Businesses in Africa suffer from the world’s highest costs of electricity. Solar PV on the user’s site can slash energy costs, improve competitiveness and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, but government regulations are holding investments back.

What does it take to eliminate the energy poverty in Africa? A recent IEA-report, «Africa Energy Outlook 2019», and a visit to an energy conference in Lagos 12-13 November shed important light to the answer.

Alarming new data reveals coal, liquid fuels, gas strengthening grip on Africa’s power sector. Investments in renewables too slow to keep pace with demand growth.

Electricity for all Africans is an important goal, but comes with a big risk: Increasing pollution and CO₂ emissions from back-up diesel generators. In order to avoid this crisis scenario, providing energy access for all must go hand in hand with investments in distributed renewables .