The number of people living without electricity in Africa is set to increase for the first time in eight years. In the wake of the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, latest data from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook shows the continent’s meager progress in improving electrification will be reversed. In fact, the population living without electricity in Africa is predicted to fall back to 2016 levels. As they juggle pressing health and economic crises while tackling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, several African governments are facing significant financial shortages. It’s a reality that has left key utilities shorn of vital resources to sustain the momentum of improving access to electricity.
SOURCE: QUARTZ AFRICA