Breaking Free from Resource Nationalism: A Call for Collaboration in Africa’s Energy Future

By NJ Ayuk

Too often, African politicians are quick to declare, “It’s our oil. It’s our country.”

This refrain fosters an “us versus them” mentality, as though outsiders are perpetually scheming to exploit our natural resources. But it’s time to challenge this narrow perspective.

Clinging to the “my country, my oil” mindset is not only misguided – it’s detrimental to our industries and the millions of ordinary citizens who stand to benefit from responsible resource management. We must confront the uncomfortable truth: resource nationalism – the fervent insistence on maintaining absolute control over a nation’s natural wealth – is as corrosive and divisive as racism or sexism.

The xenophobic undertones embedded in this worldview – where expatriates or foreign companies are viewed with suspicion – seep into every level of governance and business. Ironically, these attitudes harm the very people we aim to uplift: the African populace.

Africans have traveled the world, fought for equality, and demanded respect as human beings. Yet when it comes to managing our own resources, we sometimes adopt exclusionary practices that mirror the discrimination we have historically opposed.

Yes, it’s true: the oil beneath our soil belongs to us. No one disputes that.

But until we possess the technical expertise, financial capacity, and operational infrastructure to extract and refine our resources at the scale of global giants like BP, Kosmos Energy, Woodside Energy, Chevron, and TotalEnergies, why are we erecting barriers instead of fostering collaboration? These companies invest billions to make energy projects viable – and their success ultimately translates into jobs, infrastructure development, and economic growth for our nations.

Why not create conditions that incentivize production rather than stifling it?

Why Collaboration Beats Isolation: Building a Prosperous Future

When we embrace resource nationalism, we inadvertently bring the same exclusionary attitudes we have long battled against into our own boardrooms and policy frameworks. This mindset undermines our ability to attract investment, stifles transparency, hampers the development of effective local content policies, and limits opportunities for knowledge-sharing, capacity building, and valuable public-private partnerships.

History offers no examples of countries that have prospered through resource nationalism. Instead, nations that adopt such approaches often find themselves mired in stagnation, missing out on the immense potential that international cooperation can unlock.

Let’s be clear: empowering African nations to take charge of their resources is essential. But empowerment doesn’t mean isolation.

It means recognizing that progress requires partnership. Foreign investors aren’t adversaries – they are allies who bring capital, technology, and expertise to the table.

By working together, we can ensure that the benefits of our natural wealth flow back to our communities, creating sustainable prosperity for generations to come.

The choice before us is stark: we can cling to outdated notions of resource nationalism, shutting ourselves off from the world and squandering our potential. Or we can embrace a future defined by collaboration, innovation, and shared success.

The path we choose will determine whether Africa’s energy story is one of missed opportunities – or transformative growth. Let’s choose wisely.