Universal energy access is one of the driving forces in alleviating poverty and ensuring sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The IEA World Energy Outlook, however, shows that close to 600 million people remain without access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. This number rose in 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing progress observed in recent years. A delayed recovery would see the number of individuals without access to electricity increase from almost 600 to 630 million by 2030.

“An Affordable and Sustainable Energy System for Sub-Saharan Africa” (Energy Sub-Saharan Africa) is a 4-year (2019-2023) programme funded by the European Union that is designed to support the aspirations of selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve their energy data management and long-term energy planning.

The Lagos Plan of Action (officially the Lagos Plan of Action for the Economic Development of Africa) was an Organisation of African Unity-backed plan to increase Africa's self-sufficiency. The plan blamed Africa's economic crisis on the Structural Adjustment Programs of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and the vulnerability of African economies to worldwide economic shocks, such as the 1973 oil crisis. It has been characterized as the collective response of African states t