Latest news with #energyaccess
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Africa's industrial moment is here to deliver jobs
Africa's industrial moment can't wait. With the promise of a 1.5-billion-person market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a rising generation of innovators, and deep untapped industrial potential, Africa is laying the groundwork for a new era of production. But momentum alone isn't enough. The question now is whether this shift can be matched by the right kind of policy and delivery and that's where The United Nations Industrial Development Organization's (Unido) latest Africa Industrial Development Report comes in. I had the opportunity to speak at the report launch in Johannesburg last month. The report focuses on a new era of industrial policy in Africa through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals. It zeroes in on three critical goals: SDG 7 on clean and affordable energy, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. The message was clear that Africa is at a critical inflection point with progress within reach if we act boldly to close the gaps in energy access, job creation and industrial capacity. On SDG 7, there's good news and tough news in the report. Energy access across the continent now sits at 58 percent, improving faster than any other indicator at 1.12 percentage points per year. But the continent is still 67 percentage points behind on clean energy. North Africa is pulling ahead on both access and affordability, with Southern and Northern Africa leading on clean energy adoption. Our renewables, sun, wind, hydro, and geothermal, give us a real chance to leapfrog into a clean energy future. However, we won't get there without investment in generation, grids and local capacity to manufacture clean technology. On SDG 8, the challenge is how Africa translates economic growth into jobs. The data shows that growth was slowing before COVID-19, exposing deep structural weaknesses. Youth unemployment and gender inequality continue to rise. When you zoom in, the picture is mixed: North Africa has had strong GDP growth but has struggled to convert this into job creation. Southern Africa faces a dual challenge of sluggish growth and high unemployment. Eastern Africa is faring better on both fronts, with relatively stronger growth and job creation. Central Africa, meanwhile, lags across the board a clear signal for urgent and targeted reform. SDG9 is where the continent appears to be furthest off track. The continent's performance in industry, innovation and infrastructure is lagging significantly. Infrastructure investment was gaining traction before the pandemic but has since lost steam. So, how do we shift gears? Private sector leadership and government coordination are two non-negotiables. Let's start with the private sector. Across Africa, private enterprise drives 90 percent of production, 80 percent of employment, and 70 percent of GDP. You simply can't design credible or effective industrial strategy and policy without this demographic in the room. Private sector-led growth isn't a nice-to-have — it's the engine of jobs, exports and resilience. Yet, too often, industrial strategies are designed in isolation, without meaningful input from the very firms expected to utilise them. That needs to change. Going forward, governments should institutionalise structured public–private dialogue not just at launch but throughout the entire policy cycle. This means engaging businesses early, co-developing sector roadmaps, and creating feedback loops to adjust policies in real time. Government coordination is the next lever for government to move beyond good intentions. Many countries have well-articulated industrial plans, but their impact is often diluted by overlapping mandates, weak inter-ministerial coordination, and a disconnect between strategy and delivery. What's needed is a 'full stack' approach to industrial policy that moves from ambition to action. This starts with strategy. Industrial policy must be anchored in a national vision and championed at the highest level. All ministries from finance and trade to energy and education need to be aligned behind a single direction of travel. But a strategy is only useful if it's translated into investable, executable plans. Next comes policy, the rulebook of incentives, regulations, and trade frameworks. These need to be grounded in market realities and responsive to firm-level needs. But the real bottleneck is often delivery. Execution requires a system: cross-government coordination, clear KPIs, timelines, and a mechanism to track results and course correct in real time. And finally, technology which is now the most essential and transformative tool in government's hands, whether it's tracking industrial performance, targeting subsidies, or managing regulatory compliance. We need to treat digital tools as part of the core infrastructure of modern industrial policy. The Africa Industrial Development Report is a call to action. We know what's not working. We also know what's possible. Now it's time to deliver. Africa doesn't need more strategies gathering dust. It needs more jobs. And it needs them now. The writer is an Industrial Policy, Governance and Private Sector Development Expert and currently Senior Advisor (Global Lead), Industry & Commerce at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Zimbabwe Has $9 Billion Plan to Join African Electricity Drive
Zimbabwe laid out plans to raise more than $9 billion to boost energy access at a conference in London on Wednesday, an event organized by multilateral lenders to promote a flagship African electrification program to private investors. The plan, which falls under the World Bank and African Development Bank 's Mission 300 program, envisages a more than doubling of the country's power production from hydro, wind, solar and biomass plants, a copy of the presentation sent to Bloomberg showed. Zimbabwe has been hit by regular power outages in recent years, often lasting most of the day, due to a lack of generation capacity.
