooking. She warned that the dependence on wood, charcoal, and fossil fuels not only harms the environment but also poses severe health risks, disproportionately affecting women and children.
As a passionate advocate for women and children, she called for gender-inclusive energy policies that integrate their interests into national and international energy strategies.
Highlighting successful initiatives, she cited:
✅ Forward7 (Middle East Green Initiative): Targeting 750 million lives with clean cooking innovation.
✅ Mission 300 (World Bank & African Development Bank): Aiming to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
“Clean energy solutions must be affordable, scalable, and community-centered,” she emphasized. “This is about more than cooking—it’s about health, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability.”
Mrs. Bawumia, a global advocate for sustainable energy, serves as a Global Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance, the Clean Air Fund, and WHO’s Health and Energy Platform for Action. In 2019, she was honored with the Seven for 7 Award by SEforALL and Ashden for her contributions to clean energy access.
The SEforALL Global Forum is a leading international platform driving policies, investments, and partnerships to accelerate the clean energy agenda. Its mission aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7): ensuring affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all by 2030.
