Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa's severe energy access deficit hinders its socio-economic development, affecting millions. This review is motivated by the need to understand the factors influencing the adoption of solar technology as a potential solution. It is hypothesized that while solar technology offers a viable path to electrification, its penetration is significantly influenced by a complex interplay of drivers and barriers. A systematic review of academic and grey literature was conducted to assess the current status, drivers, and barriers of solar technology penetration. Beyond synthesizing academic and grey literature, a structured Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis was conducted, followed by a pairwise comparison matrix and Analytic Hierarchy Process. The analysis reveals that financing barriers, weak grid infrastructure, and policy instability are the most important obstacles, while abundant solar resources, declining technology costs, and innovative business models act as major drivers. The Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats–Analytic Hierarchy Process framework identifies and ranks strategic factors, generating actionable solution strategies such as blended finance, regulatory stability, and regional quality assurance mechanisms.