By ACCESS Coalition Team

At the Africa Climate Summit 2023 in Nairobi, African leaders sent a powerful message through the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action: energy access is no longer optional, it is central to Africa’s development and climate future.

The Declaration recognized the stark reality-600 million Africans still lack electricity and almost 1 billion people remain without clean cooking solutions. This honest acknowledgment of energy poverty was coupled with ambitious pledges: to raise renewable energy financing to at least 20% by 2030, unlock billions in new investments, and champion Africa as a hub for renewable innovation.

Over US $23 billion in commitments were announced, alongside the launch of the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA), designed to expand renewable generation capacity across the continent. Leaders also called for deep reform of global finance-including a Global Climate Finance Charter by 2025-to lower borrowing costs and ensure Africa can access fair and timely climate finance.

For civil society and communities in general, these commitments are promising, but promises alone are not enough. The real measure will be whether they translate into inclusive, community-driven energy solutions that reach the last mile-households, women, and vulnerable groups too often left behind.

What Civil Society Expects at ACS 2025 in Ethiopia

As we approach the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) which will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from September 8-10, the ACCESS Coalition outlines five priorities for governments, partners, and financiers:

  1. Turn commitments into action – Operationalize the 20% renewable finance pledge with concrete national strategies, emphasizing off-grid solar, mini-grids, and clean cooking including leapfrogging to electric cooking into national electrification programs such as the Mission 300 initiative.
  2. Deliver inclusive financing -Ensure funds reach local enterprises, women-led energy initiatives, and community solutions, not only large institutions through targeted energy service planning approaches that meet local development needs.
  3. Advance equitable reforms – Make the Global Climate Finance Charter transparent, fair, and shaped by African voices and setting up dedicated platforms for  Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) engagements.
  4. Put justice at the center – Prioritize gender-responsive, rights-based energy access guided by the principle of “leaving no one behind” that empowers women and marginalized groups.
  5. Build accountability systems – Establish clear tracking and annual public reporting on implementation of financial commitments including electricity and clean cooking access.

The Nairobi Declaration was a milestone. But ACS 2025 must be the moment of delivery-where rhetoric gives way to action, and where Africa’s millions without energy access see real change.

For the ACCESS Coalition, we continue to advocate for universal, affordable, and sustainable energy access as a driver of climate justice and development. At ACS 2025, ACCESS and partners will continue to press for inclusive financing, fair policies, and solutions that place communities at the center. By doing so, we aim to ensure Africa’s energy transition delivers tangible benefits for those who need it most.