The past research on the connection between energy and food markets primarily depended on econometric approaches, arguing that fuel costs of logistics is a crucial determinant of food price in Africa. Very few studies provide a comprehensive analysis of food product energy intensity covering a wide range of developing countries. This study addresses these gaps by utilizing input-output (IO) models to estimate the energy intensity associated with domestically produced and imported grains across 43 African regions based on 2017 data from GTAP Database. Although the GTAP data are based on the 2017 base year—the most recent globally harmonized dataset available—we acknowledge the temporal limitation and interpret the results as reflecting structural patterns rather than short-term dynamics. This approach highlights regional vulnerabilities to rising energy costs and incorporates regression analysis to examine how energy intensity is linked to agricultural modernization. The main findings are: (1) transportation-related energy use in Africa is very low, challenging the common assumption that logistics costs drive food price fluctuations; (2) energy intensity is relatively high in North Africa, Gabon, and South Africa, but substantially lower in most other countries; (3) in many countries, domestic grain production requires little energy, while most energy use is embedded in imports, revealing external dependence; and (4) energy intensity is strongly associated with modernization factors such as fertilizer and pesticide use, irrigation, and agricultural capital stock. These results underscore the energy-intensive nature of agricultural modernization and its uneven distribution across the continent.