Aligning to the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 12, we investigate the role of renewable energy in achieving sustainable consumption and production pattern in Africa. This study addresses the question: whether the use of renewable energy helps achieve production and consumption patterns free from environmental degradation? We use panel data on 14 African countries from 2002 to 2014 and a robust econometric approach such as panel corrected standard error (PSCE), instrumental generalized method of moment (IV-GMM), and quantile regressions. We find that (1) renewable energy consumption helped to achieve a consumption and production pattern that is free from environmental degradation; (2) there is a significant positive heterogeneous effect of renewable energy consumption on sustainable consumption and production pattern, but the impact level dropped in the long-run. In light of this, we recommend that African countries invest in green energy to achieve sustainable production and consumption patterns. •Role of renewable energy in achieving sustainable consumption and production pattern.•PCSE, IV-GMM and quantile regression are employed.•Renewable energy positively affect the consumption and production pattern.•The impact is heterogeneous across quantiles.