Skills Transfer and Women in Africa's Green Transition

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of skills transfer, gender equality, and the green energy transition in Africa. It highlights the systemic under-representation of women in energy value chains and the need for a 'just transition' that addresses unemployment risks in fossil fuel-dependent economies through reskilling and targeted AU-EU strategic partnerships.

• Women are significantly under-represented in the energy sector both globally and within Africa. While women make up 48% of the global workforce, they account for only about 22% of the traditional energy sector, a trend that extends to renewable energy value chains in Africa.
• The transition to green energy in Africa faces political and social resistance in economies historically reliant on fossil fuels, such as Nigeria, due to fears of unemployment. To mitigate this, the document suggests that mandatory contributions for employee reskilling could encourage private sector support.
• There is a critical gap in human capital utilization in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 55% of potential is used compared to a 65% global average. The World Bank identifies the low level of empowerment for women and girls as a primary underlying factor.
• While gender-based targets for energy sector investments are becoming more common, they often fail to produce tangible results because they lack comprehensive support measures (financial and technical) and effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• The document identifies a gap in European Union policy: while the EU's 'Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025' promotes empowerment, the communication on the European Green Deal is completely silent regarding the gender dimensions of the green transition.
• Enhanced energy access provides substantial economic benefits for women in sub-Saharan Africa, where 86% of households use hazardous fuels. One study indicated that reliable energy access for women can lead to a 59% increase in wages.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2020). Skills Transfer and Women in Africa's Green Transition. https://saiia.org.za/research/skills-transfer-and-women-in-africas-green-transition/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Skills Transfer and Women in Africa's Green Transition. 2020. https://saiia.org.za/research/skills-transfer-and-women-in-africas-green-transition/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Skills Transfer and Women in Africa's Green Transition |date=27 September 2020 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/skills-transfer-and-women-in-africas-green-transition/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2020skills, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Skills Transfer and Women in Africa's Green Transition}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/skills-transfer-and-women-in-africas-green-transition/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }