Yao Tsoekeo Amedokpo, Doctor of Geography and a research fellow in the City Mobility and Transport Laboratory* at the École nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, explains mobility electrification policies in Africa.
Where does Africa stand in terms of transitioning its mobility?
Yao Tsoekeo Amedokpo: Africa has a long way to go, with fewer than 1% of new vehicle sales being electric cars, according to the International Energy Agency. But in many places across the continent, we are seeing real momentum, with the gradual integration of electric vehicles, initially with motorcycles. The urgency of the issues and the dynamism of new players – highly innovative startups in particular – will accelerate this transition.
But change is not happening evenly across the whole continent. We can identify hotspots in southern and eastern Africa: I’m thinking of South Africa and the trio of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, which are leading the way. Western and Northern Africa are gradually embracing this momentum, with Central Africa still lagging behind.
How would you characterise public electrification policies in Africa?
Y.T.A. In Africa, support from public bodies for electric mobility is still in its infancy. Although the topic is not exactly new, the first forms of public policies in support of this transition only go back five years.
According to a recent study, only 30 states of the 54 that make up Africa have adopted measures, to different degrees, ranging from true national electromobility strategies to isolated mechanisms in finance laws.
“There are numerous barriers to the rollout of electromobility in Africa”
Analysis of these efforts reveals two approaches: fleet-related policies and industrial policies. The first hinges on encouraging the increased electrification of vehicle fleets, acting primarily on fiscal levers (exemptions to import tax, VAT, excise duty, etc.). The second is more about encouraging local manufacture or assembly, through targeted grants or subsidies subject to performance criteria. Currently, only a handful of countries are on this path, including South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and Rwanda.
Are fleet-related policies and industrial policies mutually exclusive?
Y.T.A. In an ideal world, that shouldn’t be the case. But in reality, they still often are. Of 54 African countries, around 30 have the electrification of mobility on their agendas. And only around a dozen are taking a dual industrial and fleet-based approach.
What are the main obstacles to the mobility transition in Africa?
Y.T.A. There are numerous barriers to the rollout of electromobility: the prohibitive cost of electric vehicles, low per capita income, high dependency on the second-hand vehicle market, limited access to electricity, and unreliable power supply networks. Environmental concerns are being stifled under the weight of people’s economic worries. Also, transport systems in African cities have been neglected in research, with the possible exception of South Africa. To move forward, and in the right direction, public policies absolutely need data.
Where are the levers for accelerating electrification?
Y.T.A. They come from improving the content of policies to incentivise local industrialisation, developing charging infrastructure, and incorporating renewable energies into the electricity mix.
Other levers involve targeting priority mobility segments across the continent (two and three-wheeled transport as well as minibuses and buses) and promoting inclusive economic models (such as pay-as-you-go and battery-as-a-service) that encourage an electromobility trajectory focused on use rather than ownership.
*Joint research unit between the École nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and Gustave Eiffel University
06/18/2026
