Climate & Energy

Power, storage, hydrocarbons and the climate pressures rewriting African energy systems.

A Takealot delivery truck charging at the SAEV Charge station at Die Veldskoen Padstal on the N1 — Photo: Die Veldskoen Padstal (supplied)

South Africa’s plug-in boom outruns its chargers: newcomer SAEV Charge builds fast while GridCars replaces its first-generation units

New-energy vehicle sales have already beaten 2025’s total and petrol is above R30 a litre, but fast DC charging has barely grown. Drivers face holiday queues and typical prices of R7 a kWh, while a battery-backed newcomer charges from R2.49/kWh in Cape Town.

By Naledi van Wyk · Cape Town

Tall pink and cream office blocks in Abuja’s Central Business District seen from a balcony under a grey sky — Photo: Kenogenic / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Afreximbank and African oil producers launch a $5bn Africa Energy Bank in Abuja as Western lenders pull back from oil and gas

The new lender will finance exploration, pipelines, refineries and distribution. Its first general meeting named Helmy Ghazi as president. The continent needs an estimated $200bn of energy investment, its founders say.

By Chinedu Eze · Lagos

EBRD takes up to $221m equity stake in Scatec’s Egypt renewables vehicle — By Rania Benali · Cairo