Energy access

Off-grid power is now an execution business

Fifty million people gained electricity under Mission 300 and another 250 million wait on a deadline of 2030. At AEF, Ignite's Yariv Cohen, Sun King's Radhika Thakkar and the Mission 300 Accelerator's Andrew Herscowitz argued that the distributed energy sector's task has shifted from proving the model to scaling it.

Catch up on the ENN Daily Newspapers from the Africa Energy Forum 2026 held in Cape Town

Africa's largest electrification drive set out to bring power to 300 million people by 2030. At the opening of the Africa Energy Forum 2026 in Cape Town, the Presidents of the World Bank and the African Development Bank used a joint video message to mark how far it has already travelled, and what is carrying it.

Mission 300 reaches its first 50 million people

Africa's largest electrification drive set out to bring power to 300 million people by 2030. At the opening of the Africa Energy Forum 2026 in Cape Town, the Presidents of the World Bank and the African Development Bank used a joint video message to mark how far it has already travelled, and what is carrying it.

Desert Technologies Strengthens African Partnerships and Explores Promising Investment Opportunities that Support its Expansion in the Continent at Africa Energy Forum 2026

Saudi solar manufacturer Desert Technologies used the Africa Energy Forum to showcase a portfolio built around AI, pairing high-performance solar and storage with tools for forecasting, performance analytics and predictive maintenance. The company also set out its mini-grid work for the communities across Africa still beyond the reach of the grid.

Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni: a project of hope for Mpumalanga

Seriti Green's Peter Venn on why South Africa's largest wind project is being built in the heart of coal country. Speaking to ENN at AEF, he explains how Ummbila Emoyeni reskills coal workers for wind, draws its workforce from the local towns, and stands as a project of hope for Mpumalanga.

“Capital follows trust”: US Ambassador on what turns Africa’s resources into industrial growth

Africa's industrial future will be decided less by what lies under the ground than by what is built above it. At the Africa Energy Forum, John Giordano, US Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, made the case that industrialisation is a connectivity story, and that investment follows once a country shows it is stable and governed by the rule of law.

The capital is already built: why the secondary market matters for Africa’s energy future

Closing Africa's infrastructure investment deficit will take more than financing new projects. Speaking to ENN at AEF, Ziyaad Sarang of Investec and Revego Fund Managers makes the case for the secondary market, where owning operating renewable assets lets developers recycle their capital into the next wave, and explains why institutional investors are backing African renewables in a way they weren't a decade ago.

Momentum gathers for Madagascar’s 127MW Volobe hydro

Madagascar's largest-ever power project is moving towards financial close, with development finance lining up behind it. Writing for African Energy, Marc Howard reports on the 127MW Volobe hydro scheme, set to provide around a third of on-grid supply and help end the country's costly reliance on imported fuel.

Why Industrial Energy Infrastructure Matters for Africa’s Growth Agenda

DBSA committed US$100m to the US$325m financing behind Ghana's Kumasi Pipeline, a 105km extension now serving the mining and industrial economy that earns the country much of its foreign income. As AEF 2026 Country Host, Chief Investment Officer Greg Fyfe tells ENN what catalytic financing means in practice, from project selection to community grievance mechanisms.

From Energy Access to Industrial Growth: Why Reliable Power Is Africa’s Greatest Opportunity

In an interview with Energy News Network (ENN) ahead of the Africa Energy Forum (aef) 2026, Goran Rajsic, Founder of Sun Africa, outlined the company’s long-term commitment to delivering energy infrastructure across the continent and its belief that Africa’s industrial future must be built by African businesses, talent and supply chains. Sun Africa develops utility-scale […]

How Gulf investors are driving Africa’s energy transition

Africa needs power, and power demands capital – lots of it. In the past, investment was expected to come from the state, usually supported by borrowed money. But in recent years, a new source of capital has emerged in the form of commercial investors who see an opportunity in Africa’s drive to build renewable energy […]

Flexible Engine power plants: The ultimate resilience technology for Nigeria’s industrial minigrids

By Wale Raphael Yusuff – Business Development Mgr NA, Nig & Ghana Resilience is the defining requirement of power systems for industrial minigrids in Nigeria. For many businesses, the real question is not “What is the cheapest electricity?”. It is “What power system will keep my operations running no matter what?”. In an environment defined […]

Africa Energy Forum 16 - 19 June 2026

Play daily puzzles on ENN 1 January - 31 December 2026

Energy news

The grid build-out is a people business

South Africa's IPP Office has delivered 1,164km of new transmission under the first phase of its programme, and at AEF its head of strategy Niveshen Govender and the electricity ministry's Mvumikazi Vimbani set out what scaling the transmission development plan demands next, from procurement to the engineers who make it real.

