Market entry and evaluation


African Energy’s Consultancy can help you understand and manage the risks, while getting the best out of the opportunities

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Whatever African market your business is moving into; whether you are acquiring or investing in a new energy asset, competing in a tender, or evaluating a range of opportunities, our experienced team of staff experts and extensive network of in-country contacts and researchers, can provide you with essential insights and on the ground context.

Our consultancy services offer:

  • Insight into market dynamics based on the aims and requirements of your business strategy, and informed by our proprietary data and bespoke research.
  • Detailed understanding of how legislation and regulations will apply to the opportunity that you are evaluating, and the likely trajectory of change.
  • Realistic perspectives on political, economic and commercial cultures and how your intended market segment works in practice.

Our approach

  • Following the signing of an NDA, we embark on an initial no-commitment consultation to understand your needs and requirements.
  • Based on this, we produce a detailed specification setting out deliverables, approach, timings, and price.
  • We agree terms to deliver work on a fixed fee basis – so no hidden or additional costs.
  • On submission of a draft report, the client is invited to question and make comments, following which we deliver the final report.
  • We provide a briefing on the final report in person or online.

Our track record

Continent-wide gas-to-power (GTP) assessment

In 2023, we provided a continent-wide assessment of gas-to-power opportunities for an international original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to identify future market openings and opportunities. The study mapped major electric power offtakers in several of the continent’s largest markets and analysed the prospects of existing and pipeline GTP projects and their sponsors.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Routes to market in 13 countries

In 2023, we provided reports on 13 electricity markets in Africa with analysis of electricity market structure, key stakeholders, characteristics of electricity demand (timelines of consumption and peak demand) and generation (timelines of capacity and generation growth), tariff evolution, and trends in regulatory and political oversight. The reports also provided a specific focus on renewable energy and identified routes to market for utility-scale renewable energy developers.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Political and security risk review for global energy company

In Spring 2022, a global energy company requested a political and security risk review for a country they were considering investing in. The country in question was new to them, so they asked for a thorough report which would help inform them on whether to progress their investment plans. 

They asked us to answer questions around:

  • political stability and prospects for stability following the end of the president’s tenure; 
  • whether regional/local crises would post a threat to energy operations in the area of interest; 
  • the quality of energy sector governance and decision-making; 
  • how corruption affected investment and decision-making; 
  • NGO activity affecting energy development; 
  • prospects of international sanctions; 
  • how an ongoing maritime boundary dispute would affect investment;
  • an assessment of security conditions in two locations. 

CbI delivered a 34,000 word report based on 25 sources in the politics and economic spheres, civil society, energy industry, activists, academics, opposition, financial/banking sources and government. 

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Morocco and disputed Western Sahara land ownership

In early 2022 an international energy company requested information on land ownership and social relations in Morocco and the disputed Western Sahara. We carried out on the ground research focused on the following:

  • Identifying the owners of land plots of interest to the client for their potential investment;
  • Clarification of the lands’ legal status;
  • Evaluating the constraints of the legal status for a foreign investor;
  • The administrative, political, economic and geographical aspects of two areas of interest to the client;
  • Tribal dynamics in the areas of interest;
  • A political history of the areas of interest;
  • Key political figures in the local administrations. 

We delivered a detailed and comprehensive report to the client covering the above points. 

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

South African power market report

In 2021, we produced a 200+ page country report analysing the South African power market, including policy and regulation, market structure, supply and demand, politics and economics, the off-grid and commercial and industrial (C&I) markets, the competitive landscape, the transmission and distribution sectors.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Renwables, GTP and coal potential in South Africa

For the South African arm of a US private equity-funded developer we carried out in-depth studies of renewables generation potential and subsequent studies of coal-fired and gas-to-power projects in South Africa and its neighbours.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Guinea supply and demand analysis

We provided a US power developer with a detailed supply and demand analyses on the power sectors of Guinea.

This included:

  • A detailed, granular analysis of existing and potential electricity supply (with likelihood of implementation of pipeline generation projects based on our scenario-building model).
  • Current and expected off-grid demand.
  • African Energy-generated electricity growth forecasts.
  • Cost of production.
  • Tariff comparisons between the proposed project and existing power plants. 

This report was subsequently updated for the same client and its partners, including US and European development finance institutions.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark.

Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Egypt supply and demand analysis

We provided a supply and demand analysis on the ESIs of Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Egypt, including a detailed study of electricity supply and demand, and of domestic gas, to assess the prospects for new gas-fired power plants.

In Côte d’Ivoire, this was to assess the viability of a proposed liquefied natural gas import scheme.

We also advised on the competitiveness of energy prices and proposed electricity tariffs for the projects. As project consultant we provided advisory services to the client from project identification through to final investment committee.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Guinea electricity supply impact study

For a UK development finance institution we carried out an assessment of the impact of electricity supply and the commercial, health and education sectors of the Guinean capital, Conakry. The project involved conducting a survey of 150 organisations in the capital and along with a number of interviews with electricity consumers for the production of case studies. The project is to be used by the client as a baseline and compared with a midline and endline studies to gauge the impacts of their investee, a power generation company located in the capital.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark

Egypt supply and demand analysis

For a European sovereign wealth fund we provided a detailed supply and demand analysis for Egypt, examining potential electricity and gas supply, the likelihood of implementation of power and gas projects, and expected gas demand from the ESI (including forecasting electricity demand over a five-year period). The report also covered economic, currency convertibility and other risks, and government policy and regulation of the power and gas sectors.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark.

Southern Africa ESIs study

For a major UK-based developer we compiled a study of the actual and potential ESIs in several southern African markets, including data, suggestions of which planned plants would go ahead, analysis of economic and political pitfalls (including key players) and a range of other indicators.

To find out how we can deliver similar value to your business please contact Alex Wark.

Contact me to discuss how we can help your business

Alex Wark

Alex Wark

Business development manager

Alex leads African Energy’s sales team and is focused on building relations with African Energy’s client base and understanding their needs. 

Alex works with public and private sector clients to guide them through African Energy’s flexible range of offerings and to identify the right mix of research, consulting and data services to help plan their business and investment strategies and source new opportunities. 

E: [email protected]

Consultancy contacts

John Hamilton
Managing director and senior analyst, North Africa

Ajay Ubhi
Head of data

Marc Howard
Senior research analyst

Tel: +44 (0)1424 721667