Solar

Not by renewables alone

How do renewables stack up against traditional forms of energy in Africa? As Jackson Foley reports, it’s a shifting picture – but don’t count out coal just yet. “Africa is not a country” is the title of a new book seeking to correct foreigners’ views of the continent. Its author wants her international readers to see Africa just as its own peoples see it: huge, varied and facing many different circumstances. Anyone who works in the African energy sector knows this already. There are vast differences between the markets in Egypt and Equatorial Guinea or between Senegal and South Africa. There is no ‘one size fits all solution’ to the continent’s yawning electricity gaps.

Expand And Diversify: Aiim Invests In Starsight’s Distributed Generation Solutions

AFRICAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT MANAGERS (AIIM) DEVELOPS AND MANAGES PRIVATE EQUITY INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS DESIGNED TO INVEST LONGTERM INSTITUTIONAL UNLISTED EQUITY IN AFRICAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. Interview with Damilola Agbaje – AIIM Investment Director. AIIM actively manages investments in East, West and Southern Africa and has equity under management of USD 2.0 billion with a track record extending […]

Africa Can Adopt Renewable Energy On A Massive Scale And Save Billions Along The Way

OPED BY KENNETH ENGBLOM VICE PRESIDENT, WARTSILA ENERGY, EUROPE AND AFRICA Africa’s energy future at a crossroad When it comes to building the future of energy in Africa, the decisions facing the continent’s leaders today are nothing less than of historical importance. More than anything else, energy systems are the very fabric of business and […]

Red Rocket Leading Africa Into A Clean Energy Future

AS THE WORLD GRAPPLES WITH GROWING ENERGY NEEDS, ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, BUSINESS MODELS, AND PROJECT DELIVERY CAN STEP UP TO DELIVER LASTING CHANGE AND INVESTMENT. Since 1999, the African Energy Forum has led engagements between stakeholders around creating energy on the planet. So much has evolved in those twenty-three years. Alternative energy sources such as hydrogen, […]

South Africa’s Energy Sector And The Just Transition

CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT BY STAKEHOLDERS CRUCIAL IN ENSURING ENERGY SECTOR IS SUSTAINABLE WHILE ALSO MANAGING SOCIAL IMPACTS OF SHIFT – AN ARTICLE CO-WRITTEN BY MATT ASH, TINA COSTAS, JAMES ROSS AND KELSEY PAILMAN. While there has been steady progress in the global transition from economies running on fossil fuels to sustainable energy development since the establishment […]

MCB Ltd supported Infinity Renewable Energy BV’s acquisition financing for Lekela Power

(24 March 2023) The Mauritius Commercial Bank Limited (“MCB”) is pleased to announce that it has acted as joint Mandated Lead Arranger (MLA) in relation to an initial senior loan facility to support Infinity Power on its acquisition of Lekela Power. Infinity Power is a joint venture between Egypt’s Infinity and UAE’s Masdar. The transaction […]

Decarbonising Africa’s Grid Electricity Generation

The world faces a climate emergency. The emissions from power plants already operating or commissioned have exhausted the carbon budget compatible with keeping warming to 1.5 degrees. Meanwhile, Africa faces a poverty emergency. The proportion of Africans living in extreme poverty (measured by purchasing power parity of $1.90 per day) is falling but population growth […]

Social Impact Objectives In Renewable Energy Development: Doing Good For People Is Good For Business

FALLING PRICES, INTENSIFIED CLIMATE CHANGE MANDATES, AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES HAVE IGNITED TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY (RE) INDUSTRY. MORE THAN EVER, WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE PLANET IS ALSO GOOD FOR THE BOTTOM LINE. But what about for people? RE projects work best when they are designed to produce not just power but empowerment: jobs, […]

Big Challenges for African Utilities

National utilities are being forced to modernise as independent power producers enter the African market, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the energy conundrum, writes Neil Ford.

Pas 2022 – Country Spotlight: Egypt

SUMMARY OF THE SESSION UNDER THE SAME TITLE THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE POWERING AFRICA SUMMIT (PAS), IN WASHINGTON DC, ON MARCH 2022. In the summer of 2014, there was a massive electrical power outage in Egypt. The electricity deficit in Egypt led the country to set a new strategy for electricity—resolving the lack of […]

Country Spotlight: Zimbabwe

SUMMARY OF THE SESSION UNDER THE SAME TITLE THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE POWERING AFRICA SUMMIT (PAS), IN WASHINGTON DC, ON MARCH 2022. The electricity demand in Zimbabwe is high as the country continues on a growing path. Currently, 40% of the population has access to electricity, but they all reside in major towns. The […]

Financing Decentralised Renewable Energy Systems & The Evolution Of Metro-Grids

SUMMARY OF THE SESSION UNDER THE SAME TITLE THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE POWERING AFRICA SUMMIT (PAS), IN WASHINGTON DC, ON MARCH 2022. It was discussed that the solution to the cost problem and the profitability problem in mini and metro-grids is scale. Metro-grids will allow a per unit, per-connection basis that will drive down costs […]

Africa Energy Forum 16 - 19 June 2026

Play daily puzzles on ENN 1 January - 31 December 2026

Energy news

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.

Before the money moves, someone carries the risk

ATIDI has spent a year behind energy projects across the continent and intends to widen that support, its senior underwriter Annabelle Buzingo told AEF, through greater underwriting capacity, more partners and solutions built for renewable infrastructure, with transmission and local institutions rising up the agenda.

Africa’s energy transition is lived in the kitchen

Clean cooking reaches fewer headlines than generation and touches more lives. At AEF, South Africa's Samantha Graham-Maré and the World Health Organisation's Heather Adair-Rohani argued that it is a matter of health and dignity, and that progress should be counted in households reached rather than commitments made.

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