By Ajong Mbapndah L
Marieme Sav Sow, Vice President for Engagement & Advocacy at TotalEnergies, used the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris to challenge one of the most persistent narratives about the continent’s energy future: the language of “potential.”
Speaking at the summit, where governments, investors, and energy companies gathered to map Africa’s role in the global energy transition, Sow pushed back against what she described as an overused and ultimately limiting framing.
“I hate the word potential,” she said. “We’ve been talking about Africa’s energy potential for decades. What Africa deserves is a winning story.”
Her remarks came as TotalEnergies positioned itself at the centre of discussions on Africa’s evolving energy mix, highlighting its strategy of balancing continued oil and gas development with accelerated investment in renewables.
The company’s participation in the forum included senior executives presenting across multiple panels, with Mike Sangster outlining the continued role of oil and gas in global energy security alongside the expansion of cleaner energy systems, and Christophe Fleurence detailing the company’s renewables portfolio and long-term transition roadmap.
Sow framed TotalEnergies’ approach as pragmatic rather than ideological, arguing that Africa’s energy trajectory must reflect both development needs and transition goals. She underscored natural gas as a critical bridging fuel while stressing that energy investment must be tied directly to human outcomes.
“Behind every megawatt, there are people who need education, health, and a real shot at tomorrow,” she said.
A central reference point in TotalEnergies’ messaging was its Mozambique LNG project, presented during the forum as an example of large-scale infrastructure investment intended to anchor long-term energy supply and industrial development in the region.
The Paris forum itself has emerged as a key platform linking African energy producers with global capital, with discussions spanning upstream hydrocarbons, renewable expansion, and financing frameworks for long-term projects. Organisers Energy Capital & Power and the African Energy Chamber, led by NJ Ayuk, have positioned the event as a bridge between African resource potential and international investment appetite.
Sow described the atmosphere at the forum as one of active negotiation and momentum, noting that discussions extended beyond policy into deal-making and project structuring.
“The room was alive—ideas, debates, deals taking shape,” she said.
Beyond the formal sessions, Sow highlighted the role of mentorship and talent development within the sector, pointing to her colleague Victoria Bertola as an example of the next generation of energy professionals emerging within the industry.
“She’s early in her career and already moves like someone who’s been doing this for years,” Sow said. “Sharp, dialled in, and somehow calm when everything around her isn’t.”
TotalEnergies’ presence in Paris reflected its broader positioning as a diversified energy company seeking to maintain relevance across hydrocarbons and renewables while navigating competing global pressures on decarbonisation and energy access.
As the forum concluded, Sow’s message returned repeatedly to the same theme: reframing Africa’s energy narrative away from expectation and toward execution.
