This study examines the complex interplay between fossil fuels and renewable energy within the African context, with a focus on pathways for a just and sustainable energy transition. Recognising Africa’s dual challenge of addressing widespread energy poverty while meeting global climate imperatives, the paper examines the continent’s current energy landscape, the entrenched role of fossil fuels, and the vast but underutilised renewable energy potential. Drawing on an extensive review of scholarly literature, the study employs a conceptual and analytical framework to interrogate the political economy of transitions, the imperatives of energy justice, the requirements for institutional readiness, and the mechanisms for financing and regional cooperation.
The findings indicate that fossil fuels, particularly coal, oil, and natural gas, continue to underpin African economies, providing fiscal revenues and immediate energy security. However, reliance on these resources is increasingly incompatible with sustainability and exposes states to economic volatility and environmental degradation. Renewable energy sources, especially solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal, offer transformative opportunities for inclusive and decentralised electrification but remain constrained by financing gaps, governance weaknesses, and infrastructural limitations. The analysis further highlights that energy transitions cannot be divorced from issues of justice, equity, and inclusion, as vulnerable groups risk marginalisation without deliberate policy interventions. Regional cooperation, exemplified by power pools and cross-border initiatives, emerges as a vital strategy for pooling resources, harmonising policies, and leveraging economies of scale.
The paper concludes that Africa’s energy transition must be both pragmatic and inclusive, balancing fossil fuels’ transitional role with a bold acceleration of renewables. Recommendations include reforming fossil fuel subsidies, embedding justice frameworks in policy, strengthening institutional capacity, and mobilising blended financing models. Such strategies, if effectively implemented, will enable Africa to achieve energy security while advancing sustainable development.