The global energy transition has lost momentum, and Africa is improving from a low base while still facing major structural constraints, according to the World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index 2026. The report says Sub-Saharan Africa is making progress in access, affordability and readiness, but the region remains held back by underinvestment, weak infrastructure and uneven policy support.
The index shows that global transition progress has stalled, with the overall score broadly unchanged in 2026 after a modest rebound the previous year. While energy system performance improved slightly, transition readiness fell for the first time in more than a decade, reflecting weakening conditions for future investment and implementation.
For Sub-Saharan Africa, the report says the region continues to build momentum from a low starting point, especially in electrification and policy progress. But it also warns that the transition remains uneven and vulnerable to financing gaps, access challenges and weak infrastructure.
The report places strong emphasis on the importance of readiness — the policy, financial, human capital and infrastructure conditions needed to sustain energy transformation. It says weaker financing conditions and policy uncertainty are making it harder to turn ambition into delivery, even as clean energy investment reaches record levels globally.
Africa’s performance is viewed in the context of a wider global shift toward energy security. The report says geopolitical shocks, supply chain concentration and rising electricity demand are reshaping energy strategies worldwide, with countries now focusing more on resilience, affordability and domestic capability.
At the regional level, the report says Sub-Saharan Africa has benefited from gradual improvements in regulation and energy access, but the pace is still too slow to close gaps by 2030. It also notes that the region’s energy transition is being shaped by its strong sustainability profile and its need to expand access for millions still outside the grid.
The index highlights that Africa’s challenge is not only one of generation capacity, but also of financing, grid development and the ability to support industrial growth. It says countries that strengthen institutions, mobilize capital and improve delivery systems will be best positioned to advance their energy transitions.
The report’s broader message is that the next phase of the transition will be determined less by technology alone and more by governance, investment and execution. For Africa, that means turning progress in access and affordability into a more stable and resilient energy future.
