Op-ed: It's time Africa charted its own energy future

From the newsletter

Africa has the potential to finance its energy future. Ethiopia and Tanzania's mega-dams, constructed with domestic resources, are proof. As funding cuts from major donors like the US take effect, African countries should look inwards for capital. So says Beckham Siangani, an energy expert, in today's Renewables Rising opinion article.

• Mr Siangani studied energy engineering and has worked in multiple energy sectors, including electrical building works and solar installations. He currently provides energy audits for Syrecon Services.

• He argues that Africa has the opportunity to leapfrog fossil fuels and adopt renewables. This is already happening, with many switching directly from dirty fuels like kerosene for lighting to solar.

More details

By Beckham Siangani

The old adage suggests that when America sneezes, the world catches a cold. But what happens when a continent has already charted its own course? As the US President announced retaliatory tariffs on April 4, 2025, sending economic ripples across global markets, Africa has been quietly and strategically building its own energy destiny.

The President's recent economic manoeuvres—pulling back electric vehicle commitments, withdrawing clean energy funding, halting offshore wind development, and declaring a national energy emergency—were designed to reshape global energy markets. Yet these actions reveal a fascinating divergence: while America retreats from renewable commitments, Africa is doubling down. 

This isn't by accident. Africa has methodically developed energy independence through a comprehensive strategy that prioritises renewables, regional cooperation, and technological innovation. The continent isn't just building infrastructure—it's crafting energy sovereignty.

A collaborative effort by the World Bank Group, African Development Bank Group, and Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) aims to connect an additional 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. Transformative projects such as Nigeria DARES, Ethiopia's Electrification Program, and Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) are energising communities across the continent.

Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is poised to become Africa's largest hydropower plant, already selling electricity to Kenya with plans to extend to Tanzania. Meanwhile, Tanzania's Julius Nyerere Hydropower project adds 2,115 MW to the continent's capacity. Beyond water, Kenya leads the continent in geothermal energy integration, tapping into the East African Rift's natural heat resources to power its growing economy.

While Western nations debate nuclear power's future, African countries are moving decisively forward. South Africa maintains and expands its existing nuclear capacity, Egypt is actively constructing new facilities, and Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ghana have established clear timelines and vendor relationships for nuclear development.

Rather than being tied to rebuilding ageing infrastructure, Africa is leapfrogging directly to modern, interconnected power grids. Regional power pools in East, West, Southern, Central, and North Africa enhance reliability through cross-border electricity trading. The East Africa Power Pool, for example, is adding transmission lines connecting Ethiopia to Tanzania via Kenya.

Africa's energy revolution extends beyond massive infrastructure to community-level solutions. Mini-power grids, pay-as-you-go solar systems, and clean cooking initiatives are accelerating energy transition at the household level, creating distributed energy resilience.

The continent isn't merely adopting established technologies—it's pioneering emerging ones. South Africa has opened bids for 2,464 MWh of energy storage capacity, while Kenya plans to incorporate grid storage solutions. Several countries are strategically investing in hydrogen production, either as standalone initiatives or integrated with fertiliser production.

Critics sometimes suggest that Africa's ambitious energy goals remain hampered by financial dependencies, arguing that donor funding and debt create vulnerabilities to external influences. Yet Africa consistently demonstrates remarkable efficiency in project execution, often outpacing developed nations. Compare, for instance, the progress on nuclear power plant construction in Egypt with that in the UK.

While financing challenges exist, they don't condemn Africa to perpetual dependency. The continent's energy trajectory is increasingly self-determined, driven by strategic national priorities rather than external dictates. Global economic relationships remain relevant, but they no longer solely define Africa's energy future.

As Trump's America reorients its energy policies, Africa follows a different compass. The continent's energy revolution represents more than infrastructure development—it symbolises growing economic sovereignty and resilience against global economic turbulence. Africa may still experience the ripple effects when global economic shifts occur, but in the crucial energy sector, it has already stepped onto its own path—constructing its own secure foundation against future uncertainties.