This African City Energy website is a resource to help those involved in sustainable energy challenges in urban areas of Sub-Saharan Africa to find relevant information. Given fast urbanization rates, the future of energy in the sub-region is significantly urban, demanding at least a partial shift in emphasis from rural areas to our cities and towns. The documents and information on this site will hopefully provide a useful collection for development organisations, municipalities, researchers, NGOs and national governments engaging in this important field. The website is hosted by the SAMSET project (see below). Information on energy in urban Africa tends to be sparse and dispersed. The information base needs to be significantly expanded, as well as made accessible through platforms such as the AfricanCityEnergy website.

“Supporting African Municipalities in Sustainable Energy Transitions” (SAMSET) is an EPSRC/DFID/DECC-funded project (Grant No. EP/L002620/1). It is implemented by the following organisations: Sustainable Energy Africa, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research at the University of Ghana, Uganda Martyrs University, Gamos development consultancy, University College London, Durham University, Energy Research Centre at the University of Cape Town. The project aims to “design, test, and evaluate a knowledge exchange framework to facilitate the implementation of an effective sustainable energy transition in Africa’s Sub-Saharan urban areas“, and includes a strong action research component which involves close partnering with six cities in three African countries (Polokwane and Cape Town in South Africa, Jinja and Kasese in Uganda, and Ga East and Awutu Senya East in Ghana) to foster a deeper understanding of the dynamics and constraints that policy and strategy implementation faces in Sub Saharan African cities.

More about the SAMSET project here .

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is the leading global network of more than 1,500 cities, towns and regions committed to building a sustainable future. ICLEI is a registered NPO that supports cities to become sustainable, resilient, resource-efficient, low-carbon, biodiverse and develop a green urban economy with smart infrastructure. The ultimate aim is to ensure a healthy and happy community. This is done through planning, processes, capacity building, knowledge sharing and networking.

More about the ICLEI here.