The transition away from fossil energy sources faces a major bottleneck in the extension and modernization of the electrical grid. Failing to expand the grid fast enough could increase global emissions by about 12 % in 2050, compared to a pathway that supports rapid grid modernization and extension (IEA 2023).
Furthermore, in Africa only around 53 % of the population had access to electricity in 2023 (World Bank 2024). In many African countries, data on electrical infrastructure is outdated, incomplete, or not publicly available, presenting a significant barrier for governments, utilities, and planners.

The Case for Open Grid Data in OpenStreetMap in Africa:

Open grid data ensures that infrastructure planning is more inclusive and cost-effective: datasets can be cross-checked, reused, and improved collaboratively, giving policymakers and planners a reliable foundation for decision-making.

Where official data is unavailable, OpenStreetMap often becomes the de facto platform for mapping the grid—but progress there can be limited by outdated or low-resolution satellite imagery provided by services such as ESRI and Microsoft, particularly in some African countries. Therefore, having local communities involved is the best way to maintain and improve this data in OpenStreetMap in the long-term.

Since OpenStreetMap is both editable and collaborative, local communities, NGOs, and governments can contribute directly—filling gaps, correcting errors, and improving data quality. For example, the YouthMappers initiative in Sierra Leone enabled students and organizations to map the power grid, helping electricity providers reduce planning costs and accelerate deployment.

Expanding access to electricity is vital for poverty reduction, economic stability, and climate resilience. However, one of the greatest obstacles to grid expansion remains the lack of reliable data. In some cases, information is even withheld due to perceived security concerns, echoing outdated “security through obscurity” practices.

Moreover, open grid data is instrumental in identifying off-grid communities that could be connected to national networks, helping to target interventions and investments (Arderne et al., 2020), particularly in contexts where official data is scarce such as in many African countries.

Open data on energy infrastructure supports not only decarbonization and electrification, but also broader human development outcomes, including: innovation and entrepreneurship, improved healthcare and education services, enhanced opportunities for women and girls, especially where clean cooking access is introduced.

Additionally, by relying on open-source data from OpenStreetMap, governments and local authorities can build high-quality datasets without the cost of proprietary sources. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Electric Energy Infrastructure Data” project achieved estimated savings of 65 % (≈ 2 million USD) over proprietary datasets.

Furthermore, OpenStreetMap grid data is increasingly being used in energy systems modelling activities. For example, PyPSA Earth, an open-source global energy system model, uses OpenStreetMap grid data as the foundation for constructing its electricity grid network, and has been used in many African contexts such as a net-zero planning study for Nigeria (Parzen et al. 2023).

MapYourGrid initiative:

Therefore, we formed the MapYourGrid initiative in 2025, where we aim to map the world’s electrical transmission grid on OpenStreetMap, by using tools and strategies we have developed, and by collaborating with local communities.
In the past few months, we have standardized, optimized, and partially automated the grid-mapping process to boost both engagement and accessibility.

Since volunteers have already mapped most of the global transmission grid in OSM, our focus is on connecting and training these mappers more effectively—especially to tackle the final 30 %, which is hardest to capture.

Therefore, MapYourGrid has: established a centralised communication channel that multiplies training and support, generated a wealth of innovative ideas from community members, and laid the groundwork for long-term data maintenance, critical as global grid length must more than double by 2050 and over half of existing lines will need upgrading or replacement.

Moreover, we have built a website with a tutorial, an interactive world map with tools built inside to map effectively, and will produce many high-quality videos. Furthermore, as to empower local communities in Africa, we will be making video tutorials in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

In the near-future, we will run at least three continent-wide mapping sprints, turning grid mapping into a social, game-like experience that motivates both new and experienced contributors. We will also provide advanced technical training materials, such as written guides and videos for more experienced grid mappers. This will help beginner mappers evolve to advanced levels, greatly improving data accuracy and completeness.

Finally, to date, our team has mapped over 180,000 towers (approximately 58,000 km of power lines), including more than 17,000 towers across Africa, such as in Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya. However, we intend to increase our collaboration with communities all around Africa, and together map the electrical grid in OpenStreetMap.