Hope to increase electricity access to 300 million people
– As African Energy Summit opens
Story: Olive GIBBON
THE African Energy Summit is underway, hoping to advance the aim of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the African Development Bank Group (ADBG) to expand electricity access to 300 million people throughout Africa by 2030 – or Mission 300.
Heads of State are convening with private sector leaders, community organizations, development partners and civil society.
Day One of the Summit is complete, witnessing 12 African countries present their National Energy Compacts, outlining their funding needs, current pace, private sector participation, and more.
Some of the highest current annual paces, between 2017 and 2021, of increasing access to electricity were seen in Liberia at 8% p/a, Tanzania at 7% p/a (2017-2022), Zambia at 6% p/a (for on-grid connections), and Mauritania at 6% p/a (2017-2022).
Some of the lowest paces were seen for the Democratic Republic of Congo at 1% p/a and Madagascar at 2.4% p/a (2017-2022).
The Summit reassured that this was a first phase of countries, and further Compacts will be required from other African countries.
Speaking at the summit, President of the World Bank Group Mr. Ajay Banga urged for tangible regulatory policy, to ensure predictability on tariffs and land acquisition. This, he suggested, would enable private sector players and development banks to have confidence in a stable investment into the project.
“We will pay for results”, he pledged, “we are going to give you the money, to enable you to create the headroom that you need as a country to make that policy reform happen”.
President of the World Bank Group Mr. Ajay Banga outlined developments in the project thus far, including the process of geospatial mapping to calculate whether households across countries require connection to the national grid, or, as in some cases is cheaper and faster, connection to distributed energy, including solar energy and other renewables.
He also highlighted the regional electrical markets that they are attempting to create.
Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank, also stressed the role of regulation. He demanded the separation between legislators, the companies providing the services, and the regulators that ensure compliance.
“All three elements have to operate independently but very collaboratively”, he said, “That way, all of these services, be it electricity or telecom, you will see them growing very fast”.
“To get it right, the private sector has to play a pivotal role in that operation”, the IDB President stated, “the regulatory regime has to be conducive to the private sector to be in”.
During the Summit, Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser also announced the IDB’s commitment of $2.65 billion towards activities related to energy access in Africa. “It’s the bloodline of development, it’s a human right”, he stated.
Executive Director of Haki Rasilimali Mr. Adam Anthony pleaded for an open data portal with real-time updates on project financing, progress and impact, with a feedback mechanism for public input.
He stressed transparency in the reporting on the national compacts. He drew attention to the importance of the project being African-led, with expertise sourced from the continent throughout the process.
Speakers at the Summit highlighted electricity and its crucial role in job creation, education, healthcare, SME development, and overall economic growth.
The World Bank Group (WBG) and the African Development Bank Group (ADBG) organised the Summit to accelerate their Mission 300 goal – of expanding electricity access to 300 million people throughout Africa by 2030. They are co-hosting the event alongside the African Union (AU) and the Government of Tanzania. The two-day event aims to pool resources, and create lasting progress in expanding electricity access throughout Africa.
