Renewable Energy Policies for Addressing Energy Poverty and Mitigating Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa Biogas Partnership. (2024). Africa Biogas Partnership Programme: Reducing indoor air pollution and improving livelihoods in Africa. Africa Biogas Partnership.

African Union. (2024). Agenda 2063: The blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. African Union. Available from: https://au.int/agenda2063/overview

Agrawal A. , Basnyat B. , & Rauniyar S . (2023). The environmental and social impacts of large-scale hydropower projects in Africa: A review. Journal of Environmental Science and Policy, 146, 12–25. 10.1016/j.envsci.2023.06.009

Aigheyisi O. S. , & Oligbi B. O . (2020). Energy poverty and economic development in Nigeria: Empirical analysis. KIU Interdisciplinary Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(2), 183–193.

Amnesty International. (2022). Nigeria: Oil spills, environmental damage, and human rights abuses in the Niger Delta. Amnesty International Report. Available from: https://www.amnesty.org

Anwar S. , Acheampong T. , & Oduntan K . (2022). Emerging natural gas hubs in Sub-Saharan Africa: Trends, challenges, and opportunities. Energy Policy, 158, 112602. 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112602

Awuni S. , Adarkwah F. , Ofori B. D. , Purwestri R. C. , Huertas Bernal D. C. , & Hajek M . (2023). Managing the challenges of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in Ghana. Heliyon, 9(5), e15491. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15491

Bello A. , & Nwaeke T . (2023). Impacts of oil exploration (oil and gas conflicts; Niger delta as a case study). Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 11(03), 189–200. 10.4236/gep.2023.113013

Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for Central Africa (CEREEAC). (2021). Renewable Energy Roadmap for Central Africa. Available from: https://www.cereeac.org

Dagnachew A. G . (2016). Harnessing renewable energy resources for rural electrification in Ethiopia: Potential, challenges and prospects. Energy Policy, 96, 336–349. 10.1016/j.enpol.2016.06.039

East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE). (2020). Annual report 2020. Available from: https://www.eacreee.org

Eberhard A. , & Kåberger T . (2016). Renewable energy auctions in South Africa outshine feed-in tariffs. Energy Science & Engineering, 4(3), 190–193.

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE). (2018). ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy. Available from: https://www.ecreee.org

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2020). The State of Food and Agriculture 2020: Overcoming water challenges in agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Available from: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/6e2d2772-5976-4671-9e2a-0b2ad87cb646/content

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2021). Forests and sustainable development in Africa: A report on fuelwood, deforestation, and climate change impacts. FAO Available from: https://www.fao.org

Gyimah L. , & Gyimah A . (2024). Renewable energy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A prescriptive analysis of Ghana. Environmental Management and Sustainable Development, 13(2), 43. 10.5296/emsd.v13i2.22296

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2023). Renewable energy statistics in Africa: Hydropower, solar, and wind. IRENA. Available from: https://www.irena.org

International Energy Agency (IEA). (2021). World energy outlook 2021. Paris: International Energy Agency. Available from: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2021

International Energy Agency (IEA). (2022). World energy outlook 2022. Paris: International Energy Agency. Available from: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2022

International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), & African Development Bank (AfDB). (2023). Africa’s energy future: Trends in bioenergy and electricity access. IEA, IRENA, and AfDB Joint Report. Available from: https://www.iea.org

International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), & African Development Bank (AfDB). (2024). Energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa: Progress and challenges. IEA, IRENA, and AfDB Joint Report. Available from: https://www.iea.org

International Monetary Fund. (2016). Economic diversification in oil-exporting Arab countries (Policy Paper No. 16/28). International Monetary Fund. 10.5089/9781498345699.007

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2019). Health impacts of traditional biomass use in Sub-Saharan Africa. IRENA Report. Available from: https://www.irena.org

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2020). Renewable energy market analysis: Africa and its regions. Abu Dhabi: International Renewable Energy Agency. Available from: https://www.irena.org/publications/2022/Jan/Renewable-Energy-Market-Analysis-Africa

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2022). Renewable energy market analysis: Africa and its regions. Abu Dhabi: International Renewable Energy Agency. Available from: https://www.irena.org/publications/2022/Jan/Renewable-Energy-Market-Analysis-Africa

