Senior Research Fellow
Dr Nqobile Xaba is currently a program manager for Resources Futures in Africa at Open Society Foundations (OSF). Prior to joining OSF, she was a researcher at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in the Knowledge Economy and Scientific Advancement faculty. Her work focuses on the just energy transition in South Africa, and mineral resource development and governance. She previously worked as a chemistry lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology and as a researcher at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for half a decade in the energy materials group. She spent her time as the CSIR researching energy conversion and storage technologies (Fuel cells and rechargeable batteries). She holds a BSc degree in pure and applied chemistry (cum laude) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and BSc honours degree in chemistry, an MSc degree in chemical engineering science from the University of North-West (NWU), and a PhD in chemistry from the University of the Western Cape (UWC). She is an alumnus of the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting.
Dr Xaba’s current work includes conducting research on South Africa’s implementation for a just transition framework in South Africa, and beneficiation of South Africa’s minerals for the energy transition. She works with diverse teams in the African continent and globally, researching Africa’s energy needs in the context of an evolving climate landscape and the socio-economic implications for global energy transition.
She has published her work on renowned scientific journal articles, has contributed book chapters and opinion editorial articles on leading South African publications. She is the co-editor and contributing author to the MISTRA volume A Just Transition to a Low Carbon Future in South Africa.
Dr Xaba holds a Senior Research Fellow appointment with the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment https://freefutures.org/research/. In collaboration with FREE, She has authored two publications and guest lecture at Graduate School of Energy and Environment Korea University. Her recent publication is titled “Evaluating the Implementation of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition in Coal Regions (WIREs Energy and Environment. 2025. (https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.70009).