Honourable Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, is set to bring his country’s bold and forward-looking energy strategy to the forefront of continental discourse at the Africa Energy Technology Conference (AETC) 2025. Taking place from May 27 to 29 at the prestigious Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, this year’s conference is themed “Invest, Innovate, Implement: Revolutionized financing for sustainable energy sector growth in Africa”—a theme that resonates strongly with the vision Minister Sangafowa-Coulibaly has been diligently pursuing since his appointment in 2022.
A veteran politician and technocrat, Minister Sangafowa-Coulibaly has been instrumental in reconfiguring Côte d’Ivoire’s energy and extractive policies to better align with global sustainability goals and the country’s own socio-economic transformation agenda. His leadership has heralded an era of accelerated investment in clean energy and infrastructure efficiency. One of the most notable projects under his tenure is the Boundiali Solar Power Plant in the north of Côte d’Ivoire, which came online in mid-2023 with an initial capacity of 37.5 megawatts. The plant is slated for a second-phase expansion to 83 megawatts by April 2025, directly supporting the country’s goal of generating 45% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.
Sangafowa-Coulibaly’s strategy doesn’t stop at generation. Recognizing that sustainable energy transitions must also be supported by efficient consumption, he has championed initiatives focused on energy efficiency and smart infrastructure. In early 2024, he announced the retrofitting of major public buildings—including the SOGEFIHA building—with energy-saving technologies aimed at reducing electricity consumption by up to 30%. These interventions, though seemingly incremental, represent a wider shift in how energy is integrated into national development—moving from mere availability to intelligent usage.
In parallel, Côte d’Ivoire’s mining sector has also seen robust growth under his leadership. With the launch of new gold mines and streamlined licensing procedures, the country’s gold output hit a record 51 metric tons in 2023 and is projected to rise to 56 metric tons in 2024. These developments underscore the Minister’s dual commitment to sustainable resource exploitation and value-added beneficiation—two pillars that will feature prominently in his engagements at AETC 2025.
The Africa Energy Technology Conference provides a timely and strategic platform for leaders like Minister Sangafowa-Coulibaly to engage with peers, investors, technology innovators, and policymakers from across the continent and beyond. In an era where the urgency to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy has never been greater, AETC 2025 stands out as a continental marketplace of ideas, capital, and action. The theme—“Invest, Innovate, Implement”—speaks directly to the core of Africa’s energy future: unlocking innovative financing tools, harnessing digital and renewable energy technologies, and accelerating the execution of bold national and regional strategies.
Minister Sangafowa-Coulibaly’s participation will spotlight Côte d’Ivoire’s model as a reference point for integrating public-private partnerships, development finance, and international cooperation to drive results. For instance, the success of the Boundiali Solar Power Plant has hinged not only on government leadership but also on a smart financing blend involving international donors and private sector actors. This experience makes Sangafowa-Coulibaly uniquely positioned to contribute to panels and discussions centered around de-risking investments, creating enabling policy environments, and scaling up energy projects that meet both environmental and developmental goals.
For stakeholders across Africa’s energy ecosystem—be they investors seeking bankable projects, governments pursuing policy innovation, or civil society actors advocating for inclusive energy access—AETC 2025 is not just another conference. It is a call to action. It is a nexus where vision meets execution, and where leaders like Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly demonstrate that Africa’s energy transformation is not a distant aspiration but a present reality in motion.
In a continent where over 600 million people still lack access to electricity, and where climate challenges loom large, gatherings like AETC 2025 are crucial for aligning ambition with practical pathways. By attending this conference, participants gain unparalleled access to thought leadership, sectoral innovations, funding opportunities, and cross-border partnerships that can shape Africa’s energy narrative for decades to come.
As Côte d’Ivoire continues its journey toward a sustainable, inclusive, and secure energy future, Honourable Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly’s presence at AETC 2025 will serve as a beacon for what deliberate, data-driven, and well-financed policy can achieve—not just for one nation, but for an entire continent.
Secure your place now! Visit www.aetconference.com or contact +23326 880 0800 | +233 50 251 9909 for sponsorship, participation, and registration.
