(Ecofin Agency) - Africa’s electrification recently welcomed a new advocate, Africa Power Vision (APV). APV is a joint-venture established by the African Union Commission, the NEPAD agency, Nigeria’s ministry of finance, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank. It aims to boost the number of people that has access to power across the continent.

“APV aims to achieve an 80% residential electrification rate by 2040 and 90% for industry/business, with sufficient energy to deliver to those connected, while also implementing off-grid solutions and making full usage of the vast renewable energy sources in Africa,” NEPAD said in a statement.

The project plans for, among other things, the construction of an 8,000km-long transmission line across Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The line which will greatly facilitate trade between Eastern and Southern African nations will have a capacity of 3,000MW - 17,000MW.

Establishing APV was done in the framework of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).

Gwladys Johnson