Barriers to Private Sector Engagement for Energy Access in Fragile and Displacement Contexts

Globally, approximately 700 million people live without access to electricity, the vast majority in fragile states, 37 million of whom are displaced. More than 1.8 billion people will still lack access to clean cooking by 2030, with the poorest and most vulnerable most affected. Notably, 83% of displaced people without access to energy live in rural or remote parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where they are more than four times as likely to lack access to clean cooking and almost twice as likely to lack access to electricity than host communities. This report affirms that private sector engagement can expand energy access in fragile and displacement settings, but only if barriers related to affordability, operating risks, finance, technical assistance, and the enabling environment are addressed cohesively. The analysis draws on interviews, surveys, literature reviews, and workshops with international and national stakeholders, with a focus on Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.