adminIVORY COAST. — A new report from the Africa Progress Panel has advised governments across the continent to move faster to bridge the huge energy gap.The report, titled “Lights Power Action: Electrifying Africa”, was launched at the African Development Bank headquarters in Abidjan on Monday.
It calls for significant investment in a range of solutions that can solve Africa’s energy crisis as quickly as possible.
Africa Progress Panel chair and former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan says they are advocating for African governments to harness every available option in a cost-effective and technology efficient manner as possible.
The report underlines that the 620 million Africans without access to electricity cannot wait for grid expansion.
Grid-connected mega projects, such as large dams and power pools, are essential to scale up national and regional energy generation and transmission, but they are slow and expensive.
The report therefore recommends that governments also increase investment in off-grid and mini-grid solutions, which are cheaper and quicker to install. — EWN.
Bongani Ndlovu