There’s a promising future for African renewables as the continent strives to balance its current reliance on fossil fuels.

That’s the prediction of the African Energy Chamber’s 2025 Outlook Report on the State of African Energy.

As I have said before, Africa will eventually rely primarily on renewable energy, as much of the rest of the world strives to — but on its own timetable, not that of Western countries who have benefited for centuries from the exploitation of fossil fuels.

To achieve a carbon neutral future, African nations must have the underlying infrastructure and industry to make the dominance of renewables possible. As things currently stand, most African states lack said infrastructure and industry, and the most feasible and expedient way for them to achieve both is through leveraging the abundant oil and gas resources so many of them possess.

As our report finds:

• Fossil fuels account for 72% of Africa’s power generation. South Africa and Egypt are Africa’s leading producers, and their dominance will continue into the next decade.
• Renewables account for over 27% of Africa’s power generation and are projected to increase to 43% by the end of this decade.
• Africa accounts for 3.3% of the global power generation, with a total power generation of over 980 terawatt hours.
• 13 GW of utility-scale solar PV and wind projects are under construction – South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia and Algeria account for over 75% of this capacity.

No Electricity at All

There are also significant challenges facing Africa’s energy sectors, as we cover in detail in our report.

The most pressing of those challenges is the fact that many rural areas across Africa are underserved and lack the necessary power infrastructure to access any electricity at all. In fact, of the 685 million people worldwide living without access to electricity, 590 million (86%) live in Africa. Conversely, even in well-served areas electricity is not cheap and reliable, as population and urbanization growth have outpaced the growth of power infrastructure, placing additional strain on the existing power systems. Many African households still rely on alternative, less efficient energy sources such as biomass, kerosene, etc., for heating and cooking.

One practical solution to these challenges is Western investment.

Western investment — providing both funds and technology — will help expand our existing infrastructure into underserved areas and harness our natural resources, and that will go a long way toward improving economic conditions across the continent. This will in turn improve energy affordability for many Africans as it becomes both more widely available and cheaper to access.

But where and in what should the West invest? That is up to them, but there are many development opportunities across the continent right now. I will cover just a few of the most promising, according to our outlook report.

What we found is that most North African countries see 90% access rates for electricity and are looking to enhance their power sectors while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The bulk of renewable power share increases by the end of the decade will almost certainly be seated in this region. In contrast, sub-Saharan countries will continue to fight low electricity access for some time. They have been able to increase access to 55% currently, up from 38.3% in 2010. These countries will be ripe for investment, expanding the grid and production infrastructure to improve electrical access.

We also found that hydropower continues to dominate in East Africa, which has some of the largest dams in the world generating 19% of Africa’s overall power generation and providing up to 90% of the available power for countries such as Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is nearing completion and is expected to generate 15,760 GWh annually once fully operational. The project is of such importance to the region that it has sparked diplomatic cooperation between the Nile-bound countries of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan in an effort to ensure equitable sharing of the river’s precious waters. Other currently ongoing projects such as Ethiopia’s Gibe III Dam (1870 MW), Zambia and Zimbabwe’s Kariba Dam (1830 MW) and Ghana’s Akosombo Dam (1020 MW) also speak to promising future growth and development opportunities for those willing to get their feet wet in the central and eastern parts of the continent along the Congo and Nile rivers, where nearly 90% of the continent’s hydroelectric potential remains untapped.

Geothermal power in Africa is currently dominated by Kenya, which to date is the seventh largest producer of geothermal power. Kenya’s estimated geothermal power potential is roughly 10 GW, but current operation capacity only allows 1 GW to be harnessed.

International investment is what launched Kenya’s geothermal power in the first place, with the United Nation’s development program providing the requisite research and funds in 1972 to establish the country’s first geothermal plant by the 1980s. Since then, Kenya has expanded independently, creating the state-owned Geothermal Development Company (GDC) in 2008 to both speed up geothermal advancements and lower the initial investment risk for foreign investment.

Solar Power: A Light in the Dark

Solar power offers a veritable gold mine of opportunity given Africa’s high irradiance levels: nearly 80% of the continent receives more than 2 MWh per square meter. This amounts to a solar PV potential of 1 million terawatt hours per year and a solar thermal potential of over 500,000 terawatt hours (for reference, a single terawatt hour is enough to light over 1 million homes for a year). Yet to date, Africa only generates over 35 TWh and 3.3 TWh from solar PV and solar thermal, respectively. Over 13 GW of utility-scale solar PV and wind projects are currently under construction, with hundreds more GW of capacity in the concept phase..

I would like to reiterate: Africa will reach a point where we will rely primarily on low carbon and renewable energy. But we cannot get to that point without building the proper infrastructure, and we cannot fund the building of said infrastructure without leveraging our natural resources, oil and gas being chief among them. If the west wishes to speed along Africa’s progress on this front, the best way is to work with African as partners and investors working towards common goals.