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2024a). Renewable energy statistics in Africa: Hydropower, solar, and wind. IRENA Report. Available from: https://www.irena.org

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2024b). Africa’s electricity mix: Fossil fuels, renewables, and transitions. IRENA. Available from: https://www.irena.org

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) & African Development Bank (AfDB). (2022). Solar and wind potential in Sub-Saharan Africa: Unlocking opportunities. IRENA and AfDB Joint Report. Available from: https://www.irena.org

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), League of Arab States, and RCREEE. (2014). Pan-Arab renewable energy strategy 2030. Available from: https://www.irena.org

Jain S. , & Jain P . (2017). The rise of renewable energy implementation in South Africa. Energy Procedia, 143, 721–726. 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.12.752

Kabeyi M. J. , & Olanrewaju O. A . (2022). Sustainable energy transition for renewable and low carbon grid electricity generation and supply. Frontiers in Energy Research, 9, 743114. 10.3389/fenrg.2021.743114

Karekezi S. , & Kihyoma W . (2003). Renewable energy in Africa: Prospects and limits. In: The Workshop for African Energy Experts on Operationalizing the NEPAD Energy Initiative, Dakar, Senegal, 2–4 June 2003, pp. 2–3.

Lyambai M . (2018). Accelerating energy access through public-private partnerships in Zambia. PAUWES Research-to-Practice Forum.

Nguyen D. H. , Nguyen H. H. , Nguyen T. H. M. , & Chen X. H . (2025). Green credit’s impact on pollution and economic development: A study from Vietnam. Research in International Business and Finance, 73, 102570. 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102570

Nkordeh N. , Ejiro M. , Okeoghene M. , Awomoyi M. , & Bobmanuel I . (2023). Renewable and Green energy, Africa’s pathway to sustainable development; harnessing the continent’s natural energy sources. Smart Grid and Renewable Energy, 14(07), 131–151. 10.4236/sgre.2023.147008

Nyarko K. , Whale J. , & Urmee T . (2023). Drivers and challenges of off-grid renewable energy-based projects in West Africa: A review. Heliyon, 9(6), e16710. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16710

Nyika J. M . (2021). Green energy technologies as the road map to sustainable economic growth in Kenya. Renewable Energy, 167, 184–195.

Pegels A . (2010). Renewable energy in South Africa: Potentials, barriers and options for support. Energy Policy, 38(9), 4945–4954. 10.1016/j.enpol.2010.03.077

Rosenzweig C. , Iglesias A. , Yang X. , Epstein P. R. , & Chivian E . (2018). Climate change and extreme weather events: Impacts on agriculture and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Global Environmental Change, 24(4), 293–303. 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.02.004

Salite D. , Kirshner J. , Cotton M. , Howe L. , Cuamba B. , et al. (2021). Electricity access in Mozambique: A critical policy analysis of investment, service reliability and social sustainability. Energy Research & Social Science, 78, 102123. 10.1016/j.erss.2021.102123

Satterthwaite D. , Archer D. , Colenbrander S. , Dodman D. , Hardoy J. , et al. (2020). Building resilience to climate change in informal settlements. One Earth, 2(2), 143–156. 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.02.002

Southern African Development Community Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE). (2017). Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (REEESAP 2016-2030)”, SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. Available from: https://genre.sardc.net/strategic_docs/Renewable_Energy_And_Energy_Efficiency_Strategy_And_Action_Plan_2016-2030.pdf

Wang Y. , Wu Y. , Wang C. , Li L. , Lei Y. , et al. (2024). The impact of energy poverty on the health and welfare of the middle-aged and older adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1404014. 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1404014

Wood Mackenzie. (2023). Energy transition outlook. Wood Mackenzie. Available from: https://www.woodmac.com/press-releases/energy-tra

World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Health impacts of indoor air pollution: A focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. World Health Organization.

World Bank. (2022). The economic costs of unreliable power in Nigeria. World Bank. Available from: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099061723133022449/pdf/P1762240038c17010bfb5087a5bcc325b5.pdf

World Bank. (2020). The economic costs of unreliable power in Nigeria. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. Available from: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099061723133022449/pdf/P1762240038c17010bfb5087a5bcc325b5.pdf

World Health Organization (WHO). (2018). Health impacts of indoor air pollution: A focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health