Africa’s electric future will not be powered by promises; it will be built through bold policy, smart infrastructure, and a shared vision for cleaner, fairer cities. As Kenya lays the groundwork, the rest of the continent has a rare chance: not to catch up, but to leap ahead.
Daniel Ngumy
As electric vehicles (EVs) begin to carve a space in Africa’s transport sector, Kenya is emerging as a leading case study, both for its strides and its stumbling blocks. At the recently concluded Third Annual E-Mobility Stakeholders Forum and Expo in Nairobi, the country’s progress was on full display. But scratch beneath the surface, and one finds a sector still wrestling with fundamental questions: Should infrastructure come before demand? Are tax policies enabling or inhibiting adoption? Who bears the cost of transition?
With just under 10,000 EVs on the road, up significantly from previous years, Kenya has shown promise. But this number pales in comparison to the millions of internal combustion engine vehicles still in use. If the continent is serious about shifting gears toward cleaner, more efficient transport, governments must go beyond rhetoric and remove the structural roadblocks still impeding progress.
The chicken-and-egg dilemma: Infrastructure vs. Adoption
The infrastructure gap remains a glaring barrier across most African countries. While Kenya Power’s charging stations at Stima Plaza have reportedly seen high usage since their launch in 2024, the bigger picture reveals patchy access and slow expansion.
The government’s planned rollout of 45 public EV chargers across major cities is a step forward. Yet it is a drop in the ocean compared to what’s needed. Nigeria, for example, with over 12 million registered vehicles, has fewer than 200 public chargers. Ghana, which introduced EV policy guidelines in 2023, still lacks a coordinated plan for charger deployment beyond the capital.
A pan-African EV infrastructure roadmap is urgently needed. Governments can:
- Mandate public-private partnerships (PPPs) for fast-tracking charger deployment.
- Integrate EV charging stations into national infrastructure development plans.
- Offer incentives to developers (land, tax holidays, low-interest loans) to install public chargers, especially in peri-urban and rural areas.
Powering the transition: Electricity access and tariffs
Energy pricing and supply reliability are critical factors. Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) offers a time-of-use tariff, Sh16/kWh at peak, Sh8/kWh off-peak, capped at 15,000 kWh. While progressive in theory, the cap is easily exceeded by fleet operators, and the lack of real-time load management tools frustrates users.
Moreover, many African countries face power deficits or generation imbalances. Uganda, for instance, boasts surplus hydroelectric power but underutilises it due to poor distribution networks. Ethiopia exports electricity to Kenya but struggles with internal reliability.
African regulators must:
- Expand and refine EV-specific tariffs based on consumption profiles (fleet vs. personal use).
- Invest in grid modernisation to accommodate distributed charging and peak demand.
- Promote decentralized renewable energy sources (solar mini-grids) for off-grid charging hubs, especially in rural logistics corridors.
Taxation: Incentives or penalties?
Kenya’s proposed Finance Bill 2025 suggests moving EVs from a zero-rated tax category to VAT-exempt, a technical change that will nonetheless raise end-user prices. Moreover, batteries — the most expensive EV component, are taxed separately as standalone imports, pushing retail prices further out of reach.
This issue is not unique to Kenya. In South Africa, imported EVs face duties of over 25% despite the country’s stated commitment to a “Just Energy Transition.” In Nigeria, customs duty exemptions for EVs have been announced but implementation remains sporadic.
Governments must adopt tax regimes that reflect the urgency of transition:
- Maintain or expand zero-rated status for EVs and key components (like batteries).
- Harmonize customs codes so batteries integrated into vehicles are not double-taxed.
- Introduce vehicle scrap incentives or carbon credits for individuals and businesses who switch from ICEs to EVs.
Industrialisation and local assembly: The missed opportunity
Kenya’s nascent partnership with the Kenya Industrial and Research Development Institute (KIRDI) on battery assembly is promising but remains at the concept stage. Meanwhile, other African countries are yet to make meaningful moves on EV manufacturing localisation. Rwanda, for instance, has attracted EV firms like Ampersand and BasiGo but lacks large-scale battery recycling or assembly plants.
- African governments should develop national EV industrialisation strategies tied to job creation and technology transfer.
- Offer fiscal incentives and concessional financing for companies that assemble EVs or batteries locally.
- Facilitate regional trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to encourage economies of scale.
Mind the policy gap: From intentions to execution
Despite Kenya’s positive steps, including policy frameworks, tariff models, and infrastructure announcements, inconsistencies between policy and practice persist. From moratoriums on new power purchase agreements to contradictory tax changes, such unpredictability undermines investor confidence.
Elsewhere, countries like Ghana and Uganda have launched e-mobility policies but lack binding targets, timelines, or accountability mechanisms.
Governments must:
- Institute national EV targets with annual benchmarks.
- Create independent oversight bodies to monitor policy implementation.
- Develop national e-mobility registries and open data platforms for market transparency.
Final Word: Africa must avoid the passive path
Kenya’s story is both a warning and a blueprint. Without targeted incentives, regulatory clarity, and large-scale investment in infrastructure, EV adoption will remain slow, confined to elite niches and donor-funded pilots.
But the solutions are within reach. Africa’s renewable energy potential, youthful population, and growing urban centres offer the perfect backdrop for a just, green mobility revolution.
The question is no longer whether EVs are the future. It’s whether African governments will remove the roadblocks in time to lead, or be left playing catch-up.
Five actions African countries can take to accelerate EV adoption
- Zero-rate EVs and batteries – not just VAT-exempt, to make pricing competitive.
- Mandate charging infrastructure in all new commercial and residential developments.
- Deploy off-grid solar EV charging in rural corridors and logistics hubs.
- Support local EV assembly with subsidies and AfCFTA-led regional trade.
- Create national EV adoption targets and enforce them with transparent reporting.
