Africa Energy Reality
Executive-grade analytics cutting through official claims. Real data on project timelines, capital conversion, and socio-economic impact across the continent.
Morocco leads with a momentum score of 85, driven by aggressive solar targets and favorable policy environment. Nigeria shows the largest untapped potential with a score of 58 despite having Africa's largest economy.
Drop-off Analysis
Primary causes: Permitting delays, land acquisition issues, grid connection uncertainty
Primary causes: Financing gaps, PPA negotiations, regulatory changes
Primary causes: Supply chain issues, contractor availability, force majeure
Only 19% of announced projects reach operational status. The biggest bottleneck is the Announced→Development transition where 32% of projects stall, representing $26B in unrealized investment.
Morocco's streamlined permitting process delivers projects in 30 months median - 24 months faster than Nigeria. This represents significant cost savings through reduced financing costs and earlier revenue generation.
600 million Africans lack electricity access. Nigeria alone has 87 million people without power - more than the entire population of Germany. DRC's 81% gap represents the continent's largest electrification challenge.
Renewable Energy Socio-Economic Impact
Credibility metrics for policy makers and DFIs — All figures relate to Renewable Energy projects only
Kenya demonstrates the highest electrification efficiency: 1,200 MW has electrified 4.5 million people (3,750 people/MW), compared to South Africa's 875 people/MW. This reflects Kenya's focus on distributed solar and mini-grids.
Jobs per MW by Technology
Total Jobs by Country
Biomass projects create the most jobs per MW (35) due to fuel supply chain requirements. Morocco leads in jobs/MW efficiency (15) due to strong local content requirements. The sector has created 306,000 jobs across tracked countries.