In Africa, energy access is not just about light or power — it’s about life itself. It determines whether families can stay connected and feel safe, whether children can study at night, whether entrepreneurs can unlock new income, and whether communities can build resilience against climate and economic shocks. Energy access is the backbone of dignity, opportunity, progress and a basic right. Those of us who have worked on the frontlines understand that behind every connection statistic are real families building better futures. This human reality is why the world’s ambition must now match the urgency of the moment.
Yet in the rush for reform, we must not lose sight of how far we’ve come. Over the last 15 years since our journey began, the energy access community has made remarkable progress. In 2009, off-grid solar kits and minigrids were still nascent ideas, facing seemingly insurmountable challenges with funding, pricing and distribution. Today, they are central to rural electrification. Off-grid solar systems (including lanterns) have reached over 560 million people, providing essential services far beyond the reach of traditional grid infrastructure. This dramatic improvement is due to sustained collaboration between governments, donors, and the private sector. They are proof that bold partnerships can transform lives.
As practitioners who have lived through this, we have seen the transformation firsthand — from small pilot projects lighting up a handful of homes to robust national programs bringing power to millions. We have witnessed villages light up for the first time and entrepreneurs thrive thanks to reliable energy. This momentum affirms a simple truth: universal access is achievable with the right support.
But the job isn’t done. 685 million people in Africa still lack electricity — and today’s funding dynamics such as shrinking grant flows, misaligned priorities, and inflexible mechanisms threaten to stall, or even reverse, what we have all worked so hard to achieve.
We cannot afford to turn back. If we become complacent or continue business-as-usual, we risk leaving hundreds of millions in the dark. We do not need more rhetoric. We need a bold realignment of how we finance access.
A call to action for donors & policymakers
We are calling for a decisive shift — from a fragmented, bureaucratic grant ecosystem to one that is coherent, catalytic, and purpose-built for delivery.
This means:
- Remember the mission. This is about delivering electricity to those who still live without it — a fundamental pillar of human dignity and opportunity. Grant funding must remain anchored in this purpose.
- Be bold, with a focus on the goal. With fewer than five years to 2030, this is the moment to simplify, scale, and deliver. We cannot close the access gap through incrementalism or isolated projects. We need donors and development partners to mobilise significant capital, channel it through high-impact and coordinated platforms, and focus relentlessly on reaching unserved populations.
- Be pragmatic, flexible, supportive, and work together. The path to universal access will be challenging. Funding approaches must be well-coordinated and reflect local realities — blending grants with other instruments, adjusting to market maturity, and supporting partners who have demonstrated the capacity to deliver meaningful impact efficiently and at scale.
We must “finish the job” — not incrementally, but through coordinated, determined action.
The trajectory of the past 15 years has shown us what’s possible — and what must change.
We invite donors, governments, and partners to step forward — not just as financiers, but as co-creators of a future where every household, no matter how remote, has access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy.
This is the time for development finance to recommit — not just in words, but in structure — to closing the energy access gap and delivering SDG7.
Excerpt of: Maximising Impact: Transforming Grant Funding for Energy Access (ENGIE Energy Access 2025)