Africa
Africa Clean Energy Corridor
West Africa Clean Energy Corridor
Pan-Arab Clean Energy Initiative
Entrepreneurship Support Facility
Overview
Africa’s rapid economic expansion and growing population create a daunting energy challenge, amid rising expectations for improved resilience and sustainability. Finding a sustainable way to meet growing energy needs is one of the core development challenges for the continent.
Africa is rich in renewable energy sources, including hydro, sun, wind and others, as well as in critical minerals key to the energy transition. Although progress is ongoing through effective planning, securing funding is now essential to build the infrastructure and establish a sustainable energy mix.
African Heads of State set an ambitious goal to increase the continent’s renewable energy generation capacity from 56 GW in 2022 to at least 300 GW by 2030.
The Agency has engaged closely with African countries since its formation in 2011. It has a dedicated Sub-Saharan Africa team, while North Africa work is under the purview of the MENA (URL link). Engagement with Atlantic and Indian Ocean African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) occur under the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative. Strong linkages with regional programmes and initiatives have strengthened synergies in the pursuit of Africa’s energy transformation.
As is the case elsewhere, renewables are an increasingly favoured option in Africa because of environmental concerns, but also, increasingly, because they are an economical option. Fostering the continued growth of modern renewables in Africa is imperative.
IRENA work in the region
IRENA works across Africa by providing analysis, fostering partnerships, building capacity, and promoting policy for renewable energy adoption by supporting regional goals and developing national assessments such as the Tripling Renewable Energy Strategy (TRES).
CMP - Led by the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), the Africa Continental Power System Masterplan (CMP) aims to expand electricity generation and interconnections to promote affordable and sustainable electricity in Africa. IRENA supports this initiative as a modelling partner, enhancing AUDA-NEPAD's electricity system modelling capabilities with the SPLAT-CMP tool. In 2024, the CMP was endorsed as a Flagship Project of Agenda 2063 at the 37th African Union Summit, providing harmonised data for 48 countries to assess long-term energy trajectories.
RETO - The Regional Energy Transition Outlooks (RETOs) for Africa are five analyses being developed by IRENA for Central, East, North, South, and West Africa. These studies aim to create quantitative scenarios for 2050 that align with the SDGs and the African Union's Agenda 2063. IRENA is engaging in knowledge transfer and consultations with stakeholders, supported by a technical advisory committee that will meet in late 2024 and early 2025.
The SIDS Lighthouses Initiative (LHI) is a framework for action to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in their energy transition efforts from fossil fuel dependence to renewables. The Initiative brings together 42 SIDS, including African SIDS, as well as partners, including developed countries, regional and international organisations, development and multilateral agencies, private companies, research institutes and non-profit organisations. IRENA is the coordinator and facilitator of the initiative.
Key data
Past Events
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13 February 2026 Virtual
IRENA Flexibility Analysis & Planning Support Programme
