Scaling Electrification in South Africa: From Access to Resilience

Night-time view of Cape Town, South Africa, with city lights stretching across the skyline beneath Table Mountain at dusk.

Cape Town. Photo by YUXUAN WANG on Unsplash

The opportunity

Africa's electrification challenge is also one of its greatest development opportunities. Despite being home to 60% of the world's best solar resources, the continent accounted for just 1% of global solar PV capacity in 2023, while only 58% of Africans had access to electricity. Around 626 million people still lacked access to power, leaving rural communities disproportionately affected. Access to electricity is a catalyst for human development and economic growth, industrial development, improved living standards and enhanced resilience across the continent.[1]

South Africa's experience demonstrates both the scale of the challenge and the opportunities that electrification can unlock. Historically reliant on coal-based power generation, the country has sought to simultaneously expand electricity access, improve reliability, diversify its energy mix and attract investment in new energy infrastructure.[2]

The approach

Since the end of apartheid, South Africa has pursued one of Africa's largest electrification programmes, combining grid expansion, off-grid solutions and targeted public investment to extend electricity access to millions of households. Through the Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP), Eskom and local authorities have worked to connect underserved communities. Solar home systems and other decentralised solutions have helped reach remote areas where grid connections are more challenging. Rapid progress in access has been supported by sustained investment in electricity infrastructure and a long-term commitment to universal electrification.[3]

Alongside efforts to expand access, South Africa has invested in diversifying and strengthening its electricity system. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has attracted more than US$20 billion in investment in solar and wind energy, helping to increase generation capacity, improve energy security and reduce reliance on a single energy source. Current plans target significant growth in renewable energy generation. The country aims to source around 40% of electricity from renewables by 2030.[4]

More recently, government initiatives have focused on improving electricity availability, supporting new generation projects and creating the conditions for further investment in the power sector, recognising that reliable and affordable electricity is essential for economic growth and competitiveness.[5] As part of these efforts, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to energy sector reforms, including the establishment of an independent transmission system operator and investment in expanding and strengthening the transmission network to support future electricity demand and clean energy deployment.[6] The government also recently prioritised the procurement of 4,600 MW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to help reduce renewable energy curtailment, improve system flexibility and support the integration of growing renewable electricity capacity.[7]

Outcomes and impact

South Africa has made substantial progress in expanding access to electricity. National electrification rates increased from approximately 58% in the mid-1990s to around 90% by 2018, bringing millions of households onto the grid and supporting improvements in education, healthcare and economic opportunity.

The country's renewable energy programme has also generated significant economic benefits. Renewable energy investments have supported the deployment of thousands of megawatts of new solar and wind capacity, while creating an estimated 35,000 jobs and helping to strengthen energy security. Solar and wind resources are increasingly contributing to a more diversified and resilient electricity system.[8] 

Following years of electricity shortages and load shedding, South Africa has implemented a range of measures to increase generation capacity and improve energy availability, and to attract greater investment into the power sector. The South African government now views the next phase of the transition as delivering electricity that is not only reliable, but also increasingly affordable and clean.[9]

Key enablers

Several factors have helped support South Africa's electrification journey:

  • Long-term political commitment to universal electricity access, backed by sustained public investment through programmes such as the Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP);
  • Investment in renewable energy, particularly through the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), which has attracted significant private capital and expanded generation capacity;
  • Expansion of electricity infrastructure, including generation, transmission, distribution and energy storage capacity needed to connect households, integrate renewable energy and support future electricity demand;
  • A mix of grid and off-grid solutions, helping extend electricity access to rural and underserved communities.

Lessons for scaling electrification across Africa

South Africa's experience demonstrates that electrification is about more than connecting households to the grid: sustained progress requires long-term political commitment, investment in electricity infrastructure, and a combination of solutions to reach underserved communities.

The case also highlights the importance of pairing access expansion with investments in generation capacity and system reliability. For countries across Africa seeking to support economic development, industrialisation and rising energy demand, electrification strategies that combine public investment, private-sector participation, renewable energy deployment and targeted rural access programmes can accelerate progress while delivering broader economic and social benefits.

Looking ahead

Africa's future development will depend heavily on expanding access to reliable and affordable electricity. In South Africa, the next phase of the electrification journey will focus on scaling renewable energy, strengthening electricity infrastructure and mobilising investment to meet growing demand. Ensuring a sustainable and inclusive energy future will also require continued investment in transmission and distribution networks, support for local skills and workforce development, and policies that enable communities and businesses to participate in and benefit from the energy transition. By combining expanded electricity access with economic opportunity, energy security and clean energy growth, South Africa could provide a valuable model for how electrification can support prosperity and sustainable development across Africa.

CISL Africa’s work explores how energy transitions can deliver inclusive and sustainable development, including research on community engagement in South Africa's energy transition and governance considerations surrounding major energy investments in Namibia. Find out more here.


 

[1] Baum, Julia, and Jakkie Cilliers. “Why Africa's Electrification Matters to the World.” ISS African Futures. April 29, 2025, accessed November 4, 2026, https://futures.issafrica.org/blog/2025/Why-Africas-electrification-matters-to-the-world

[2] Kingsley Ukoba, Tien-Chien Jen, Abdulfatah Abdu Yusuf, Transformation of South Africa's energy landscape: Policy implications, opportunities, and technological innovations in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 59, 2025, 101752, ISSN 2211-467X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2025.101752; Energypedia, “Country Project South Africa,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://energypedia.info/wiki/Country_Project_South_Africa

[3] Energypedia. “NAE Case Study: South Africa, Integrated National Electrification,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://energypedia.info/wiki/NAE_Case_Study:_South_Africa,_Integrated_National_Electrification; Energypedia, “Country Project South Africa,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://energypedia.info/wiki/Country_Project_South_Africa

[4] Ukoba et al., “Transformation of South Africa's energy landscape.”

[5] The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, “From the Desk of the President: Monday, 31 August 2026,” The Presidency, August 31, 2026, https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/node/10375; Energypedia, “Country Project South Africa”

[6] The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, “President Cyril Ramaphosa Asserts Commitment to Energy Reform in Meeting with Eskom Board,” South African Government, August 31, 2026, https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/president-cyril-ramaphosa-asserts-commitment-energy-reform-meeting-eskom

[7] South African Government, “Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa Prioritises Battery Storage and Gas-to-Power to Address Curtailment and Strengthen Reliable Electricity Supply to Support Economic Growth,” South African Government, October 7, 2026, https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/minister-kgosientsho-ramokgopa-prioritises-battery-storage-and-gas-power

[8] Ukoba et al., “Transformation of South Africa's energy landscape.”

[9] The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, “From the Desk of the President”; The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, “President Cyril Ramaphosa Asserts Commitment to Energy Reform in Meeting with Eskom Board”