- She calls for faster steps to ensure everyone has access to energy
- She highlights the need to include women in energy plans
- Samira Bawumia was recognized in 2019 for her efforts in clean energy
Mrs. Samira Bawumia, the founder and chair of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), has urgently called for a swift transition to clean energy, emphasizing that time is running out to ensure universal access to energy.
Speaking at the 2025 Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Global Forum in Barbados, she urged world leaders, businesses, and civil society to move beyond words and take decisive action on the energy transition.
“Clean energy is not just about sustainability; it’s about justice, security, and shared prosperity,” she stated. “With less than five years remaining to meet SDG7 targets, we must act now and without delay.”
Mrs. Bawumia highlighted the severe energy crisis, especially in Africa, where over 675 million people lack electricity, and 2.3 billion rely on harmful biomass fuels for cooking.
She warned that the reliance on wood, charcoal, and fossil fuels is not only harming the environment but also presenting serious health risks, particularly for women and children.
As a strong advocate for women and children, she called for their needs to be included in national and global energy policies. She mentioned successful initiatives like Forward7 by the Middle East Green Initiative, which seeks to improve 750 million lives through clean cooking, and Mission 300, a project by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
“Clean energy solutions must be affordable, scalable, and community-centered,” she emphasized. “It’s not just about cooking; it’s about health, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability.”
Mrs. Bawumia, a globally recognized advocate for sustainable energy, serves as a Global Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance, the Clean Air Fund, and the World Health Organization’s Health and Energy Platform for Action.
In 2019, she received the Seven for 7 Award from SEforALL and Ashden for her exceptional work in advancing clean energy access.
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is a global initiative dedicated to ensuring universal access to sustainable energy. In partnership with governments, businesses, and international organizations, SEforALL works to accelerate progress towards achieving SDG7, which aims to provide affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all by 2030.
The SEforALL Global Forum plays a key role in promoting policies, investments, and partnerships to advance the clean energy agenda.
