The electrification rate in the region has grown from 33% to 46% in the last decade, but this pace of progress will leave nearly half a billion people in Africa without electricity by 2030.
With around 570 million people (more than 120 million households) across sub-Saharan Africa lacking access to electricity, the need for renewable energy is now. Solar energy is at the centre of renewable energy initiatives in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for three-quarters of the global electricity access deficit and hosts the top three access deficit countries in the world.
The International Solar Alliance, European Union (EU), European Investment Bank, World Bank, Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and Government of Denmark came together to organise a high level discussion on, “Solar to power Africa: building partnerships that deliver results” as an EU Side Event at CoP26 in Glasgow on 2nd November 2021.