Africa Day: Communities demand just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy
As Africa Day is marked across the continent, communities in over 15 countries are concluding a powerful week of action under the banner of AfrikaVuka Week 2025. Coordinated by the pan-African network AfrikaVuka, this year’s mobilization, “Afrika Rise: A Week of REPower and Resilience”, saw grassroots organisers, youth groups, artists and frontline communities come together to demand a just transition away from fossil fuels and toward a people-centred renewable energy future.
More than 25 actions took place during the week, ranging from climate justice concerts in Cotonou and community energy debates in Kampala, to culture shows in Abuja and protest walks in Lamu. These diverse mobilisations were united by a shared demand: Africa does not need more pipelines, it needs solar in our schools, wind in our communities, and justice at the heart of our energy systems.
“Seven years ago, AfrikaVuka was born from a vision shared by grassroots organisers across the continent, a vision of an Africa liberated from fossil fuel dependency and powered by people-led renewable energy. That vision has become a movement. As we close this year’s AfrikaVuka Week, our call is sharper than ever: Africa doesn’t need more fossil fuel deals, it needs investment in energy systems that are clean, just, and locally owned. This is how we reclaim our sovereignty, build resilience, and unlock the future we deserve. We are organising not just for energy, but for power that is rooted in justice, driven by communities, and backed by the climate finance owed to us.” says Rukiya Khamis, Senior Organiser at 350Africa.org.
AfrikaVuka was launched seven years ago by a group of African climate organisers determined to build a united movement to resist fossil fuel expansion on the continent. Today, that vision is being realised through the REPower Afrika campaign, which is amplifying local energy struggles while pushing for investment in community-led renewables and socially-owned solutions as the only viable path forward. This week of action demonstrated that energy justice is inseparable from sovereignty and dignity. The message is clear: power for the people, built by communities, owned by communities, and for communities.
The actions also sent a strong signal to African leaders and international financiers ahead of AfDB’s annual meetings.
“The era of fossil fuel deals must come to an end. Africa doesn’t need more extractive projects, it needs public investments in clean, community-centered energy systems that deliver power with dignity. We call on institutions like the AfDB and wealthy nations to stop pushing loans and start delivering climate justice. Finance our transition not with debt, but with the reparations owed for a crisis we did not cause.” says Christian Hounkannou, Francophone Regional Organiser at 350Africa.org
The final actions take place today in Nairobi, Accra and Johannesburg, rounding off a week that has reaffirmed the strength, creativity, and determination of Africa’s climate movement. This year’s AfrikaVuka Week has not only commemorated the journey so far, it has reignited the call for a future in which African communities can thrive, free from the grip of fossil fuel dependency.
