Can Private Power Markets Solve Africa’s Industrial Energy Challenge?

As Africa’s industries demand more reliable power, captive and embedded generation is moving from a back-up solution to a critical part of the continent’s energy infrastructure.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Energy, Vincenzia Leitich, Executive Vice President, Power & Renewables, Client Coverage at Standard Bank, discusses how the shift towards private power markets is changing the way energy projects are procured, financed and delivered across Africa.

The conversation explores the rise of corporate off takers, embedded generation and wheeling, and what lenders need to see before committing capital to long-term projects. From creditworthy counterparties and 20-year power purchase agreements to regulatory certainty, storage and grid connections, Vincenzia explains why the fundamentals of bankability remain critical even as project structures become more complex.

She also turns to one of the biggest constraints on further investment: transmission. With capital available for African power projects, expanding grids and cross-border interconnectors could be key to allowing new generation to reach industrial customers and opening the door to investment at greater scale.

Recorded at the Africa Energy Forum 2026 in Cape Town, the discussion asks what needs to happen next to create a power market capable of supporting Africa’s industrial ambitions.