Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng (1st from left)
Lead Advisor to the Africa Mining and Commodities Fund, Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, has called for the harmonisation of professional certification systems across West Africa to support the growth of the region’s energy services sector.
Speaking as a panelist at the Africa Energy Technology Centre (AETC) 2026 conference in Accra on May 19, Mr. Koranteng said the lack of policy harmonisation remains one of the biggest regulatory barriers preventing Africa from fully benefiting from opportunities within the energy and mining sectors.
According to him, despite ECOWAS free movement protocols, challenges persist regarding the movement of skilled professionals across the region.
“What we should really focus on is the harmonisation of professional certification systems,” he said, explaining that a common framework would help create a regional pool of professionals that could be deployed across African markets.
Mr. Koranteng noted that harmonised certification systems, together with improved implementation of open skies policies and free movement agreements, would strengthen regional integration and reduce dependence on imported skilled labour from outside the continent.
He stressed that such reforms are necessary for Ghana and other African countries seeking to position themselves as hubs for oilfield services and energy-mining integration.
Mr. Koranteng also highlighted Ghana’s potential to leverage expertise developed from the TEN and Jubilee oil fields to provide offshore and subsea technical services to countries such as Namibia, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire.
He further pointed to opportunities linked to critical minerals for the global energy transition, including Ghana’s lithium and manganese resources, saying regional collaboration and integrated infrastructure could help unlock long-term value for Africa’s mining and energy industries.
The AETC 2026 conference, held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra from May 19 to 21, brought together stakeholders from the energy, mining, technology, and investment sectors to discuss Africa’s energy transition and industrial development opportunities.
