The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have released recommendations of a baseline study that looked into the progress of a continental transmission network.
“Our continent has a vision to develop a single electricity grid that will guarantee secure, affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supplies to increase the economic prospects of the continent, especially for our children. This can only be realised with a well-coordinated, widely accepted and highly articulated master plan,” said Cheikh Bedda, director energy at the African Union Commission.
The study, supported by the European Union (EU), is the 1st step in an ambitious project to build an efficient, competitive energy sector that helps to serve Africa’s vast non-connected population, which is key to the economic prospects of continent.
The recommendations were discussed at a roundtable meeting between the partners organised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) on 28 October.
African Energy Ministers directed AUDA-NEPAD to promote a continental transmission network master plan during the AU Specialised Technical Committee meeting on Infrastructure (Transport, Energy and Tourism) held in Nouakchott and Cairo in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
“The master plan will be a game-changer, as in the long term, a continental transmission network will grant energy trade within Africa, as well as off the continent, with Asia and Europe through existing links,” said Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD.