By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THE DRIVE to transform Africa’s energy future gained fresh momentum as the European Union renewed its commitment to supporting African institutions in building robust regulatory frameworks and unlocking the potential of renewable energy and cross-border electricity trade.
Speaking in Addis-Ababa at the opening of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) High-level Technical Meeting, the EU delegation’s Head of Policy and Cooperation to the African Union, Gianluca Azzoni, praised the ongoing collaboration among AU energy bodies, regional economic communities, power pools, regulators and member states.
The European Union, he said, remains a key partner in advancing the energy transition through the Global Gateway strategy, with targeted support for infrastructure investment in power generation and transmission, and improved energy access at both national and regional levels via the Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative.
Azzoni underscored the EU’s readiness to continue working alongside African stakeholders in removing investment bottlenecks, reinforcing regulation, and scaling up sustainable energy trade.
As AfSEM transitions from design to implementation, he urged member states and regional institutions to deepen collaboration and embed AfSEM principles in their policy frameworks.
From the African Development Bank, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, Wale Shonibare, stressed the benefits of regional electricity trading for cheaper and cleaner power access, as well as enhanced system reliability.
He said the AfDB remains committed to expanding its suite of de-risking instruments, including partial risk and credit guarantees, and blended finance tools such as the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa—to attract private capital into the sector.
Shonibare also emphasised that delivering AfSEM’s vision requires collective effort, calling for intensified cooperation with other multilateral lenders, bilateral development partners and financiers.
AUDA-NEPAD Energy Programme Officer Tichakunda Simbini noted the strategic role of the central, southern and eastern African power pools in generating tradable electricity across the continent.
He called on stakeholders to ensure those regional markets are fully functional by 2030 in line with AfSEM’s roadmap.
Also addressing the session, the African Union Commission’s Infrastructure and Energy Director, Kamugisha Kazaura, hailed the day’s meeting as a milestone in the shared ambition to create a unified continental power market.
He described the moment as a foundation-laying phase for institutional and operational readiness that would ensure clean, reliable and affordable electricity reaches millions across Africa.
Kazaura also acknowledged the long-standing technical and financial backing of the European Union since AfSEM’s inception in 2015, particularly its contributions through the Global Technical Assistance Facility.
The African Single Electricity Market aims to deliver greater energy security, sustainability and competitiveness to AU member states by enabling seamless electricity trade and deeper regional integration.
