Africa’s Grid Challenge: The Missing Link in the Energy Transition

Africa’s energy transition is gathering pace, but its electricity networks are under growing pressure. More than 600 million people across the continent still lack access to electricity, while rising demand, ageing infrastructure and limited transmission capacity are constraining efforts to turn new generation investment into reliable power.

Zimbabwe illustrates the scale of the challenge. World Bank projections show peak electricity demand rising from 1,950 MW in 2022 to 5,177 MW by 2030. Meeting that growth will require substantial generation investment alongside an estimated $4.4 billion in grid expansion.

The solution, however, cannot depend solely on expanding national grids. Greater regional interconnection could allow countries to share generation resources, manage shortages and improve the efficiency and resilience of their power systems.

Africa already has the foundations for this. The Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) operates regional electricity markets across interconnected SADC systems, with bilateral, day-ahead and intraday trading mechanisms. In June 2026 alone, 134.4 GWh was traded across SAPP markets. West Africa is also developing cross-border electricity flows through the West African Power Pool (WAPP), which covers 14 of the 15 ECOWAS countries.

Deeper interconnection could become increasingly important as solar and wind capacity expands. Connecting markets can enable countries to draw on neighbouring generation when domestic supply is constrained, while geographically diverse generation can help balance fluctuations in renewable output.

But a continental electricity market requires more than transmission lines. Regulatory harmonisation, common grid standards, coordinated planning, financially sustainable utilities, bankable transmission projects and political cooperation will be critical.

The African Union is advancing this agenda through the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and the Continental Power System Master Plan, with current priorities including cross-border electricity trade, infrastructure development, regulatory harmonisation and investment mobilisation.

Africa’s Grid Challenge Webinar

These questions will take centre stage at Resq Energy Hub’s “Africa’s Grid Challenge: The Missing Link in the Energy Transition” webinar on 15 October 2026.

Under the theme “The Impact of Regional Interconnections for Africa’s Energy Success,” industry leaders, policymakers, developers and financiers will examine how Africa can expand transmission, strengthen cross-border power markets and build a more connected, flexible and investable electricity system.

The question is no longer whether Africa needs more power. It is whether the continent can build the grids capable of moving that power to where it is needed.