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Energy access is essential for economic growth, yet around 560 million people in Africa still live without electricity. Closing this gap comes at a cost of USD 15 billion in annual investments until 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. As energy challenges persist, there is a growing focus on energy infrastructure development, open access regulatory reform and cross-border energy integration, all of which are creating exciting entry points for Africa’s energy sector investors.
Open access frameworks are being implemented across Africa, including in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia and Namibia. These frameworks assist in dismantling traditional state-utility monopolies and encourage greater private participation in generation, transmission access, wheeling and energy trading.
Alongside national open access frameworks, the recent energy integration arrangements introduced as part of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) have been assisting national energy utilities across the region to coordinate operations and balance local supply and demand.
In late 2025, the World Bank approved the USD 12 million RETRADE SAPP project to expand the regional electricity market and attract private capital for infrastructure development. According to the World Bank's project outline,the initiative aims to increase cross-border renewable energy trade, improve grid reliability and advance the creation of the Africa Single Electricity Market.
Source: solargis