QAZAQ GREEN. A growing number of nations—particularly in Africa—are now running almost entirely on renewable energy, according to the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, according to Naked Science.

The ten countries with the highest share of renewables in electricity generation are:

·        Democratic Republic of the Congo – 96%

·        Somalia – 95%

·        Liberia – 93%

·        Ethiopia – 91%

·        Guinea-Bissau – 87%

·        Zambia – 83%

·        Nigeria – 80%

·        Tanzania – 78%

·        Nepal – 74%

·        Kenya – 68%

These figures reveal that several nations often overlooked in global energy discussions are, in fact, leading the world in renewable energy reliance. Their success largely stems from hydropower, supported in some cases by biomass, and small-scale solar and wind generation.

Countries such as Congo and Ethiopia rely on powerful river systems to produce clean electricity, while Kenya and Tanzania have transformed their energy mix through sustained investment in geothermal and hydro projects.

According to the World Energy Outlook 2025, these developments must be viewed within the broader global energy landscape. In 2024, overall energy demand grew by about 2%, while electricity demand increased nearly twice as fast—by almost 4%—putting pressure on the world’s energy systems to expand generation capacity.

For the first time, low-carbon sources—including renewables and nuclear—accounted for more than 40% of global electricity production, driven by record solar and wind capacity additions. Yet, fossil fuel use continues to rise in absolute terms, reflecting the complexity of the ongoing energy transition.

Africa’s prominence in renewable energy is due not only to its natural potential but also to structural factors. Many of these countries lack extensive infrastructure for coal, oil, or gas, and their relatively modest electricity consumption allows renewable generation to meet most of domestic demand.

However, this dependence on hydropower exposes them to risks from droughts and climate variability, underscoring the importance of diversifying renewable sources to ensure long-term energy resilience.