Africa faces a dual challenge: the world’s lowest per-capita emissions and the highest levels of energy poverty. In this opinion piece, Louis Strydom argues for a lean-carbon pathway—allowing a temporary, tightly controlled rise in emissions to rapidly expand reliable power while accelerating the shift to renewables. Instead of false choices between “no fossil fuels” and “gas everywhere,” he proposes fuel-flexible plants, declining fossil use, and strict carbon covenants to stabilise weak grids, replace costly diesel generation, and enable faster renewable deployment. With development financiers slowly embracing transitional projects, Africa can peak emissions early, avoid long-term fossil lock-in, and finally unlock growth without derailing global climate goals.
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