FEBRUARY 1

As commodity prices soar and leaders around the world worry about energy shortages and prices of gasoline at the pump, millions of people in Africa still lack access to electricity.

-half of the people on the continent cannot turn on a fan when temperatures go up, can't keep food cool, or simply turn the lights on. This energy access crisis must be addressed urgently. In West and Central Africa, only three countries are on track to give every one of their people access to electricity by 2030.

At this slow pace, 263 million people in the region will be left without electricity in ten years. West Africa has one of the lowest rates of electricity access in the world; only about 42% of the total population, and 8% of rural residents, have access to electricity.

These numbers, some far too big, others far too small, have grave consequences. Electricity is an important step toward enhancing people's opportunities and choices. Access is key to boosting economic activity and contributes to improving human capital, which, in turn, is an investment in a country's potential.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 2, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.