Designing Scalable Energy Sustainability Indices for Policy Monitoring in African States

This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for the development of scalable energy sustainability indices tailored to the policy and governance needs of African states. Recognizing the limitations of existing global indices in capturing regional diversity, institutional realities, and data disparities, the study advances a multidimensional model built around four thematic pillars: energy access, affordability, renewability, and resilience. The framework outlines clear methodological pathways for indicator selection, normalization, weighting, and aggregation, emphasizing transparency, flexibility, and policy relevance. In doing so, it enables national governments to monitor progress, identify performance gaps, and align energy planning with broader sustainable development objectives. The paper further discusses the institutional considerations necessary for successful index adoption, including integration into national statistical and planning systems, enhancement of energy data infrastructure, and the cultivation of technical capacity across key agencies. Feedback mechanisms are explored to demonstrate how the index can actively inform policy cycles, fiscal decisions, and regulatory reforms. Critical reflections address data limitations, methodological trade-offs, and challenges related to institutional uptake. Finally, the paper outlines future pathways for index refinement, regional benchmarking, sub-national adaptation, and strategic linkage with climate finance instruments. The result is a practical and adaptable tool designed to support evidence-based energy governance in a rapidly evolving African energy landscape.