What do you get when you mix a coalition of electricity nerds, transparency champions, a tour of one of Africa’s most iconic dams and a mission to make power contracts transparent? You get the Energy for Growth Hub’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Transparency Retreat in Accra. Because if we’re serious about solving energy access, energy affordability, and scaling up clean energy, then we need serious transparency. But we also need strategy and a lot of Ghana jollof rice!

From April 15 to 17, the Hub joined the Institute for Economic Affairs, Ghana in bringing together electricity regulators, researchers, advocates and practitioners to supercharge the push for open and competitive PPAs. Participants gathered from across the world, coming from Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Trinidad & Tobago, the UK, the US, and Zambia.

PPA transparency matters now more than ever

PPAs — long-term agreements between private power producers and the utilities that purchase electricity — are the core contracts that allow power projects like solar farms, hydroelectric dams, or thermal plants to secure low-cost financing. They also shape the cost, reliability, and long-term efficiency of power markets. But far too often, these contracts are shrouded in secrecy, making it nearly impossible to assess whether they serve the public interest.

While support for transparency is growing, our retreat underscored that we have work to do — and that contract disclosure is more urgent than ever. All participants agreed that the question was no longer if PPA transparency should be a priority but rather how we can accelerate adoption and build open competitive power markets that benefit consumers and investors alike.

Here is what stood out: 

Making the case: political relevance matters

Transparency won’t advance on its own merits. One of the clearest messages from Accra was that transparency must be made politically relevant. Openness needs to be framed in terms of economic development, electricity affordability, and the fight to end economy-crippling debt. Data needs a narrative that resonates with political leaders, citizens, and the media.

Leverage existing platforms

We dug into how longstanding global transparency efforts like the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Open Government Partnership (OGP) can amplify and reinforce our push for power contract disclosure. Deepening our collaboration with these initiatives will provide networks, tools, and lessons from how and why transparency movements made progress in other sectors.

Usability is everything

Collecting contract data is not enough. Civil society groups and advocates need that data in accessible, understandable formats like simple visual summaries, simplified language, and actionable insights. Otherwise, transparency remains a technical exercise without the intended benefits of accountability.

Practical mechanics matter

Even where contract disclosure has political backing, many systems lack the institutional structure to draft, monitor, and disclose PPAs effectively. Building capacity and improving procurement and oversight mechanisms are clear next steps.

Shared learning is critical

The retreat benefited from our collective diversity of experience. Whether it was Ghana’s experience navigating regulatory reform, Indonesia’s push for buy-in from civil society, or Malawi’s lessons from utility management, one thing was clear: we need to learn from each other. There is no single blueprint, but there is immense value in sharing data, cautionary tales, and practical advice.

Powering Africa’s industrial ambitions

The retreat also reinforced a broader point: energy is foundational to Africa’s mining, manufacturing, and industrialization goals. As global demand surges for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and copper, African countries have a chance to participate in high-value supply chains as sources of raw material and as hubs for refining, processing, and value addition. The global attention presents opportunities for potential new trade routes, investments, and industrial partnerships for countries like Zambia, Angola and DRC. But none of this is possible without reliable and affordable electricity. (My colleague Daniel Johannsson recently made this exact point for Zambia.) By lowering generation costs and reducing risk through transparent contracting and standardization, mineral-rich countries can create the environment needed to support mineral beneficiation and large-scale manufacturing. If African governments are serious about capturing more value from their resources, transparent contracting should be central to their economic strategy.

From conversation to action

The retreat concluded with a visit to the Akosombo Hydroelectric dam, built in 1965 and still today Ghana’s single largest source of electricity. This reminded us that power sector decisions have long-term consequences. The infrastructure lasts generations — and so do the contracts that underpin it.

As we move forward, our focus is clear: sharpen the strategy, invest in data and communication, and work with allies to stress the political relevance of contract disclosure and transparency. It’s not just about opening contracts, but also about building electricity markets that lower costs, power new industries, and expand economic opportunities.