Access to energy

When we know that access to energy, or better yet, access to modern energy services is crucial for each of the pillars of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental -, and that it is essential in the fight against poverty and for the improvement of the basic means of the most needy, it is easy to understand that the problems posed by energy poverty motivated the creation of ENDA Energie and that a good part of its options and strategic directions are focused on those issues.

While Africa is teeming with energy resources (fossil fuels, hydroelectricity, solar, geothermal, wind), which provide around 20% of global fossil fuel production, it is still characterized by a very low rate of primary energy consumption with only 3.2% of the world's primary energy per capita. In addition, there is a strong dependence on biomass. Thus, the rate of access to electricity and the rate of rural electrification remain low, especially in sub-Saharan Africa: more than 620 million people still do not have access to electricity.

Therefore, in the context of the fight against global warming and poverty reduction, a change in the energy model is necessary in order to meet the imperatives of equity in access to energy services, energy security and the fight against climate change but also to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

For ENDA Energie, the necessary energy transition based on energy saving and efficiency and renewable energies is one of the main paths, and even an opportunity, in the face of the two complex challenges of the continent's future, namely improving access to energy services for economic and social development, and the fight against climate change.

In dealing with the issue of energy, ENDA Energie looks first at its cross-cutting dimension. ENDA Energie attaches great importance to the provision of the final service, the appropriate equipment for the poorest users, sustainable energy sources and meeting the economic and social needs of people. This approach based on needs and therefore on sectors, makes it possible to provide adequate and sustainable responses to concerns about economic and social development. It also enables a better appraisal of the technical and economic issues which must determine the type of intervention. This articulation of energy services with other sectors (agriculture, water, education, health, etc.) makes it possible to develop energy demand, particularly in rural areas.

In terms of the fight against climate change, this needs-centered and constantly revised approach makes it possible to propose concrete actions that the various stakeholders in the energy chain can take to meet the requirements of low-carbon development promoted by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Therefore, our vision of energy transition gives priority, not to access to modern lighting, but to productive energy services with a view to strengthening the creation of green and decent jobs, income and added value, which are key elements to economic growth and poverty reduction. This vision involves the integration of access to energy in territorial development planning, as well as the involvement of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and the private sector to support rural and peri-urban demand.

Today, through the promotion and development of social and solidarity entrepreneurship in particular, ENDA Energie’s achievements allow for the recognition of access to energy services as a pillar for strengthening active citizenship of vulnerable social groups and the resilience of communities.

In short, ENDA Energie believes that it is through innovative mechanisms for supporting demand, real breakthroughs both in terms of vision, models of infrastructure management, financing of investments as well as in terms of approaches and strategies, including energy mix, that the initiation of a new energy trajectory can be effectively launched to make access to energy a universal legal achievement in Africa that respond to the concerns of an integrated, fair and inclusive development aiming at restoring the various social, geographic (North / South and rural / urban) and ecological balances.