An effective transport system provides equitable, clean access to goods and services. Transitions towards this shared goal entail co-evolution between industry, technology, markets, policy, culture and civil society. System models and analytical tools provide a useful quantitative backdrop in building policy, project and investment pipelines towards realising this goal. Due to the unique challenges shared by the majority of sub-Saharan African (SSA) states, including their heavy dependence on imported second-hand vehicle markets, the dominance of popular transport for serving passenger travel demand and chronic data availability constraints, the application of High-Income Country(HIC)-based transport-energy models to SSA contexts tend to offer only vague approximations to local dynamics. Innovative approaches are needed to develop models to support informed decision-making given these challenges. In this policy brief, we: 1. Set out the challenges faced by SSA countries in developing fit-for-purpose system models and analytical tools to support decision makers towards equitable, clean access for all; 2. Detail innovations to meet these requirements, given the unique and persisting challenges, and identify opportunities present to enable these innovations; and 3. Set out a framework for the development of SSA context-appropriate system models and analytical tools to support transport-energy transitions towards equitable, clean access.