Off-grid power is now an execution business

Fifty million people gained electricity under Mission 300 and another 250 million wait on a deadline of 2030. At AEF, Ignite's Yariv Cohen, Sun King's Radhika Thakkar and the Mission 300 Accelerator's Andrew Herscowitz argued that the distributed energy sector's task has shifted from proving the model to scaling it.

Mission 300’s map fills in with six new compacts

Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Gabon, Rwanda and Uganda signed national energy agreements at AEF, carrying Africa's largest electrification drive deeper into Central and East Africa, while the AfDB's Daniel Schroth pointed to a partnership that now counts more than thirty development finance institutions.

Catch up on the ENN Daily Newspapers from the Africa Energy Forum 2026 held in Cape Town

Africa's largest electrification drive set out to bring power to 300 million people by 2030. At the opening of the Africa Energy Forum 2026 in Cape Town, the Presidents of the World Bank and the African Development Bank used a joint video message to mark how far it has already travelled, and what is carrying it.

ENN Book Club: The Black History Month Edit

In October, Black History Month is celebrated in the United Kingdom, and in February, it is celebrated in the United States. Black History is not confined to a single month: it encompasses the past, present, and future, shaping the world we live in today. Through literature, stories, and lived experiences, we gain insight into resilience, creativity, and the pursuit of justice. In this […]

Schneider Electric – the Future is Digital

Ifeanyi Odoh, Country President East Africa, Schneider Electric, spoke to EnergyNet about the new energy landscape, sustainability, the significance of data centres for East Africa, and the importance of digital infrastructure in powering the future. What is the New Energy Landscape, and what does it mean for sustainability? The New Energy Landscape is a new […]

TAQA Arabia – Pioneering CNG Solutions for East Africa

EnergyNet spoke with Adly Kafafy, Vice President Africa & New Ventures, TAQA Arabia, to find out about Tanzania’s first integrated CNG filling station and conversion centre, the country’s new LNG Virtual Pipeline, and the role of natural gas for the future. You have launched Tanzania’s first integrated compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station and conversion […]

PRESS RELEASE: How the East African Community (EAC) is set to Catalyse Digital Infrastructure and Regional Energy Integration

With data centres set to account for 20% of global energy use by 2050, is East Africa on the precipice of a global gold rush as it showcases a wealth of bankable businesses and unparalleled new energy potential? In 2024, following EnergyNet’s Powering Africa Summit in Washington DC, USA, Mara Holdings signalled their intent to […]

Mining & Minerals

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright says clean cooking is a major focus of Africa policy for the Trump administration

Washington DC | 19, March, 2026 — U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright confirmed a major Africa policy focus: partnering with African governments to create the right conditions to solve the delivery challenges associated with clean cooking across the continent. Secretary Wright told the Powering Africa Summit (PAS) 2026 in Washington D.C. on Thursday: “This […]

Mining & Minerals

Guinea and United States Strengthen Energy Partnership During Powering Africa Summit

Washington, D.C., March 19, 2026 — The Minister of Energy of the Republic of Guinea, Mr. Laye-Sékou Camara, expressed his sincere appreciation to the Government of the United States and senior members of the U.S. Administration for their continued engagement and support for Guinea’s development priorities. Minister Camara emphasized that Guinea attaches great importance to the strengthening […]

Sun Africa, EXIM and African Ministers Set Project-Focused Tone at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — 19 March 2026 — The Powering Africa Summit opened with a clear shift toward execution, as Summit Sponsor Sun Africa and senior government leaders called for bankable projects, scalable infrastructure and deeper U.S.-Africa investment ties. Adam Cortese, CEO of Sun Africa, framed energy as the backbone of industrial growth and cross-Atlantic partnership. […]

Minister outlines reforms executed in Nigeria’s power sector

By Kabir Yusuf, Accra, Ghana December 2, 2025 According to the Minister, Nigeria now has excess generation capacity, producing only about 6,000 megawatts while capable of generating an additional 8,000 megawatts. Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Tuesday outlined major reforms undertaken in the last two years to revive the country’s electricity sector, saying […]

West African Ministers push for deeper energy integration, regional power market

By Kabir Yusuf, Accra, Ghana – December 3, 2025 They spoke during a ministerial roundtable themed “Maximising the Power of Regional Collaboration to Scale Up Energy Development.” The Nigerian Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Tuesday joined his counterparts from Ghana, Liberia, and Ghana to call for deeper regional cooperation to address electricity shortages, secure […]

Nigeria targets power supply for entire West Africa – Minister

By Kabir Yusuf, Accra, Ghana – December 3, 2025 The minister noted that regional energy security is tied to Nigeria’s success, noting that the country holds the largest gas reserves in the region and must play a central role in sustaining the West African power market. Although Nigeria is unable to provide regular electricity for […]

Pele Green Energy’s Jolene on finding your place in the energy transition

Pele Green Energy began as a drive to transform young South Africans' lives, with energy as the conduit. Speaking to ENN at AEF, Jolene Shaw of Knowledge Pele shares what nearly sixteen years has taught her, and why young entrepreneurs should find their place across the whole energy value chain.

