An action agenda for Africa’s electricity sector: Modernisation and expansion requires heightened efforts
- Jan 1, 2021
- 1 min read
This paper presents a forward-looking action agenda for transforming Africa’s electricity sector to meet growing demand while advancing equity, affordability, and climate objectives. With Africa’s population and electricity needs rising rapidly, the authors argue that incremental change will be insufficient. Instead, the sector requires coordinated structural reforms and targeted investments to expand access, modernise infrastructure, and accelerate the uptake of clean energy.
The paper identifies five priority areas for action. First, it calls for continent-wide risk-guarantee mechanisms paired with targeted demand-side subsidies to close persistent affordability gaps. Second, it highlights the importance of digitalising energy planning and system management to improve efficiency, flexibility, and integration of variable renewables. Third, it argues for embedding local content requirements within renewable energy policies to support job creation, skills development, and domestic value capture. Fourth, it emphasises strengthening regional power pools through African-led partnerships to enhance system reliability and reduce costs. Finally, it advocates scaling up off-grid and interconnected clean-energy mini-grids to reach underserved communities.
Together, these measures form a coherent policy package aimed at delivering universal electricity access, long-term energy security, and reduced emissions. The paper positions Africa’s electricity transition as both a development imperative and a global climate opportunity, requiring African leadership supported by well-aligned international cooperation.
