ENERGY ACCESS: ‘Africa must join forces’

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has urged African leaders to leverage the African Energy Summit as a platform for forging partnerships and collaborations to achieve universal electricity access across the continent.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, emphasised the importance of collective efforts while opening the summit at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.

The first day of the high-level summit brought together African energy and finance ministers, development partners and key stakeholders.

“It is through collaboration that African countries can identify tangible solutions to make Mission 300 a reality, including joint energy infrastructure investments for power transmission and supply as highlighted in the National Energy Compacts,” Dr Biteko stated.

He urged leaders to unlock Africa’s energy potential and use the summit to finalise compacts that align with the continent’s energy ambitions.

“Together, we can drive a more equitable and sustainable energy future for all,” he said.

The summit includes 14 pilot countries, including Tanzania, which will sign energy compacts. These compacts provide a framework for coordinated actions to unlock investments from governments, development partners, philanthropies and the private sector to achieve energy access targets.

Dr Biteko noted that the summit serves as a platform for leaders to share experiences, secure high-level political commitments and attract private sector investments to fund energy infrastructure projects.

Organised by the World Bank (WB) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the summit is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). The primary goal is to ensure 300 million Africans have access to electricity by 2030.

Dr Biteko said Mission 300 is a shared commitment to universal clean energy access, reducing carbon emissions and supporting livelihoods. Reflecting on Africa’s progress since the 1960s, he acknowledged significant strides in electricity generation and distribution but noted that over 600 million Africans still lack power, necessitating collective efforts to bridge the gap.

Citing Tanzania’s progress, Dr Biteko shared that the country’s power generation capacity has increased to 3,160 MW in 2023 compared to 21 MW when the country attained independence. By the end of the year, the installed capacity is expected to reach 4,000 MW.

He noted that Tanzania has connected electricity infrastructure to all 12,318 villages nationwide and established power interconnections with Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, with a link to Zambia underway.

However, he acknowledged the need for energy diversification to meet increasing demand from growing economic activities in industrial, mining and hospitality sectors.

Dr Biteko also reaffirmed President Samia Suluhu Has- san’s commitment to advancing access to clean cooking solutions, urging delegates to prioritise this during their discussions.

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The National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy, launched in May 2023, forms part of Tanzania’s compact to be signed at the summit.

African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, commended Tanzania for its remarkable achievement in connecting villages to electricity, stating that the country’s success can inspire others to enhance electricity access.

He stressed that “the continent cannot develop in the dark,” underscoring the importance of universal energy access.

Dr Adesina described the summit as action-driven, focused on fostering partnerships and cooperation to help those still living without electricity.

He also urged private investors to support Africa’s agenda for universal electricity access. World Bank President Ajay Banga praised major strides made by the Tanzanian government in accelerating access to energy to its citizens.

“Let me add my thanks to the government of Tanzania, not only for hosting us but also in the manner in which they have been executing access to electricity increase in their own country over the past few years,” commended Mr Banga.

“They have made enormous progress and that’s kind of a lighthouse and a beacon for others to follow as well although they have ambitions to do even more in the coming period, so congratulations (to Tanzania),” the WB boss added.

On his side, Rockefeller Foundation President, Dr Rajiv Shah, insisted that African countries can only achieve this ambitious goal by working together.

Earlier, the country’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Energy, Eng Felschesmi Mramba welcomed all the participants of the summit in Dar es Salaam and wished them a nice stay.

The summit concludes today with a high-level gathering involving heads of state, government representatives, and development partners.