Renewable energy to drive green jobs boom across Africa by 2030
Solar power is expected to be a major driver of green job growth, creating 1.7 million positions, with half related to distributed solar power for homes and businesses.
What you need to know:
- South Africa and Kenya are projected to be leading in waste management and recycling job opportunities, driven by their advanced waste management practices.
- Due to their growing populations, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are poised for substantial job creation in waste management.
A new report projects a significant surge in green job creation across Africa by 2030, with estimates ranging from 1.5 to 3.3 million new positions. The study, "Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa," attributes this growth to the continent's shift towards a greener economy, with the potential for up to 100 million green jobs by 2050.
The report, released by recruitment firm Shortlist, FSD Africa, and Boston Consulting Group, highlights three categories of green jobs: direct roles in sectors like renewable energy, agriculture, and waste management; indirect positions supporting these core industries; and induced jobs generated by increased economic activity.
The report focuses on five countries expected to create over 20 per cent of new green jobs by 2030: The democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, each offering unique advantages.
Solar power is expected to be a major driver of green job growth, creating 1.7 million positions, with half related to distributed solar power for homes and businesses. However, many of these jobs may be short-term and focused on installation. Wind energy, while contributing fewer jobs, will see significant growth in South Africa and Kenya.
The report shows that wind energy will create around 3 per cent of the total green jobs by 2030. The report attributes the labour-intensive installation of wind turbines to Africa’s challenging terrain. South Africa and Kenya will lead in this sector, with 18 per cent and 15 per cent of the total wind energy jobs, respectively.
Hydropower, geothermal, and battery storage will contribute to job growth but lag behind solar and wind. These sectors will create about 70,000 jobs, including modernizing ageing hydropower plants.
Due to slow exploration, only about 30,000 jobs are expected in the Geothermal energy sector. Battery storage is crucial for renewable energy integration but has limited utility demand. Here, only 21,000 jobs are projected, with South Africa and Kenya leading.
Electric vehicles (EVs), particularly electric two-wheelers (E2Ws), are transforming the transportation sector and boosting demand for charging infrastructure. Ethiopia and Kenya are leading in adoption, while Nigeria's energy access challenges slow EV uptake. Expanding power transmission and distribution networks will create about 115,000 jobs, with Ethiopia and Kenya leading with estimated figures of 24,000 and 18,000, respectively.
The report further shows that climate-smart agriculture will create about 15 per cent of the jobs in Nigeria's and South Africa's large agricultural sectors, creating 64,000 and 50,000 positions, respectively. CSA technologies for smallholder farmers will drive job growth.
About 70 per cent of these jobs will require specialized or administrative skills with climate financing initiatives and strategic public-private partnerships facilitating the widespread adoption of cost-effective CSA technologies among smallholder farmers. Growing populations and rising incomes will boost demand for protein, creating jobs in aquaculture and poultry farming. About 60 per cent of these roles require unskilled labour.
Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria have the potential for Nature-based solutions (NBS) jobs like conservation and land restoration. Climate financing could increase NBS job creation by up to 20 per cent, the report reveals. Approximately 45 per cent of NBS jobs will necessitate specialized expertise, while 30 per cent will demand unskilled labour, and the remaining 15 per cent will require advanced skills.
South Africa and Kenya are projected to be leading in waste management and recycling job opportunities, driven by their advanced waste management practices. Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are poised for substantial job creation in waste management due to their growing populations.
The waste sector presents a considerable opportunity for employment, with approximately 50 per cent of waste management jobs expected to involve unskilled labour, primarily in waste sorting and collection.
In comparison, 30 per cent will require specialized skills for operating machinery and formalizing the industry. Approximately 40 per cent of the total jobs will demand specialized or advanced competencies, while unskilled labour is projected to account for 1.2 million jobs.
Hanisa Weru, a sustainability consultant advises businesses to invest in local skills to tap into this growing green jobs market. “Training local people and working closely with governments and communities will help understand local needs and build sustainable projects,” she adds.
The green energy expert stresses the importance of navigating Africa's complex regulatory environment. “We need strong partnerships between governments and businesses to create the most jobs, with clear goals, supportive policies, smart financing, and careful monitoring.
James Maina Kariuku, a solar expert at Resol, a renewable energy company agrees that Kenya has massive potential in the solar sector but lacks skilled engineers. “We're training a new generation to fill this gap,” he says. We are partnering with Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology, Riara University, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency to empower African engineers with the skills and knowledge to excel in the renewable energy sector.
