African Energy Week Opens as 560 Million in Sub-Saharan Africa Still Lack Electricity
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 13
African Energy Week Opens as 560 Million in Sub-Saharan Africa Still Lack Electricity
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 13
Summary
Cape Town is hosting African Energy Week through Oct. 16, with ministers, investors and oil executives focusing on oil and gas investment, energy finance and ending energy poverty.
125 billion barrels of proven oil and nearly 18 trillion cubic metres of gas underpin that push, with Libya and Nigeria holding almost 70% of oil reserves and Nigeria and Algeria about 58% of gas reserves.
71.2% of global cobalt and 72.4% of manganese output came from Africa in 2025, reinforcing the continent’s role in electric-vehicle and battery supply chains.
560 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack electricity—about 86% of the global total—even though some countries have universal access and others generate nearly all power from renewables.