More than 600 million Africans still live without electricity, despite decades of fossil fuel extraction across the continent. This stark reality sparked an urgent call for change during Africa Liberation Week when faith groups, civil society organizations, and climate justice advocates gathered in Nairobi to demand a fundamental shift: away from expensive fossil fuels and toward affordable, community-led renewable energy.
The May 29 gathering at the Centre for Social Justice and Ethics, a faculty of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, launched the annual Afrika Vuka Week of Action under the theme "Rise for Climate Justice: Affordable Energy for All Africans." Organized by the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Franciscans Africa (JPIC-FA) in partnership with groups including 350Africa.org, the Laudato Si' Movement Africa, Climate YES, CAN Eastern Africa, and the Africa Vuka Network, participants framed energy access as a matter of human dignity and justice.
The coalition highlighted an uncomfortable paradox: while multinational corporations profit from oil and gas extraction across Africa, many families face impossible choices between paying electricity bills and affording basic necessities. Rising electricity and fuel costs, driven by dependence on fossil fuel-based energy systems and volatile global markets, have deepened energy poverty across the continent. Smith Nwokocha, Coordinator of the Quest for Growth and Development Foundation in Nigeria and a coalition member, articulated the stakes clearly: "Africa cannot develop on energy that everyday people cannot afford." He went further, declaring that "fossil fuels are an economic dead-end for our continent" and calling the moment a time to "demand a system that puts power — both literal and political — back into the hands of the people."
Drawing on faith-based teachings rooted in Pope Francis' 2015 Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' and the African philosophy of Ubuntu, participants grounded their demands in ethics and the principles of care for creation. They emphasized that true climate justice cannot be separated from economic survival, especially for rural and remote communities systematically excluded from energy development efforts.
The coalition advanced specific policy proposals designed to make renewable energy accessible across the continent: redirecting public investment away from fossil fuel subsidies toward renewable energy projects, introducing electricity price caps for low-income households and small businesses, and removing taxes and import duties on solar panels, wind energy equipment, and decentralized microgrid technologies. These concrete steps reflect a vision of energy systems designed for ordinary Africans, not extractive corporations.
The movement extends beyond policy calls. Participants invited citizens, youth groups, faith leaders, and grassroots organizations across Africa to document their local energy challenges and demand accountability from policymakers. Using the hashtags #AfrikaVuka and #AffordableEnergyNow, communities can contribute to building a continent-wide movement linking climate justice, energy access, and economic development. This collective action recognizes that solutions to Africa's energy crisis must be rooted in the lived experiences and needs of the people most affected by energy poverty.