A Path Across the Rift: Informing African energy transitions by unearthing critical questions and data needs

Sub-Saharan Africa is uniquely positioned in the transition to a clean energy economy, as the region with the fastest-growing energy demand and lowest rate of access to reliable, clean, and affordable energy. Despite the substantial opportunity to improve lives and economies, there are flaws in the way we think and talk about energy in the region.

This report reviews the available analyses of African energy transitions to unearth the critical open questions that require answering to enable science-based policymaking. It identifies common misconceptions and gaps in research which need to be addressed for policymakers and investors to move forward with energy planning.

Common myths of a uniform African continent and simplistic ideas of Africa’s abundant natural resources should be replaced by country-specific energy plans, informed by place-specific evidence from the granular level right up to the supporting ecosystem of infrastructure, policy and finance.