Leveraging International collaboration, investment to tackle West Africa power

A report by International Energy Agency, indicate that Africa accounts for only 4 percent of its energy demand as not a few cities, towns, and villages still struggle with access to basic electricity to light their homes and power their businesses.

It is no longer news that electricity is fundamental for economic development, providing communities and businesses with access to reliable, clean, and affordable energy.

Until recently, West African governments pose as owners and operators of power plants, the national grid, and underperforming state utilities. On the rare occasions when private sector operators were permitted a role in power generation, a reliance on underfunded, occasionally corrupt utilities to deliver the power to customers quickly dampened any realistic commercial prospects.

Yet with an estimated $850bn needed to ensure universal access by 2030, governments are increasingly desperate for private sector cooperation.

Industry experts suggest that only International collaboration and investment are essential to achieve any meaning pace in advancing the development of electricity in the West African region.

A pointer to this that working with international partners in West Africa, a groundbreaking electricity interconnector will allow power exports from Côte d’Ivoire to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. And this will be the first of several new public-private initiatives aimed at transforming how region deliver power.

Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) was quoted to have said “we need to make sure that partners in African governments and markets understand the tremendous opportunities, and how in the long run, having the private sector play a key role will benefit everyone and make things happen a lot more quickly … our hope is that partners will make the right reforms, and their neighbours will feel increased pressure to do the same,”.

Power sector industry close watchers observe that reliable electricity is about more than powering schools, hospitals, and homes. A reliable supply of power can allow young people to develop skills, find employment, and start a business and can enable existing businesses to compete on a level playing field in regional and international markets.

Reports indicate that West Africa in particular and Africa in general has an extraordinary reserve of untapped energy potential, including an estimated 10 terawatts of potential solar energy, 350 gigawatts of hydroelectric power, 110 gigawatts of wind power, and an additional 15 gigawatts of geothermal energy.

Whereas it was once too expensive to exploit Africa’s vast renewable assets, technology is providing solutions that promote new enterprises and new opportunities. With sufficient international investment, West Africa will have a chance to harness and use these resources.

Analysts say that with advanced economies now expressing support for efforts to broaden the availability of this basic human need, perhaps the time has come to flip the switch on one of West Africa’s biggest developmental and societal challenges.

To analysts if this is properly harnessed, it would strengthen West African economies’ capacity to provide jobs and a future for our young people.

KELECHI EWUZIE