Powering a Greener, More Connected Continent
When Ursula von der Leyen took the stage at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, she wasn’t just announcing another aid package — she was outlining a roadmap for Africa’s future energy and logistics transformation. The European Commission President revealed a €618 million Team Europe package aimed at accelerating the continent’s clean energy transition under the “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa” campaign, co-hosted with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and supported by Global Citizen.
Von der Leyen put it simply: “Africa has everything it needs to become a global leader in clean energy — vision, talent and abundant natural resources.” But behind those words lies a powerful message for another sector — logistics. Energy and logistics are deeply connected. You can’t move goods efficiently without reliable power. And you can’t power growth without moving materials, equipment, and infrastructure efficiently.
From Energy Projects to Supply Chain Momentum
The new funding package will finance projects that modernise grids, expand access, and enable renewable generation — all of which will trigger a surge in logistics activity across Africa.
In Kenya, a €55 million project will strengthen green electricity generation and improve transmission networks. That means a need for heavy transformers, cables, substations — and the breakbulk logistics operators capable of moving them. Uganda’s €60 million rural electrification project, designed to reach more than 250,000 people, will depend on the transport of solar panels, poles, batteries, and grid materials deep into remote areas.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, €90.14 million will electrify Kisangani and surrounding regions, creating jobs and spurring regional trade. Every power plant or grid upgrade involves a chain of logistics players — from port handlers and project freight specialists to trucking and storage providers.
Further west, Mauritania’s €125 million transmission corridor project will require large-scale movement of towers, conductors, and support structures across desert terrain — a challenge tailor-made for experienced logistics professionals.
The Hidden Infrastructure in Energy Projects
Behind every megawatt of new capacity lies a complex transport story. The Cabo Verde Cabeolica wind and storage project (€39 million) will rely on the safe transport of turbine components across islands. The Zambia–Tanzania interconnector (€30 million) will strengthen power exchange between regions, but first, it will demand months of coordinated transport of heavy equipment, often through ports, overland routes, and rail links.
Meanwhile, Togo’s €199 million renewable project in Kpalimé is expected to drive new traffic in renewable equipment, fuel storage systems, and construction materials — all requiring multimodal logistics and precise coordination.
Each of these projects creates ripple effects across Africa’s ports, roads, and storage networks. The maritime and breakbulk sectors, in particular, stand to benefit as turbine blades, substations, and battery systems move through terminals that are already adapting to handle more complex, oversized cargo.
Clean Energy, Cleaner Supply Chains
The EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy doesn’t just fund power — it fuels connectivity. By helping Africa build cleaner, more reliable energy networks, the initiative also lays the foundation for more sustainable logistics. Electric transport fleets, cold chains powered by renewables, and efficient port operations all depend on this energy backbone.
For logistics companies, the opportunity is clear. As Africa accelerates its clean energy buildout, demand will rise for project freight handling, port infrastructure, and cross-border transport solutions. The same networks carrying wind turbines and solar panels today will carry the materials for tomorrow’s factories, refineries, and export zones.
These investments, part of the broader Africa–EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI) launched in 2022, aim to provide at least 100 million people with access to power by 2030. With 12 EU Member States, the European Investment Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development involved, logistics players across continents are watching closely — and preparing to move.
