“Drill, baby, drill” is the only realistic way forward for the African continent if it has any hope of eradicating poverty, says African Energy Chamber executive chairperson NJ Ayuk.

“Exploration is the absolute key to our survival . . . Africa is not asking permission to develop our resources.”

Speaking at African Energy Week 2026, held in Cape Town this week, Ayuk added that he would kill the climate transition on the continent if he had the opportunity to do so.

“For many years global elites have flown into Africa and have told us how to manage our backlog. They came with beautiful slides, lofty slogans and empty promises, telling us to keep our resources in the ground.

“They preach the gospel of transition that looks like the gospel of austerity.”

Ayuk – who was interrupted by a single eco-protestor toting a placard that stated ‘stop Africa exploitation week’ – told a large, appreciative opening-ceremony audience that Africa would build and manage its own energy transition.

“We cannot afford to wait while mature economies are trying to figure out how to build less, drill less, explore less, produce less and consume less – and pay more for energy.

“We are in the business of energy additions. This conference is about energy additions. We have 1.4-billion people in Africa and we need to power them.

“We need pipelines, we need factories, we need lights.

“We are going to build that unapologetically, with our own strategies.”

Ayuk also urged the South African government “to get its regulatory environment in order”.

He said Namibia was making good use of the Orange basin, while it remained “stranded” on the South African side, largely through legal and permitting challenges, including from environmental groupings and fishing communities.

Ayuk said the Orange basin “must no longer be left stranded…with 80% of the basin right here in South Africa. The South African government must step up, pass the laws and completely open up the potential of the basin.”

The Orange basin is a major offshore sedimentary and petroleum basin located along the south-western Atlantic coast of South Africa and Namibia, covering an area of roughly 300 000 km².

Ayuk also warned all African governments against red tape and “heavy-handed bureaucracy”, as well as the temptation to change policies mid-project.

He urged all governments to honor the contracts they had signed.

“Be a nation of builders, not bureaucrats.”