The Republic of Congo is expected to export an estimated 4.5 billion m³ of LNG in 2025 as part of the second phase of its Congo LNG project. Developed by energy major Eni, the project’s first phase began operations in late 2023 following the installation of the country’s first floating LNG (FLNG) plant at the Marine XII offshore license. A major milestone in Congo’s natural gas journey was reached in February 2024, when the country’s first LNG cargo departed from Pointe-Noire to Italy.

Given Congo’s immense potential to become a major gas hub in Central Africa, a technical workshop at the inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) – taking place in Brazzaville from March 24-26 – will explore cutting-edge technologies and practical solutions for unlocking and monetizing gas resources in the region. The workshop will cover the design, planning and deployment of advanced shipping solutions, including LNG carriers, as well as the development of floating gas infrastructure, such as floating storage and regasification units and FLNG facilities.

The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, set for March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationales des Pétroles du Congo, will bring together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. The event will explore the latest gas-to-power projects and provide updates on ongoing expansions across the country.

Congo holds an estimated 10 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, primarily in offshore fields such as Litchendjili, Néné, Minsala and Nkala, located within the Marine XII license operated by Eni’s Congolese subsidiary. With substantial recoverable reserves in fields like Marine XII, Nkossa and Banga Kayo, Congo’s natural gas sector presents an attractive investment opportunity. Ongoing developments – including FLNG and gas reinjection strategies at the Nkossa and M’Boundi fields – ensure a stable supply of natural gas for both domestic power generation and future exports.

The Central African region – home to some of Africa’s most promising oil and gas markets – is well-positioned to leverage its vast resource base to supply the continent with reliable and sustainable energy. Major producers such as Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon have long been significant oil exporters, yet substantial investment in natural gas infrastructure is still required to fully realize the region’s hydrocarbon potential. As such, the Monetizing Central Africa’s Natural Gas Potential technical workshop at CEIF 2025 – taking place on Day 2 of the conference on March 26 – will highlight best practices, address logistical challenges and showcase successful case studies, paving the way for greater regional integration and economic growth.

“CEIF 2025 is an essential platform for exploring innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies that will help unlock Central Africa’s vast gas resources. By bringing together international experts and local stakeholders, the event aims to address critical challenges to ensure the sustainable development of the region’s energy sector,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director at Energy Capital & Power.

Created in 2011, the Orange Summer Challenge (OSC) is the flagship event of the network of Orange Digital Centers in Middle East and Africa (www.Orange.com). Its objective is to inspire young people to develop technology start-ups for the common good. The 2025 edition ended in Casablanca with an international ceremony that rewarded three promising projects.

For more than three months, 282 young innovators and entrepreneurs from 14 countries benefited from intensive support combining training, mentoring and coaching provided by experts from Orange and its partners: AWS, EY and NOKIA. Together, they have developed 57 start-ups on the Tech4Impact theme, offering solutions to the region’s environmental, health, educational and agricultural challenges.

A second international ceremony highlighting three impact start-ups

The award ceremony, held on February 20, 2025 in Casablanca, revealed the three winning start-ups, selected by an international jury and the votes of Orange employees in Middle East and Africa. The event brought together professionals, partners, media and stakeholders from the entrepreneurial and academic ecosystem. The winners of this edition are:

• 1st prize: Plastikoo (Madagascar) – Transforming plastic waste into sustainable building materials, reducing pollution while promoting the sustainable development of local communities.
• 2nd prize: MEPS (Tunisia) – IoT-integrated solution to convert organic waste into clean biogas and fertilizer, contributing to the energy transition.
• 3rd prize: Leevlong (Cameroon) – A medical remote monitoring device that allows real-time monitoring of vital signs, thus improving the management of patients.

The winners will receive financial, technical and commercial support from the Orange Digital Centers and their partners. NOKIA will award €40,000 to fund pre-incubation and incubation projects, while Orange will offer a €20,000 prize to support young talent engaged in these impactful initiatives.

Brelotte Ba, Deputy CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, praised the evolution of the Orange Summer Challenge and the involvement of young people: “For 15 years, the Orange Summer Challenge has accompanied thousands of young talents in their entrepreneurial adventure. This new edition once again illustrates the capacity of African and Middle Eastern youth to innovate and respond to the societal challenges of our continent. Congratulations to the winners and all participants for their commitment and creativity.”

Sarobidy Nombatsitoha, Founder of Plastikoo, the first-prize winning start-up, expressed his joy and gratitude: “A dream come true! When I imagined Plastikôo, I never thought that this project would go so far. We put all our heart, gave our best, without really expecting such a result. With so many beautiful projects, this victory is a great source of pride. Congratulations to my team!”

Orange, a committed player for technology entrepreneurship and digital inclusion

True to its mission of digital inclusion and innovation, Orange develops training and support programmes to promote youth employment and the development of start-ups in Africa and the Middle East. The Orange Social Ventures in Middle East and Africa (OSVP) has supported impact entrepreneurship since 2010 with 55 major winners. The Orange Digital Center program, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2025, has already trained 1.2 million beneficiaries free of charge in the region and supported hundreds of start-ups.