Seriti Green’s Chabisi Motloung on the careers waiting for young Africans in renewables

Four months after leaving smelting for renewables, Seriti Green's Chabisi Motloung has a message for young Africans: this is where the careers are. Speaking to ENN at AEF's Youth Energy Summit, the COO makes the case for reinvention, problem-solving, and the dream of a single interconnected African grid.

Battery Storage

IPP Office Highlights Storage and Grid Expansion as Critical to South Africa’s Next Energy Growth Phase

South Africa’s energy sector is entering a new phase of its transition, with increasing attention focused on battery energy storage, transmission infrastructure and the reforms required to unlock further investment. As the country continues to expand renewable energy capacity and modernise its electricity market, questions around grid resilience, system flexibility and long-term energy security have […]

The ZimZam Pulse

The Zimbabwe Zambia Energy Projects Summit 2025 took place on the 26 – 28 November 2025 at the Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort. A luxurious resort located in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, Zambia, with views of the Zambezi River and is closely located to Victoria Falls. The summit, held under the theme “Mines and Energy: How Stakeholders have Fast-Tracked Private Sector […]

Zambia and Zimbabwe Throw Open Their Energy Sectors as Private Capital Rushes to Light Millions

Mozel Chimuka, Agora Village, AfricaWorks | LUSAKA, 27 November 2025 — Nearly ten million Zambians have never switched on a light in their own homes. Across the border, Zimbabwe’s national utility connects 50,000 households per year; its new binding commitment demands 320,000. Both nations have now staked billions on pledges to achieve universal electricity access […]

Unlock the Billion Dollar Vault Hidden Inside Zimbabwe’s Energy Liberalisation

Mozel Chimuka, Agora Village, AfricaWorks | LUSAKA, 27 November 2025 — Zimbabwe currently generates significantly less electricity than required to keep basic lights on, yet the government audaciously demands that private investors triple available capacity within six short years to feed a voracious mining beast that never sleeps. This paradoxical mandate requires the state to […]

Tour of Rare Earths in the Energy Transition

Mining & Minerals

Tour of Rare Earths in the Energy Transition

Tour of Critical Minerals for the Energy Transition – Andy Calitz and Mary Hemmingsen

Mining & Minerals

Tour of Critical Minerals for the Energy Transition – Andy Calitz and Mary Hemmingsen

Take a look back: aef 2019 Country Spotlight, Zimbabwe

Southern Africa

Take a look back: aef 2019 Country Spotlight, Zimbabwe

The Africa Energy Forum 2025

The Africa Energy Forum 2025

The Energy Post Podcast | Green Energy Transition | Transitioning Kenya and the Region

The Energy Post Podcast | Green Energy Transition | Transitioning Kenya and the Region

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright Keynote Speech & Fireside Chat with Rajiv Shah | Powering Africa Summit 2026

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright Keynote Speech & Fireside Chat with Rajiv Shah | Powering Africa Summit 2026

Sarah Lane, Denham Capital | West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) 2025

Sarah Lane, Denham Capital | West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) 2025

Michael Konadu, GE Vernova | West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) 2025

Michael Konadu, GE Vernova | West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) 2025

Eunice Biritwum, Energy Commission | West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) 2025

Eunice Biritwum, Energy Commission | West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) 2025

The Energy Post Podcast | Green Energy Transition | Transitioning Kenya and the Region

Financing a Just Energy Transition in Africa

From Cables to Clean Energy: Elsewedy Electric’s Footprint Across Africa

How JA Solar Is Scaling Solar Across Africa

Maximising The Power of Regional Collaboration to Scale Up Energy Development

Is Solar Enough? Rethinking Off-Grid Energy in West Africa

DFIs, Local Capital and Financing West Africa’s Power Transition

Strategic Vision for National Electricity & Energy Policy

Youth Powering Africa’s Sustainable Future

Beyond the Grid: Financing Southern Africa’s Energy Revolution with Standard Bank