Africa Expands Oil Refining Capacity, $100B Investment Drives Energy Sovereignty

Africa is experiencing a significant transformation in its oil refining capacity, with major projects in Nigeria, Angola, and Uganda poised to enhance energy sovereignty and reduce dependence on imports. Simultaneously, the United States' imposition of high reciprocal tariffs on imports from 180 countries, including many African nations, threatens to disrupt key export sectors such as textiles, vehicles, and agriculture, undermining economic growth and trade relations. Indian companies are responding to these tariffs by shifting production to African plants, leveraging established business networks and duty-free access to Western markets, which could stimulate industrial growth on the continent. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to unify the continent economically and politically, but its success hinges on overcoming governance challenges, corruption, and infrastructure deficits to benefit ordinary Africans rather than elites. Meanwhile, demands for reparations by the African Union highlight ongoing struggles for justice related to historical exploitation, with varied responses from former colonial powers and renewed calls for accountability. Together, these developments underscore Africa's complex interplay of economic opportunity, geopolitical challenges, and the pursuit of justice and sovereignty in the 2020s.