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The Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2026 by Sustainable Energy for All indicates that the world is off track to meet all Sustainable Development Goal 7 targets by 2030. While global electricity access has improved, progress is decelerating and heavily concentrated in Asia, leaving Africa with the vast majority of the unelectrified population. Clean cooking access is failing to keep pace with population growth in Africa, and global renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements are too slow to meet the required trajectories.

The Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2026 executive summary indicates that all Sustainable Development Goal 7 targets are off track for 2030. While global electricity access has reached nearly 92%, progress is decelerating, and the remaining deficit is heavily concentrated in Africa. Clean cooking access remains a critical gap with 2 billion people lacking access, and global energy efficiency and renewable energy shares are not improving fast enough to meet 2030 targets.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the potential economic and social impacts on Africa by 2050 across four global scenarios: Sustainable World, Growth World, Divided World, and World at War. It identifies the success of integration efforts, such as the AfCFTA, as the primary driver of divergent outcomes, noting that the Sustainable World scenario offers the most significant gains in GDP per capita, poverty reduction, and human development, while the World at War scenario presents the worst outcomes.

The Demographics and Health Scenario is a research paper that models the potential impact of accelerated fertility decline and health infrastructure improvements across Africa. It outlines a series of ambitious but empirically grounded interventions starting in 2027 to enhance human development and economic growth relative to a 'Current Path' forecast.

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers of the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the relationship between demographic growth and economic prospects in Africa. It highlights that while Africa's overall economic growth is projected to outpace the rest of the world through 2050, rapid population growth limits the gains in GDP per capita, necessitating a demographic dividend and productivity improvements to narrow the global gap.

The report explores how Africa can 'leapfrog' traditional development stages by adopting decentralised renewable energy, mobile-first digital infrastructure, and AI. It highlights the success of mobile money (e.g., M-Pesa) and the potential for solar mini-grids to close the energy gap. A projected 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario suggests that by 2050, such strategic investments could increase GDP per capita by US$510, reduce extreme poverty by 63 million people, and expand the overall economy by nearly US$1 trillion compared to current trends.

This research paper examines the 'fintech revolution' in Africa, detailing how mobile and digital technologies have allowed the continent to leapfrog traditional banking systems to achieve greater financial inclusion and economic growth.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the state of large-scale infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a gap between improving development scores and persistent financing deficits. It analyzes the roles of Chinese investment via the Belt and Road Initiative, the impact of pan-African initiatives like PIDA, and the transition toward green, climate-resilient infrastructure.

This research paper provides a forecast of Africa's employment landscape through 2043, highlighting a critical gap between the rapid growth of the working-age population and the economy's capacity to create formal jobs. It compares a 'Current Path' scenario with a 'Combined' scenario involving pro-growth policies, noting that while the services sector dominates GDP, the continent faces significant youth unemployment and a reliance on the informal sector.

This research paper introduces a thematic study on gender futures in Africa, analyzing the gap between the continent's extensive policy frameworks for gender equality and the persistent social and economic inequalities. It outlines the economic costs of these disparities and sets the stage for modeling the impact of reducing gender inequalities on development outcomes through 2043.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of gender inequality and health in Africa, focusing on disparities in disease impact, maternal mortality, reproductive health access, and the influence of social norms on healthcare outcomes.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the projected impacts of a 'Demographics and Health scenario' on Africa by 2043. It compares this scenario against a 'Current Path' baseline, forecasting improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), disease burden, infant mortality, life expectancy, and overall economic prosperity.

This report section analyzes income and wealth inequality across Africa, noting that high inequality levels contribute to slow poverty reduction and instability. It compares regional Gini index trends and wealth concentration, while examining specific national cases like Tunisia, Ethiopia, Botswana, and Ghana to illustrate the relationship between governance, growth, and inequality.

This research paper provides a historical and contemporary overview of governance in the Global South, examining how colonial legacies, Cold War geopolitics, and structural adjustment programmes have shaped modern state structures. It analyzes governance performance using World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) and highlights a divergence between political participation and institutional capacity across different regions.

This research design document outlines the multi-method approach used by the Institute for Security Studies to assess state governance trends and future trajectories in the Global South. The methodology integrates World Bank governance indicators, expert workshops, horizon scanning, and a four-scenario framework to analyze how geopolitical, economic, and social forces influence the role of the state.

This research paper outlines the 'Demographics and Health Scenario' for Africa, a model designed to accelerate the continent's demographic transition and enhance its demographic dividend through targeted interventions in fertility, mortality, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes extreme poverty trends in Africa using a US$2.15 threshold. It highlights a divergence where the percentage of people in extreme poverty is declining, but the absolute number continues to rise due to rapid population growth, high inequality, and modest economic growth.

This research paper describes a 'Gender scenario' model designed to forecast the impact of reducing gender inequalities on Africa's development prospects between 2024 and 2043. The scenario compares a targeted push for gender equality against a 'Current Path' business-as-usual forecast, focusing on four primary clusters of intervention: labour force participation and wages, political representation, education access, and health and reproductive rights.

A media statement by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) issued on 13 February 2026, arguing that Africa's water crisis is a structural emergency caused by a broken global financial system that prioritizes debt repayment over essential public services and climate resilience.

This policy brief advocates for treating water and sanitation as strategic assets to ensure peace, energy, and food security in Africa. It calls for the adoption of a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach and Strategic Asset Management (SAM) to address a $1 trillion infrastructure gap by 2040. The brief emphasizes that water insecurity acts as a threat multiplier for conflict, particularly in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, and recommends integrating water governance into the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) to mitigate risks and promote regional stability.