Africa can go 100% renewable, so what's stopping it?

Mohamed Adow is Director of Power Shift Africa

Africa is often framed as a continent lagging behind in the global energy transition.

But this narrative misses a critical truth: Africa is uniquely positioned to leapfrog the fossil fuel era and lead the world into a clean energy future.

A new report from Power Shift Africa and the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney shows how it can be done and why it needs to be a global priority.

The report, African Energy Leadership: The Case for 100% Renewable Energy, lays out a scenario which would see Africa transition to a fully renewable energy system by 2050.

The benefits are staggering: up to $5 trillion in savings, 2.2 million additional energy jobs, and universal access to clean, affordable electricity for Africans.

Africa’s renewable energy potential, particularly in solar and wind, is vast and largely untapped.

The continent would need to install just 3,500GW of renewable capacity by mid-century, less than 1% of its total potential. Most of this would come from solar photovoltaics, supported by wind, storage, and grid upgrades.

This is not just a climate solution. It’s a development strategy.

Nearly half of all Africans live more than 10 km (around six miles) from a power line. Traditional grid expansion is slow and expensive. Decentralised, off-grid renewables, like mini-grids and electric cooking, can deliver energy access faster, cheaper, and more equitably.

They also reduce reliance on polluting fuels like charcoal and wood, which currently dominate household energy use and contribute to deforestation and respiratory illness.

The report’s findings also challenge the notion that fossil fuels are a necessary stepping stone for development.

In fact, continued investment in fossil infrastructure risks locking Africa into stranded assets and exposing it to volatile global markets.

The economic case for renewables is now stronger than ever: fuel cost savings alone ($8.3 trillion) would fully cover the total investment required to go 100% renewable ($7.3 trillion).

Structural barriers but also strategic advantage

But the path forward is not without obstacles.

Structural barriers, such as debt burdens, limited access to finance, and restrictive intellectual property regimes, continue to stifle progress.

We need to see international action to cancel unjust debt, reform global financial systems, and scale up public climate finance.

African governments must also prioritise energy sovereignty and integrate energy planning into their broader development agendas.

This is where Africa’s strategic advantage becomes clear.

Unlike many industrialised nations, African countries are not locked into legacy fossil infrastructure. This gives the continent a rare opportunity to design energy systems fit for the 21st century: decentralised, resilient, and people-centred.

It also positions Africa as a global leader in the clean energy transition, not just a beneficiary of it.

The implications are global.

A renewable-powered Africa would not only contribute to global climate goals, but also reshape trade, investment and geopolitics.

It would reduce the continent’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, strengthen regional integration and open new markets for clean technologies and services.

The report also highlights the importance of clean cooking as a development priority. Transitioning from biomass to electric cooking could yield massive health and environmental benefits, but it requires targeted policies, consumerincentives and infrastructure investment.

This is a clear example of how climate action can deliver immediate, tangible improvements in people’s lives.

Ultimately, the choice is not whether Africa can go 100% renewable - it’s whether we will seize the opportunity.

The technology is ready. The economics are sound. The benefits are clear. What’s needed now is political will, both within Africa and from the international community.

Africa’s energy future is not a question of charity or aid. It’s a question of justice, strategy and vision.

The world should take note, not just because Africa’s success is essential to global climate goals, but because it offers a blueprint for a more equitable and sustainable future.