On Monday, 10th March, 2025, ACEP proudly welcomed the 8th cohort of the Next Generation Resource Governance Leaders Program, an initiative to nurture innovative young professionals eager to transform Africa’s energy and extractive sectors. This diverse cohort brings much academic knowledge, professional experience, and fresh perspectives to tackle Africa’s pressing governance challenges.
Paul Oluwaloni Odewale (Nigeria)
Paul is an energy geoscientist with over two years of experience in hydrocarbon exploration and carbon sequestration. Before joining the NextGen program, he worked as a project geoscientist at the NCDMB-FUTA Center of Geoscience Excellence in Nigeria. He holds a bachelor’s in Applied Geophysics from the Federal University of Technology Akure.
Passionate about Africa’s energy future, Paul is committed to driving the sustainable and efficient utilisation of the continent’s natural resources for socioeconomic development.
Laura Adongo Otieno (Kenya)
Laura is a lawyer with a strong interest in taxation, sovereign debt, and green finance. She holds an LL.B from Strathmore University and is an advocate trainee at the Kenya School of Law.
Before joining ACEP, she served as a Sustainable Finance Legal Fellow at the International Lawyers Project, where she gained experience in legal frameworks for sustainable finance.
Kweku Essel-Amoah (Ghana)
Kweku holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Ghana and a certificate in Integrated Appraisal and Risk Analysis from the University of Ghana Business School.
Before joining ACEP as a NextGen Leader, he worked as an Assistant Public Investment Analyst at the Ministry of Finance. He is strongly interested in the energy and extractive sectors, particularly renewable energy, where he hopes to influence economic policy and contribute to sustainable development.
Beatrice Martin Mwella (Tanzania)
Beatrice is an electrical engineer with experience in renewable energy research, rural electrification, project management, and stakeholder engagement. She has a strong interest in the energy sector, particularly in power systems and the energy transition.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and is pursuing an MSc in Power Systems and High Voltage at the University of Dar es Salaam.
Gideon Agyapong (Ghana)
Gideon is a dedicated climate advocate and project manager with a strong focus on just transition, sustainable energy, and climate governance. He is actively involved in policy formulation and has an interest in the policy regime in the energy and extractive industries in Ghana and Africa.
His experience spans climate policy research and stakeholder engagement. Gideon is committed to advancing policies prioritising equity, social justice, and environmental resilience.
He holds a Construction Technology and Management degree from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and likes to watch football.
Esther Nimsaah Addae (Ghana)
Esther has a background in biological sciences and two years of research experience in biodiversity, ecology, and microbiology.
She is passionate about applying data-driven research to address climate change and energy transition challenges in Africa’s energy and extractive sectors. Her research focuses on the interactions between renewable energy technologies and ecosystems, identifying potential conflicts and opportunities for co-benefits.
Samuel Pam James (Nigeria)
Samuel is a seasoned project management consultant with over eight years of experience in project cycle management, research, and data analysis. He is proficient in project management methodologies, risk management, and team building.
A certified member of the Centre for Development Management (CMD), Samuel holds a B.Sc. in Political Science and an M.Sc. in Conflict Management from the University of Jos.
As Program Lead at ZIVA Community Initiative, he drives policy research and stakeholder engagement on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) and environmental sustainability in Nigeria. He has facilitated high-level discussions and media engagements on mining sector reforms and transparency, contributing to the advancement of sustainable development in Nigeria’s extractive industries.
Monika Ulitala Sakaria (Namibia)
Monika is deeply passionate about sustainable economic development. At ACEP, she is eager to gain hands-on experience in research and analysis related to the energy and extractive sectors—an opportunity she believes will reshape her perspective on resource governance.
Through policy formulation and review, she aims to contribute to shaping Namibia’s energy sector and beyond, ensuring local participation and using natural resources to address social issues while enhancing energy accessibility for all.
She holds a master’s degree in Oil and Gas Management and brings a unique blend of operational knowledge, expertise, and innovation to the NextGen Program.
The NextGen Program blends theory with hands-on experience, equipping participants with the knowledge, practical skills, and innovative thinking necessary to address complex governance challenges. Over the next three months, these emerging leaders will dive deep into Africa’s energy and extractive sectors, gaining not only technical knowledge but also training in leadership and professional development.
Through this journey, they will be guided in setting and achieving personal and professional goals, with a strong focus on ethical leadership. We are excited to see how their passion and commitment will shape the future of sustainable governance across the continent.
