Displacement and SDG7 – a growing gap 

Nearly five million people in Sub-Saharan Africa have been forced to flee their countries due to violence or persecution¹. While globally, around three out of four refugees live in urban areas², the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa is different: the majority of refugees in this region reside in camps and camp-like settlements.   

Despite growing attention and funding, efforts to provide energy access in refugee settlements have not kept up pace with the increasing displacement. Around 94% of refugees living in camps still lack access to electricity³. This energy poverty limits safety, education, health services and livelihoods. 

Structural challenges to reaching SDG7 in refugee camps 

While energy access is a global challenge, delivering electricity in displacement settings is particularly complex. In many host countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, a significant portion of the national population still lacks reliable access to electricity. Therefore, governments focus their limited resources on extending infrastructure to their own underserved communities. As a result, refugee settlements are frequently excluded from national electrification strategies, even in regions where camps have existed for decades and host hundreds of thousands of people. 

Humanitarian responses, primarily designed for emergency situations, typically emphasize food, water and shelter. With refugee camps expected to be temporary, electricity provision, if provided at all, has often defaulted to diesel generators given the need for rapid deployment. Recent programs have introduced solar off-grid solutions, such as the free distribution of solar home systems (SHS). However, these programs often remain structured as short-term response rather than long-term infrastructure investments. This framing often overlooks the opportunity for market-based solutions. 

Without deliberate focus on access to energy in displacement settings, refugee camps risk being permanently left out of national and global energy progress, and SDG 7 (universal access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy) will remain out of reach in many of these contexts. 

Unlocking economic potential 

Far from being passive aid recipients, refugee communities are often vibrant economic hubs, presenting a compelling opportunity for decentralised, off-grid energy solutions as these large, stable, and densely populated communities create aggregated demand. In addition, anchor clients, such as clinics, schools, and humanitarian agencies, offer steady, institutional demand that can help stabilize revenue streams for mini-grid operators. 

At the same time, a growing number of entrepreneurial refugees are building small businesses in sectors such as retail, food services, and communications, requiring reliable electricity supply.  

Despite the limited quality of current options, refugees often spend between 15 and 40 percent of their disposable income on energy, typically for candles, kerosene, or low-grade solar kits⁴. This spending underscores both a strong unmet need and a clear willingness to pay for more reliable, sustainable alternatives. Moreover, many households receive remittances or earn informal income, contributing to a more consistent ability to pay for energy services. 

Spotlight: Kakuma and Kalobeyei – A Case for Scalable Energy Investment? 

Located in Kenya’s Turkana region, Kakuma Refugee Camp, established in 1992, and the adjacent Kalobeyei settlement, established in 2016, are home to more than 300,000 people, mainly from South Sudan and Somalia⁵. With more than 30 years of existence and its considerable size, Kakuma functions like a city, with bustling markets, social infrastructure, and a vibrant economy. In fact, Kakuma is considered one of the -largest economic hubs in Kenya⁶.  

Despite its scale and dynamic economy, access to electricity in Kakuma remains limited and unreliable, constraining opportunities for education, healthcare, and business development. This makes the camp a powerful example of both the need and the potential for sustainable energy investment in displacement settings. 

Recognizing the need for long-term energy solutions, green mini-grid operators have begun building sustainable infrastructure in Kakuma and Kalobeyei and CEI Africa is supporting this expansion with targeted financing. Through a senior loan to KUDURA Power East Africa, CEI Africa is supporting the completion of green mini-grids (GMGs) across Turkana County, including within Kakuma itself. These solar-powered systems are designed to deliver clean, affordable electricity to both refugee and host communities. 

In parallel, CEI Africa has also provided a grant to Renewvia Energy, enabling the connection of 14,000 additional customers to its existing solar mini-grid in Kalobeyei Settlement. To further scale impact, CEI Africa extended a senior loan to Renewvia to expand its solar mini-grid operations serving both Kakuma and Kalobeyei. These investments are not only addressing immediate energy needs but also helping to build the foundation for economic resilience and self-reliance in one of the world’s largest and most dynamic refugee communities.  

Through these financing solutions, CEI Africa is helping provide access to clean electricity for over 100,000 beneficiaries in the Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement. 

1. UNHCR (2025): Refugee Statistics, accessible via: https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/statistics/
2. Idem
3. GPA (2022): The State of the Humanitarian Energy Sector: Challenges, Progress and Issues in 2022
4. Rosenberg-Jansen (2025): Voices in the Dark 
5. UNHCR (2025): Kenya Operation Statistics, accessible via: https://www.unhcr.org/ke/what-we-do/reports-and-publications/kenya-operation-statistics
6. SEI (2022) Conflict sensitivity and renewable energy: a case study from Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp