Kenya has rolled out the red carpet for global capital in a high-stakes push to cement its position as Africa’s clean energy powerhouse, with more than 1,000 investors, policymakers and industry players gathering in Nairobi for the Energy Access Investment Forum.
- •At the centre of the pitch is a country racing to close its electricity access gap while positioning itself as a regional hub for renewable energy investments.
- •The forum has drawn 159 energy investors actively scouting opportunities in Kenya and the wider region, with expectations of major funding announcements over the three-day event.
- •Backers say Africa’s energy gap, with over 600 million people still without electricity, remains one of the largest untapped investment frontiers globally.
“Energy is not merely a sector; it is a strategic enabler of economic transformation,” Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi told delegates, framing electricity access as the backbone of industrial growth and social inclusion.
Wandayi said Kenya has made significant strides, with about 75% of the population now connected to electricity, drawing from both grid and off-grid systems. But the government says the final stretch, reaching remote and underserved communities, will require a fresh wave of investment and innovation.
The two-pronged strategy is to accelerate grid expansion while scaling decentralised solutions such as mini-grids and standalone solar systems.
Over the past decade, the government has connected more than 6 million households, driven largely by last-mile connectivity programmes. Ongoing projects backed by development partners, including the World Bank, European Union and Japan International Cooperation Agency, are now targeting an additional 805,000 connections by year-end.
For off-grid regions, the government is betting big on decentralised systems.
So far, 57 hybrid mini-grids, combining diesel and solar, are powering about 30,000 households and businesses, transforming livelihoods in remote counties. An additional pipeline of solar-powered mini-grids is under construction, aimed at deepening access in underserved areas.
The Investment Landscape
These systems are not just lighting homes. They are driving small businesses, supporting education and unlocking local economies.
“Access to energy must go hand in hand with entrepreneurship and skills development,” Schneider Electric’s East Africa Country President, Ifeanyi Odoh said, pointing to growing demand for solutions that integrate power with income generation.
Despite rising investor appetite, a critical bottleneck remains, a shortage of well-prepared, investment-ready projects.
Studies show that up to 80% of African energy projects fail at early development stages, largely due to weak project preparation. Regional bloc Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa is now pushing a new project preparation facility to bridge that gap, aiming to convert concepts into bankable ventures capable of private capital.
The European Union has indicated deeper financial engagement through its Global Gateway initiative, a financing model blending grants and concessional loans to unlock infrastructure development.
Officials indicated that up to €120 billion (about Sh18 trillion) has been earmarked for Africa, with a significant portion directed toward energy projects.
