The world is facing a climate crisis, and one of the ways it intends to combat it is by transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner, renewable energy sources. However, with the widespread energy poverty across the region, African countries propose to utilise their natural gas resources as a transition fuel in the short to medium term whilst concurrently working to scale the addition of renewable energy resources into their energy mix. Consistent with several debates on climate change issues, most countries within the Global North have a restrictive view on the role of natural gas in the transition and favour an outright transition directly to renewable energy sources. This paper discusses the technical, social, political, and economic issues underpinning the policy debate in this area. Consistent with the thesis of my broader research, evaluating the role of gas in the transition brings to the fore several risks and opportunities around Africa’s energy transition. It addresses questions like whether the transition could stifle Africa’s economic development. Can the continent find a balance between the transition and energy security? What would a just transition look like for Africa?