600 Million Africans Without Access to Electricity

By Edward Makuzva

Minister of Energy and Power Development Hon July Moyo revealed that a total of 600 million Africans are without access to electricity, of which 172 million are in SADC.

Additionally, 400 million people are without access to safe and dignified sanitation.

Minister Moyo was speaking at a joint ministerial meeting on Energy and Water in the capital, where he highlighted that energy and water are the lifelines of our communities, economies, and ecosystems.

Insecurity in either will undermine production, weaken economic resilience, and hinder both growth and social development.

“Without a doubt, the growth of our economies spurred by growth in manufacturing, mining, and agricultural sectors is accelerating insatiable energy and water demand.

The region is endowed with natural energy resources as well as critical energy transition minerals whose value chains are a key driver of markets and economies in this era of renewable-based energy transition.

“Total installed generation capacity for all Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) countries is 83.8GW with an operating capacity of 57GW against a demand and reserve of 58.8GW, resulting in a deficit capacity of 1.8GW.

“While we talk of excess generation capacity in the SAPP, trading of this is still a challenge witnessed through the deficit mentioned above. Zimbabwe, among other SAPP member states, still faces power deficits.

“The country’s electricity demand is way higher than the local supply. The total achievable capacity ranges from 1,200 to 1,600MW, whilst our installed capacity exceeds the peak national demand of approximately 2,000 megawatts.

“We need to fully utilise our Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) to enhance cross-border electricity trade in our national grids and improve reliability.

The electricity demand in the region has been increasing on an average of 3 % per annum in the previous 10 years”, Minister Moyo explained.

Furthermore, the region is endowed with excellent solar irradiation. Much of Southern Africa receives 4.5–7 kWh/m²/day of average global horizontal irradiation (GHI).

Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe are the solar hot spots, and we must leverage this to create a regional market to absorb regionally manufactured products to drive energy transition.

The Energy and Power Development Minister emphasized that regional integration interventions can strengthen our Petroleum and Gas sector, leveraging on the recently discovered reserves in Mozambique and the Cabora Bassa Basin.

He revealed that notable efforts have been undertaken to enhance collaboration in the sphere, with Zimbabwe working on enhancing collaboration with other countries in the region and beyond to ensure the progression of not only their individual energy goals but also moving together with the whole region.

“Furthermore, the need for enhanced regional integration cannot be overemphasised. The priority for regional integration in the energy sector is to connect the three (03) remaining Member States, namely, the Republic of Angola, the Republic of Malawi and the United Republic of Tanzania, to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) grid.

“This initiative will enable all SADC mainland Member States to trade power bilaterally and through competitive SAPP Market platforms.

“The SAPP has the foremost potential to end Africa’s energy poverty. Currently, nine out of the twelve mainland SADC countries are interconnected, and it is critical to get the remaining three interconnected to the SAPP grid (Angola, Malawi and Tanzania), then work on how to bring aboard the oceanic Member States.

“It is imperative that we implement outstanding initiatives like the Africa Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), interconnection projects including ZIZABONA, Angola-Namibia, Zambia-Tanzania, DRC-Zambia, Angola-DRC, Mozambique-Tanzania and Malawi. Also, generation projects with regional impact, such as Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric, Mpanda Nkuwa, Devil’s Gorge, Inga and Julius Nyerere (Stiegler’s Gorge). The Great Inga Dam could provide energy security”, said Minister Moyo.