Energy Africa Campaign

The UK’s Energy Africa campaign, launched on 22 October by International Development Minister Grant Shapps, will help Africa to achieve universal energy access by 2030. A reliable electricity supply is one of the most powerful tools for lifting people out of poverty and ending dependency on aid.
 

Two out of three people living in Africa do not have electricity in their homes. If we continue on the current trajectory, it will take until 2080 for there to be universal electricity access on the continent. Another generation of young people will miss the opportunity to help themselves out of poverty through the transformation that access to electricity in the home can bring.

Energy Africa, therefore, intends to remedy this problem by accelerating the development of Africa’s emerging solar market, working with African governments, investors, businesses, NGOs, think tanks, and other donors. Specifically, Energy Africa will aim to “increase investment in off-grid energy firms, overcome regulatory barriers, foster innovation, and accelerate delivery of solar energy systems to households across Africa.”