The African Renewable Energy sector is in a unique position: it is new enough to avoid entrenched exclusionary practices but at risk of replicating global trends of gender and diversity imbalance if interventions are not made now.
However, several systemic barriers continue to hinder full participation:
1. Gender and Diversity Gaps in the Renewable Energy Workforce
- Women represent only 32% of the global renewable energy workforce, and just 21% in the wind energy sector.
- Leadership representation for women and underrepresented groups drops to single digits in key decision-making roles.
- In Africa, renewable energy employment has grown, but women remain underrepresented in technical, leadership, and business ownership roles.
2. Exclusion from Networks and Opportunities
- Professional networks are critical for access to jobs, funding, and leadership roles, yet women and underrepresented groups often lack visibility and access to these spaces.
- Industry conferences, trade associations, and funding opportunities remain predominantly male-dominated.
3. Structural Barriers to Career Growth
- Hiring biases prevent equitable access to technical and leadership positions.
- Lack of mentorship and sponsorship programs limit opportunities for career advancement.
- Rigid workplace policies make it difficult for women and other underrepresented groups to thrive in energy careers.
4. Limited Access to Business and Investment Opportunities
- Women-owned businesses in the energy sector struggle to access funding due to lack of visibility, investment bias, and financial exclusion.
- Supply chain and procurement processes often do not favor diverse business ownership, limiting the ability of women-led enterprises to grow.
5. The Risk of Reinforcing Structural Inequalities
Without intentional efforts to reshape industry norms, Africa’s renewable energy sector may replicate the same biases seen in other energy industries—solidifying exclusionary structures and making future change even harder.
We’RE Connected is designed to intervene early, ensuring that the renewable energy sector in Africa grows with inclusion and equity embedded in its DNA.
