The PATNA Initiative
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Leading Africa’s just energy transition

The Professional African Technical Network Advisory Initiative is a non-profit of more than 100 African technical experts, policymakers, researchers and maritime professionals, enabling Africa to shape the rules of the global energy transition.

PATNA delegates at the Abidjan workshop on greenhouse gas reduction from ships

Trusted across Africa and globally

  • African Union
  • IMO
  • MOWCA
  • MOESNA
  • AAMA
  • AGNES
  • University College London
  • NIMASA
  • Ghana Maritime Authority
  • University of Nairobi
  • ANAM Senegal
  • University of Lagos
  • African Shipowners Association

Purpose

Why PATNA exists

The gap between Africa’s exposure to global climate rules and its influence over them is not a natural condition. It is the consequence of under-investment in coordination, evidence and advisory capacity.

Mission

Strengthen Africa's agency

To build the coordinated positions, institutional networks and technical capacity that let African states participate as architects of international frameworks, not inheritors of them.

Vision

Africa in the language of the rules

A world where the technical capacity and credibility PATNA builds is reflected in the mechanisms and equity provisions of the frameworks governing Africa's maritime and energy future.

Our story

From a focused initiative to a continental institution

  1. 2024

    PATNA founded

    A focused intervention on maritime decarbonisation at the IMO, convening the UCL Energy Institute and African maritime networks.

  2. 2025

    NGO registration and LEAP Phase I

    Registered as an independent NGO secretariat. The first shipping emissions inventories compiled for six African states.

  3. Mar 2025

    Africa Strategic Maritime Summit, Abuja

    Ministers and technical experts from across the continent convened around a continental decarbonisation agenda.

  4. Aug 2025

    Dakar Maritime Decarbonisation Workshop

    Over 150 delegates from 25 African IMO member states. The 15 Dakar Declarations adopted as a unified negotiating position.

  5. Apr 2026

    Continental strategy adopted

    Africa's Continental Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy adopted at the AU STC-T&E, with PATNA as lead technical consultant.

In the room

Two PATNA delegates at a maritime governance reception
The chair and secretariat at an IMO plenary session in London
IMO plenary, LondonAfrican delegations at the table
PATNA members at a London summit reception
PATNA workshop participants in Dakar
Dakar workshopWest African maritime authorities
PATNA delegates group portrait

Research leadership

Anchored by the UCL Energy Institute

The LEAP series was developed with UCL as principal research partner. Its Shipping and Oceans Research Group provides the modelling, data analysis and academic rigour behind PATNA’s evidence outputs.

University College London
Registered
Monrovia, Liberia
Presence
Seychelles and Mauritius
Governance
Board of Directors and Secretariat
Board and Secretariat

Join the network

Ready to shape Africa’s energy future?

Specialists, policymakers, researchers and industry practitioners, collaborating across PATNA’s four expert cohorts.

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