Water-stressed African nations are increasingly turning to desalination as renewable energy costs decline, making the long-prohibitive technology economically viable. By 2050, an estimated 800 million Africans will reside in regions facing acute water scarcity, with renewable freshwater resources below 1,000 cubic meters per person annually, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Agriculture, the continent’s largest water consumer, is projected to experience the most significant shortfalls.

For decades, the high electricity consumption associated with desalination plants rendered them unaffordable for most African economies. This dynamic is shifting due to substantial reductions in solar photovoltaic and wind power costs, alongside advancements in more efficient reverse osmosis pumps. Industry engineers indicate that these factors have reduced the operational expenses of water desalination by half or more in some markets. Hybrid renewable energy systems are now enabling water production at tariffs that are increasingly competitive with overexploited groundwater or distant surface water sources, a departure from reliance on dedicated fossil-fuel generation.

Hashim Ghabashi, president for Africa at Acwa Power, a Saudi developer, noted that modern reverse osmosis systems incorporate advanced pumps that operate with a fraction of the power previously required. He explained that coupling these systems with solar or wind power lowers operational costs and can generate a funding surplus for long-term economic development. Acwa Power, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, leads in private desalination globally by volume, with a portfolio of 110 projects valued at $124 billion across 15 countries. The company has developed over 2 GW of wind and solar energy capacity in Egypt and constructed solar power plants in South Africa and Morocco.

Several African governments are significantly investing in desalination infrastructure. Algeria currently operates 11 desalination plants, including the Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant, the continent's largest, producing approximately 200,000 cubic meters per day and supplying 17 percent of the country’s drinking water. Four additional plants are planned. Egypt has announced an $8.5 billion initiative to develop 47 desalination plants through public-private partnerships by 2050. Morocco has commissioned a large-scale plant with a capacity exceeding 275,000 cubic meters per day. South Africa and Namibia, both contending with recurrent water crises, have also unveiled substantial desalination projects, the FAO reported.