Prominent Zimbabwean economist, Martin Ganda, has called for “strong leadership” to ensure Africa overcame persistent energy problems and benefitted from its vast natural resources.

Ganda, the Zimbabwean internationally-respected expert, pointed out that despite the continent teeming with natural resources, it was still lagging behind and struggling to provide energy to empower its millions of citizens.

“We have to challenge the status quo,” Ganda, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Tamuka Private Equity Fund, an Africa-focused initiative, recommended.

He was speaking in Cape Town, South Africa where stakeholders in the African energy sector have converged for the annual African Utility Week.

“We need strong leadership in the energy sector and the business sector as a whole,” Ganda added.

He raised concern Africa suffered energy shortages despite it being undoubtedly the most endowed with natural energy resources such as wind, solar and minerals.

“Six of the top 30 energy producers call Africa home. Sadly, most of this energy is exported and not for local use.

"Nigeria is the continent’s leading producer of crude oil but most, about 90 percent, of it is exported. It imports as 70 percent of petroleum products to meet local requirement,” said Ganda.

He thus called for the local needs and the long term development of the continent to be prioritised.

“We need to focus on what Africa can do for Africans. Resources should benefit first the citizens of this continent. Both private and public sector leaders need to commit to the sustainable future of the descendants of this continent,” said Ganda, also hailed as a youth empowerment advocate for his role as co-founder of Seeds for Africa Fund.

“The bricks we lay today can lead to a future where our children can have access to resources. Through investments in power and energy as well as global advocacy, we can empower the continent and create a legacy we all can be proud off.

"We can change the future of this great continenta,” the African advisor, strategist and investor, concluded.