Energy: an Essential Asset for the Development of the African Continent

Africa is possibly the richest continent in terms of primary resources, from fossil fuels to materials and solar radiation. However, on the other hand, despite the progressive economic improvements, it is still the poorest region at the global level, and more than half of its population is still employed in the primary sector. To reach better living conditions, access to electricity and to modern clean cooking solutions play a crucial role. This section provides a synthetic picture regarding the relevance of the nexus between energy access and socio-economic development. In conclusions, future pathways on how energy conditions in African countries are expected to evolve according to the main authoritative scenarios are discussed.