Conferences and summits: InfoPoint conference: Empowering communities - Universal electrification of schools and healthcare facilities across Africa

Bridging the energy gap for better education and healthcare

Ensuring access to reliable electricity is critical for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health (SDG3) and education (SDG4) in Africa. However, a significant number of schools and healthcare facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa remain unelectrified, limiting access to quality education and medical services.

Decentralized renewable energy solutions, particularly photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage, present a cost-effective and sustainable pathway to address this challenge. This InfoPoint conference will present insights from several EU and international institutions on the electrification of schools and healthcare facilities in Africa.

The first study highlights that over 50,000 rural healthcare facilities lack electricity, impacting essential medical services. Deploying decentralized PV solutions could provide clean, reliable power to these facilities, reducing travel times for 281 million people seeking medical care.

The second study maps the electrification status of over 500,000 schools in Africa, emphasizing the need for a EUR 2 billion investment to power unelectrified schools, thereby enhancing digital education, e-cooking, and overall learning conditions.

Key stakeholders from international organizations, development agencies, EU institutions, and field practitioners will discuss challenges, policy recommendations, and financing strategies for empowering communities through universal electrification of schools and healthcare facilities across Africa. Join us to explore how innovative electrification strategies can unlock Africa’s development potential and foster sustainable growth.

Event Details

Date: Thursday 3 April 2025

Time: 14:00 - 15:30 (CEST)

Location: InfoPoint, Brussels, Belgium

Languages: English

Description

Electricity access is a key enabler of economic and social development. Yet, in Sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people remain without access to reliable power, particularly in schools and healthcare facilities. This lack of electrification hampers progress in education, healthcare service delivery, and overall quality of life.

Recent research provides compelling evidence for the potential of decentralized renewable energy solutions to address these challenges. A 2021 study led by JRC found that more than 50,000 healthcare facilities in rural Africa lack electricity access. The absence of reliable power severely limits the availability of medical equipment, refrigeration for vaccines, and essential emergency services.

Deploying solar PV and battery storage systems could provide cost-effective and immediate solutions, requiring an estimated investment of EUR 484 million . Electrification could reduce the travel time for 281 million people seeking healthcare services by an average of 50 minutes .