Geothermal energy is gaining momentum in Africa, and a select group of individuals are playing pivotal roles in turning Earth’s heat into clean, baseload power.
These people help guide exploration, secure investment, and build capacity in this technically demanding sector.
Here are five key African (or Africa-focused) leaders advancing geothermal energy today:
— Peter Njenga (Kenya): As Managing Director of KenGen, Njenga leads Kenya’s geothermal power expansion. Under his leadership, KenGen pushes into new geothermal fields and boosts exploration across the Rift Valley.
— Dr. Peter Omenda (Kenya): Interim President of the African Geothermal Association, Omenda is a geoscience expert whose career is deeply tied to geothermal exploration and policy leadership across Africa.
— Robert Bunyi (Kenya): CEO of Akiira Geothermal Limited, Bunyi leads the company behind the planned Akiira One 70 MW geothermal power plant, a critical project for private geothermal generation in Kenya.
— Nejib Biya (Ethiopia): Entrepreneur and early driver behind the Corbetti Geothermal project in Ethiopia. Biya helped launch the project and brought together key partners to realize one of Africa’s most ambitious private geothermal developments.
— Manga Mugwe (Kenya): Co-founder and Chairman of Olsuswa Energy, Mugwe is leading geothermal exploration at the BVC (Turkana) geothermal field, pushing Kenya’s potential for new geothermal capacity.
These leaders illustrate that geothermal energy in Africa is not just about resources, it’s about vision, technical capacity, and local leadership building a sustainable energy future.
The list highlights key African figures who are instrumental in geothermal exploration, investment, and development. Criteria: documented influence in geothermal, active and public roles in projects, and relevance as of 2025.
Image Credit: Freepik
