Across Africa, access to electricity is still a privilege, not a right. More than 600-million people in Sub-Saharan Africa live without reliable power — representing over 80% of the global electricity access gap. For many countries the energy crisis is not about keeping the lights on; it's about turning them on for the first time.
In contrast, SA’s crisis is one of dysfunction, not absence. Load-shedding has become part of daily life. Eskom, once a symbol of industrial power, now struggles with ageing coal plants, grid bottlenecks, municipal arrears and mounting debt. Yet even in crisis SA remains one of the few African countries with near-universal electricity access.
This contrast creates a powerful opportunity to reimagine energy pathways for the continent — not by duplicating broken models, but by learning, adapting and innovating from them.
A tale of two crises — access vs reliability
Across much of Africa energy poverty stifles development. Infrastructure is sparse, if it exists at all. In rural areas, grid extension is prohibitively expensive, and families rely on polluting alternatives such as kerosene or diesel. Financial constraints, weak regulatory frameworks and climate vulnerability further complicate the challenge.
SA, by contrast, has a relatively developed national grid — but its infrastructure is ageing and poorly maintained. Coal still dominates the energy mix, making the country one of the continent’s largest greenhouse gas emitters. Efforts to bring renewables online face transmission bottlenecks, while municipal mismanagement has created secondary distribution crises.
For SA, the challenge is modernising and greening an existing system. For many other African countries, it’s about building access from scratch. Yet the fundamental truth is shared: without reliable, affordable electricity economic development stalls. Energy access is not just a technical issue — it’s a developmental one.
What SA can teach — and where it falls short
Despite its current challenges, SA has pioneered innovative models for private sector involvement in energy, notably through the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). This has mobilised billions in private capital for clean energy infrastructure and created a pathway for public-private partnerships to coexist with state-owned utilities.
But applying this model across Africa requires adaptation. Large-scale grid-tied projects are not always feasible in areas with no grid, low demand density and limited fiscal space. Instead, the opportunity lies in decentralised, community-rooted energy solutions that meet local needs, build resilience and can eventually integrate with national systems.
What will work for Africa
- Decentralise to democratise. Traditional grid extension will not reach every rural village in the near term. Mini-grids, microgrids and solar home systems offer faster, more cost-effective and scalable alternatives. For instance, our microgrid pilot in Orange Farm has shown how decentralised power can transform energy access for previously underserved communities.
- Empower local ecosystems. Local ownership matters. When communities are trained to install, maintain and even manufacture energy systems, the impact multiplies. Beyond lights, it’s about building local economies and creating energy citizens, not just energy consumers.
- Reform regulation and unlock finance. Investors need certainty. African governments must create clear, stable and decentralisation-friendly regulations, including licensing pathways, tariff transparency and grid connection policies. Blended finance — mixing public, concessional and private capital — can derisk projects and attract investment to markets otherwise seen as high-risk.
- Anchor energy in economic use. Electricity must power more than households. From cold storage for farmers to small-scale manufacturing and digital hubs, productive use creates a commercial base for mini-grids to thrive. When energy powers business it becomes sustainable.
- Think phased, not perfect. Mini-grids need not be “forever solutions” — they can serve as pre-electrification models, meeting urgent needs now and integrating with national grids later. It’s not a choice between decentralised or centralised — it’s both, in sequence.
Why regional collaboration matters
Africa’s power future cannot be built in isolation. Regional bodies such as the AU, SA Development Community, the Economic Community of West African States and the East African Community must step up to harmonise regulatory standards across borders, invest in regional power pools and interconnectors, facilitate dispute resolution for cross-border projects, and mobilise regional development funding at scale.
These entities can create regional markets that are more attractive to global investors and more resilient to local shocks. Private sector players bring more than money. They bring speed, innovation and accountability. Companies like Granville Energy are investing not just in infrastructure but in inclusive models that prioritise people and performance.
Our work in underserved communities is anchored in technology deployment tailored to local needs, community-centric models that promote local ownership, job creation through skills training and local procurement, and a belief that sustainable energy is not a luxury, but a lever for dignity and growth.
Lighting up the continent — one solution at a time
Africa’s energy transition will not be won by megaprojects alone. It will be driven by decentralised systems that reach the last mile, local capacity that keeps systems running, private innovation that solves real problems and governance that sets the rules — and sticks to them.
SA’s energy evolution is instructive, but Africa must chart its own path — guided by flexibility, community empowerment and regional solidarity.
• Tabi is CEO at Granville Energy.
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