Unmasking double standards and embracing a balanced path forward

As Nigeria and the broader African continent grapple with the dual imperatives of economic development and global climate commitments, a critical conversation is emerging—one that challenges the prevailing narratives pushed by Western powers. This editorial builds upon and amplifies two recent opinion pieces I authored for Development Today, a respected Norwegian media outlet focused on international development. The first, titled “Climate Facades and African Awakening: Unmasking Geopolitical Double Standards in Energy Policy” (published July 28, 2025), exposes the hypocrisy in global energy discourses. The second, “Beyond Clean Tech Extractivism: African Countries Must Embrace Multiple Energy Sources, Including Natural Gas” (published July 30, 2025), advocates for a pragmatic, multifaceted approach to energy, with a particular lens on Nigeria’s unique opportunities and challenges. By bringing these insights to Premium Times, I aim to ignite a Nigerian-led dialogue on energy realism, prioritising our sovereignty, development needs, and equitable transition.

Unmasking Geopolitical Double Standards: The Climate Facade

In the global arena, climate policy often serves as a veneer for geopolitical manoeuvring, where developed nations impose stringent green mandates on Africa while conveniently overlooking their own historical and ongoing contributions to environmental degradation. As detailed in my first Development Today article, this double standard is not merely inconsistent – it’s a strategic tool that perpetuates inequality.

Consider the historical context: Europe and North America built their industrial might on fossil fuels, emitting vast quantities of greenhouse gases over centuries. Today, these same regions enjoy energy security, with per capita consumption far exceeding Africa’s. Yet, when African nations seek to harness their abundant natural resources for growth, they face lectures on sustainability and threats of withheld funding. The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), for instance, effectively taxes imports from high-emission countries, disproportionately affecting African exporters who lack the infrastructure to “go green” overnight. This isn’t climate justice; it’s a facade that masks protectionism and resource control.

Africa’s awakening to this reality is palpable. From the African Union’s pushback at COP conferences to statements by Nigerian leaders, there’s a growing recognition that the West’s “just transition” rhetoric often translates to “just for us.” My article highlights how multilateral institutions, influenced by Western donors, condition aid on renewable-only pathways, ignoring Africa’s energy poverty. Over 600 million Africans lack electricity, and in Nigeria alone, erratic power supply costs the economy billions annually. Forcing a premature leap to renewables without addressing these basics risks stalling development and exacerbating inequality.

This hypocrisy extends to investment patterns. While Western governments phase out fossil fuels domestically, their corporations continue profiting from African oil and gas extraction, often with minimal local benefits. The narrative of “stranded assets” is weaponised to deter African investment in hydrocarbons, yet the same logic isn’t applied to ongoing subsidies for coal in parts of Europe or gas fracking in the U.S. African policymakers must unmask these double standards, demanding accountability and tailoring policies to our realities rather than imported agendas.

Beyond Clean Tech Extractivism: A Call for Multiple Energy Sources

Building on this critique, my second Development Today piece shifts focus to actionable solutions, urging African countries to reject “clean tech extractivism” and adopt a diversified energy mix. Clean tech extractivism refers to the ironic dynamic where Africa becomes a mining ground for minerals essential to Western green technologies – lithium, cobalt, rare earths – while bearing the environmental and social costs without reaping proportional gains. Congo’s cobalt mines, plagued by child labour and pollution, power electric vehicles in Europe, yet the continent’s own energy needs remain unmet.

For Africa, true progress lies in embracing multiple energy sources, including natural gas as a transitional fuel. This is particularly relevant for Nigeria, Africa’s largest gas reserve holder, with over 200 trillion cubic feet untapped. Natural gas offers a cleaner alternative to coal and diesel, emitting up to 50% less CO2 when used for power generation. It can bridge the gap to renewables, providing reliable baseload energy while solar and wind infrastructure scale up.

In Nigeria, the potential is transformative. Chronic power outages hinder industrialisation, with businesses relying on expensive generators that pollute and inflate costs. Leveraging gas could electrify rural areas, boost manufacturing, and create jobs in the value chain, from extraction to liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project exemplifies this, promising to supply clean energy across West Africa. Moreover, gas can address household energy needs; transitioning from biomass cooking fuels to gas stoves would reduce deforestation and improve health outcomes for millions of Nigerian women and children exposed to indoor air pollution.

Yet, external pressures persist. International financial institutions like the World Bank have scaled back fossil fuel funding, even for gas, under the guise of net-zero goals. This ignores the IPCC’s acknowledgement that natural gas has a role in low-emission pathways for developing regions. African nations must counter this by fostering South-South partnerships, collaborating with countries that prioritise mutual benefit over moral posturing.

Diversification also means investing in renewables strategically. Nigeria’s solar potential is immense, with the capacity to generate over 400,000 MW, but it requires grid upgrades and storage solutions. Hydro, wind, and biofuels should complement gas, not replace it prematurely. Policies like Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, aiming for net-zero by 2060, must be realistic, incorporating gas-to-power initiatives to avoid energy insecurity.

Toward Energy Sovereignty: A Nigerian and African Imperative

Amplifying these arguments in a Nigerian context is urgent. As Africa’s most populous nation and a key OPEC member, Nigeria’s energy choices will shape the continent’s trajectory. We cannot afford to be pawns in a geopolitical game where climate action doubles as economic containment. Instead, let’s champion energy realism: a balanced, sovereign approach that harnesses all viable sources for inclusive growth.

I call on Nigerian policymakers, civil society, and the private sector to advocate for reformed global finance, demanding “additionality” in climate funds that support hybrid energy systems. Domestically, accelerating the Petroleum Industry Act’s implementation can attract investment in gas while enforcing environmental standards.

These ideas, first articulated in Development Today, deserve a wider African audience. By publishing here in Premium Times, I hope to spark debate and action. Africa’s energy future must be defined by Africans, for Africans, free from facades and focused on prosperity. The time for awakening is now.

Dr. Obinna Onyekwena is Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases Advocacy at the Gates Foundation and a traditional leader in Ufuma, Anambra State, Nigeria. He works at the intersection of global health, local leadership, and systems change, advocating for equitable development grounded in agency, innovation, and sustainability. He contributed this article in his personal capacity.

This Artice Was Originally Published in Adapted Form from Articles in Development Today

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