The next frontier for African energy companies is capital, communities and cross-border growth

Africa’s energy deficit is often framed, in terms of scale, by how many megawatts are required, how quickly they can be delivered and how efficiently capital can be mobilised. While these questions remain critical, they are no longer sufficient. As African energy companies mature, the next frontier is not only cross-border growth, but how that growth is pursued, with whom, under what governance frameworks and to whose long-term benefit, says renewable-energy company Pele Energy Group director of sustainability and cofounder Fumani Mthembi. “For developers operating on the continent, expansion beyond national borders requires a shift in mindset. It demands moving beyond a narrow infrastructure-delivery model towards one that integrates power generation with development, capability building and energy sovereignty.”