The Status of Power and Electricity Access In Africa

 

The African continent has a problem with access to power and electricity. Nigeria has suffered from power outages. North Africa based on collected data has more access to power compared to Sub-Saharan Africa. The countries that lack the most electricity are The African Central Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad,  and South Sudan. These three countries have a history of civil wars and armed groups fighting the government. The M23 rebels and Seleka rebels have fought in the DRC and the Central African Republic. South Africa has the highest access to electricity in its region. The need for better infrastructure and better power grids should be part of every African country's objective. Power and electricity are needed for modern nations. Electricity can be an indicator of development. Considering Africa's vast mineral and fossil fuel resources the economic possibilities are endless. Data  related to progress on electrification According to the IAEA , the number of people without electricity access expanded. The two major factor related to reversal  was the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis related to events in Europe. The 2019 map shows the status before those two events. The African continent has more access to electricity compared to past. The challenge is keeping the process mobilized. The African Union must develop programs to bring electricity to all of the continent. The World Bank has created a plan known as mission 300. The goal is to get electrification to 300 million in sub-Sharan Africa. Although  the African Development Bank has collaborated with the World Bank on the program, fears of further long term debt arise. Mission 300 wants to have most of the region with electricity by 2030. The time frame is too short for such an ambitious project. The African Union should be leading efforts to provide electricity. Doing so would encourage immense  cooperation between all regions of Africa.