Page 6 - AfrElec Week 23 2021
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AfrElec ACCESS TO POWER AfrElec
Access to power rates fall in sub-
Saharan Africa in past decade
AFRICA THE number of people without electricity in the greatest improvement in power access since
sub-Saharan Africa increased over the last 10 2010, thanks to annual electrification growth
years, with Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of rates in excess of 3 percentage points, driven
Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia posting the highest largely by an integrated approach that combined
number of people without power access. grid, mini-grid and on-grid solar electrification.
Figures from the World Bank out this week Globally, the number of people without
state that 89mn Nigerians (45% of the popula- access to electricity declined from 1.2bn in 2010
tion) were without power, followed by DRC with to 759mn in 2019, the report found.
70mn (91%) and Ethiopia with 58mn (52%). Electrification through decentralised
According to the Tracking SDG 7: The Energy renewable-based solutions in particular gained
Progress Report, significant progress has been momentum. The number of people connected to
made since 2010 on various aspects of the Sus- mini-grids has more than doubled between 2010
tainable Development Goal 7, but progress has and 2019, growing from 5mn to 11mn people.
been unequal across regions. However, under current and planned policies
While more than 1bn people gained access to and further affected by the COVID-19 crisis, an
electricity globally over the last decade, the coro- estimated 660mn people would still lack access
navirus’ (COVID-19) financial impact has made in 2030, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
basic electricity services unaffordable for 30mn “The Tracking SDG7 report shows that
more people, the majority located in Africa. 90% of the global population now has access
Nigeria, the DRC and Ethiopia had the biggest to electricity, but disparities exacerbated by the
electricity access deficits, with Ethiopia replacing pandemic, if left unaddressed, may keep the sus-
India in the Top Three. tainable energy goal out of reach, jeopardising
The report was put together by International other SDGs and the Paris Agreement’s objec-
Energy Agency (IEA) the International Renew- tives,” said Mari Pangestu, managing director
able Energy Agency (IRENA), the UN Depart- of development policy and partnerships at the
ment of Economic and Social Affairs (UN World Bank. “Addressing energy access and cli-
DESA), the World Bank and the World Health mate change requires an inclusive energy transi-
Organisation (WHO). tion. We must work together to achieve SDG7 so
The report noted that Bangladesh (92%), that everyone can access clean, affordable, and
Kenya (70%) and Uganda (41%) had shown sustainable electricity.”
P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 23 10•June•2021
