Africa is the least electrified continent in the world. Nearly 600 million people remain without access to electricity in Africa.
However, the pandemic, with its consequent lockdowns, supply chain disruptions and the diversion of fiscal resources by governments, did even more damage.
According to the 2022 Energy Progress Report published by the United Nations, Covid-19 has slowed progress towards universal access to electricity and clean cooking fuels and technology.
According to the report, Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of the world’s population without electricity rose from 71 percent in 2018 to 77 percent in 2020. Most world regions experienced declines.
One of the factors preventing countries from expanding access is cost. Achieving electrification for all in sub-Saharan Africa would require an investment of at least $31 billion per year by 2030.
For context, only $5 billion was received in 2017.
Gyude Moore is a senior policy researcher at the Center for Global Development. He has also served as Liberia’s Minister of Public Works.
He joins the program with ideas for where to direct investment to expand access.
Closing Africa’s science and technology skills gap
Many sub-Saharan African countries have about one or fewer engineers for every 10,000 people, according to the World Bank. Industrialized countries have 20-50 for the same number.
The skills gap in Africa is especially large in applied science, engineering and technology (ASET).
Graduates lack the skills and competencies required in the modern business, in part because university curricula are outdated.
As a result, many go abroad to study. We follow the story of two students in Romania.
Kenya: Coffee farmers fight climate change
Coffee production in Kenya is under threat: Climate change means frequent droughts and irregular rains that are drying up coffee berries.
For most farmers, trying to mitigate these effects is a costly and time-consuming endeavor.
