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Wale Tinubu Champions African-Focused Energy Financing, Pushes Regional Integration at IATF 2025

At a high-profile fireside chat in Algiers, the Oando chief urged Africa to fund its own energy transition, remove trade barriers, and leverage AfCFTA for sustainable growth.

By Staff Reporter · Algiers, Algeria · September 12, 2025

Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, has called for deeper regional integration and indigenous, Africa-focused financing to unlock the continent’s energy sovereignty and long-term prosperity. Speaking during a fireside chat with Omar Yedder of African Business at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 in Algiers, Tinubu outlined a playbook for accelerating investment, industrialization, and cross-border trade across Africa. 0

“Finance It Ourselves”: Case for an African Energy Bank

Tinubu pressed for the rapid operationalization of an African Energy Bank (AEB) to catalyze project financing for oil, gas, and power—particularly natural gas as a pragmatic transition fuel—arguing that Africa must lead and fund its own energy build-out. He pointed to the rising capacity of regional institutions such as Afreximbank as proof that homegrown capital can scale transformative deals. 1

Indigenous Capital, Bigger Deals

The Oando boss noted a structural shift over the last two decades: African lenders and DFIs are increasingly prominent in large transactions that were once dominated by foreign banks. Afreximbank’s growing role—illustrated by its recent upsizing of an RBL facility for an Oando subsidiary—signals how African institutions are anchoring energy finance while crowding in global partners. 2

Remove “Archaic” Obstacles to Intra-African Trade

Beyond capital, Tinubu urged policymakers to tackle frictions that stifle commerce—visa restrictions and fragmented payment systems—describing them as outmoded barriers to the AfCFTA vision. He argued that easing business travel and harmonizing payments would unlock immediate gains for investors and operators across the value chain. 3

IATF 2025: Momentum and Market-Making

Hosted in Algiers from 4–10 September, IATF 2025 convened industry leaders, financiers, and policymakers to translate opportunity into bankable projects—surpassing targets with multi-billion-dollar deals and underscoring Africa’s appetite for scale. Oando served as a premier partner, aligning corporate strategy with the fair’s integration agenda. 4

Why It Matters

With energy access gaps still significant across the continent, a coordinated push on regional financing, project pipelines, and cross-border trade could fast-track electrification, industrial growth, and job creation—turning Africa’s resources into inclusive prosperity. 5

Wale Tinubu Oando Plc IATF 2025 Afreximbank African Energy Bank AfCFTA Energy Sovereignty

Sources

• “Oil and Gas: Wale Tinubu Calls for Regional Integration, African-focused Financing” — ThisDay, Sept 12, 2025. 6
• “How visa restrictions hinder investment in Africa – Wale Tinubu” — Vanguard, Sept 7, 2025. 7
• “Visa restrictions, others hinder investment in Africa – Wale Tinubu” — The Guardian Nigeria, Sept 8, 2025. 8
• “Oando PLC Set to Contribute to Africa’s Economic Integration as Premier Partner at the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025” — Oando press release, Sept 3, 2025. 9
• “$48bn Deals Closed At Record-breaking Algiers IATF 2025” — ThisDay, Sept 11, 2025. 10
• Afreximbank upsizes RBL facility for Oando Oil Limited to US$375m — Press release, July 1, 2025. 11

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