This is Part 2 of our series Powering Essential Services: Clean Energy Solutions Transforming Daily Life in Underserved Communities. Economic opportunity often depends on whether
From surgical lighting to vaccine refrigeration, healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa depends on energy at every level. Yet across the region only 40% of healthcare facilities have reliable electricity, and even among hospitals, just half can count on a consistent power supply.
Across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, nearly 600 million people who still lack electricity access face a compounding challenge as the changing climate wreaks damage on vital infrastructure.
AI and digital technologies are transforming off-grid energy access in Africa, enabling smarter, more adaptive systems that overcome traditional barriers like poor infrastructure, limited data, and financial exclusion.
Despite significant strides toward universal energy access, millions of people still lack reliable, affordable energy. Those most affected include residents of displacement camps, urban informal settlements, remote rural areas, and fragile states — where access to clean energy is scarce.