Tinubu, other leaders tackle Africa’s energy woes in Tanzania

President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit starting today. The summit, being hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, the African Union, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), and the World Bank Group, will bring together over 25 Heads of State and Governments, international organisations, energy experts and private sector leaders to forge a unified path toward achieving universal energy access.

Tagged, Africa Energy Summit (AES), it is intended to boost universal energy access by 2030, as stakeholders gather to advance Mission 300, the organisers have said.

The Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth, AfDB, Kevin Kariuki, described energy as the engine of development, emphasising that without affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity, Africa could not achieve its developmental aspirations or secure its rightful place in the global economy.

He added that the success of Mission 300 is not only about electrification, but also about saving and empowering lives, transforming communities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and safeguarding biodiversity.

He pointed out that at the current pace of electrification, combined with Africa’s rapid population growth, the number of people living without access to electricity could remain largely unchanged. Kariuki emphasised that Mission 300 would provide a clear roadmap to achieve universal energy access by 2030.

He mentioned that the principal outcomes of the summit included the adoption of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration by the entire continent and the co-creation of 12 country energy compacts between countries and the Mission 300 partners.

“The Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration will outline commitments to reforms and actions necessary to achieve Mission 300 while 12 country energy compacts will expound on the principles of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration to establish tangible country specific actions and measures for accelerated electricity access, such as least-cost power expansion plans, providing last-mile access through grid and distributed renewable, building financially viable energy systems, regional interconnection and promotion of private sector participation in the energy sector. The twelve countries that will submit energy compacts account for almost half of the global population without access to electricity,” he stated.

According to Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President will join other African leaders, private sector leaders, development partners and civil society groups in Dar es Salaam to strategise to accelerate energy access across the continent.

Onanuga stated that on the first day of the summit, Nigeria and other participating countries would present their national energy strategies, termed compacts, detailing their approaches to achieving universal energy access within five years.

He stated that heads of state would endorse the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration on the second day, outlining a unified roadmap for Africa’s progress towards the Mission 300 objectives.

“President Tinubu will deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal access to energy and its leadership role in Africa’s energy sector,” he noted.

Joining the President on the trip are the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; and the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen.