“Our vision is to empower 100,000 more ‘Williams’ by aef2029 to close the gap between population growth and energy access.  The initiatives are there, the need is there, the entrepreneurs are everywhere and YES! is here to identify them and provide them the tools to succeed…” Harry Gibson, EnergyNet (www.EnergyNet.co.uk).

William will be joined by:

• Joseph Nganga of the Rockefeller Foundation & Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet;
• Anne Ezeh, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at GE Gas Power;
• Dan Kammen, Professor of Energy and Resources at Berkeley, California and adviser to USAID;
• Dr. Kenneth Namunje, Kipeto Energy
• Habiba Ali, CEO, Sosai Renewable Energies; and others

As well as exciting students, educators, entrepreneurs and early career professionals including:

• Atiku Jafar, International Chairman of African Law Students’ Association
• Glory Oguegbu, CEO of Renewable Energy Technology Training Institute
• Prof. Howard Njoku, University of Nigeria
• Logyne ElGhor, Cairo University
• Noella Molefe, Eskom
• Olakunle Alao, Student and CEO of Kapit.ly
• Thuso Kuali, JP Morgan
• Noella Molefe, Eskom
• Zeddy Bariti, KenGen

Beyond Privilege

Launching at this year’s Africa Energy Forum (aef), the Youth Energy Summit (YES!) begins our journey to Nairobi in 2023 where the first full scale ‘YES! Expo’ will be held for 1,000+ of Africa’s future energy actors.

YES! in Brussels welcomes 40 students, educators, early career professionals and entrepreneurs to a 3-day working seminar designed to uncover and elevate the development needs of the next generation of energy leaders. This will include inspirational and intimate discussions with leading figures, including Habiba Ali (Sosai Energy), Dr Kenneth Namunje (Kipeto Energy) and Gamunchirai Mutoza (Global Entrepreneurship Network Africa).

After Brussels, YES! will launch a series of focus groups in Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt. These will be underpinned by a 24/7/365 digital platform which will be free-to-access for YES! participants and organisations working with us to provide these crucial impact led initiatives.

In Nairobi in 2023, YES! will provide finance for up to 1,000 ‘participants’ to travel and contribute to the meet with the business, organisations, stakeholders and government. We will develop the business-readiness of both the individuals and the programmes that are proliferating across the continent to support them.  Our aim is to drive the number of energy projects reaching financial close form the current lowly 10% to at least 20%, and with it, unleash the potential of young energy leaders.

To succeed we will identify (100,000 William Kamkwambas) with a target of reaching 20,000 energy entrepreneurs from across the continent by aef26 (June 2026).