Zawya
28-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: Lagos govt unveils energy roadmap, targets universal access, local manufacturing
The Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has unveiled bold future plans aimed at achieving universal energy access, improving electricity reliability, and stimulating local manufacturing of power infrastructure components. These strategic goals were disclosed during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing addressed by Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Biodun Ogunleye, during the ministerial press briefing to commemorate six years in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Ogunleye mentioned that key among the ministry's forward-looking initiatives is the full implementation of the Lagos Electricity Market structure under the Lagos State Electricity Law, 2024 which will involve licensing independent electricity distribution companies, supporting embedded generation, and operationalizing the Lagos Independent System Operator (LISO) to stabilize the power ecosystem. 'We are taking deliberate steps to transition Lagos into a 24-hour economy through reliable and sustainable energy solutions,' Ogunleye stated. He mentioned that the ministry is also working to complete and energize eight interconnected mini-grids in underserved communities, with plans to scale up such interventions across rural and riverine areas. 'The Lagos Integrated Resource Plan, currently under development, will guide long-term energy planning and infrastructure investment.' Speaking further, Ogunleye disclosed that plans are also being concluded to partner with local and international investors for the local manufacturing of power assets such as transformers, meters, cables, and switchgear. This, according to Ogunleye, will not only strengthen the energy value chain but also create jobs and boost industrial capacity while also reducing import dependency on the part of the State Government. 'Lagos is further set to activate the Lagos State Electrification Agency (LSEA) and deepen its collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency under the DARES programme, ensuring no community is left behind in the energy transition. 'When all these plans materialises, Lagos would have successfully positioned itself as a model for sub-national energy transformation in Africa, leveraging policy, technology, and partnerships to power prosperity,' said the commissioner. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Emirates 24/7
20-05-2025
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
UAE highlights commitment to global energy security at BRICS Energy Ministerial Meeting
Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, represented the UAE at the BRICS Energy Ministerial Meeting, hosted under the Brazilian Chairmanship in the capital city Brasília. Addressing representatives of BRICS members and partners, Al Olama said, 'We are living through a defining moment in the global energy transition. The world is confronting a dual challenge: to ensure secure and affordable energy access for all, while dramatically reducing emissions to meet climate goals. For the UAE, this is not a dilemma, but an opportunity to drive transformation through innovation, collaboration, and decisive action.' He added, 'The UAE has made energy access a national achievement. Today, we are proud to have 100 percent access to electricity, clean cooking solutions, and affordable heating and cooling services. We rank first globally in key energy access and affordability indicators. "However, we recognise that our work is not complete until this becomes the reality for everyone. That's why we are investing in renewable energy projects in over 70 countries, especially in Africa, the Caribbean, and small island developing states. We are committed to sharing our models on energy financing, public-private partnerships, and technology deployment to support energy justice globally.' In addition, Al Olama invited BRICS nations and partners to join the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance, which the UAE founded to reduce carbon intensity by advancing efficiency standards, fostering knowledge exchange, and supporting joint capacity-building. Through this alliance, BRICS members can play a vital role in accelerating global energy savings and advancing the collective decarbonisation journey. Moreover, he pointed out that the UAE is interconnected with other GCC states through the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA), enhancing regional grid stability and energy security. The UAE actively pursues both bilateral and multilateral partnerships to deepen regional and global energy integration. A prominent example is the UAE's collaboration with India, which includes efforts to establish a direct power interconnection and joint participation in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). This strategic corridor aims to bolster economic cooperation, accelerate clean energy deployment, and improve connectivity between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Through these initiatives, the UAE is reinforcing its commitment to cross-border energy trade, decarbonisation, and global energy security. At the meeting, the Brazilian Presidency presented BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform (ERCP) Report, which focuses on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy, especially for underserved communities, and the Roadmap for BRICS Energy Cooperation for 2025-2030, which provides a strategic vision for advancing cooperation in clean energy, sustainable fuels, grid interconnection, and innovation. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Keir Starmer hails UK's reset deal with EU as a ‘win-win'
Keir Starmer has vowed his EU reset deal will deliver cheaper food and energy for British people, heralding a 'win-win' as he sealed the high-stakes agreement with concessions on youth visas and fishing. 'Britain is back on the world stage,' the prime minister said after shaking hands on the deal with the EU's Ursula von der Leyen in London. 'It gives us unprecedented access to the EU market, the best of any country … all while sticking to the red lines in our manifesto.' Von der Leyen described it as 'a historic moment … opening a new chapter in our unique relationship'. But attacks came immediately from rightwing parties, which said the deal would make the UK a 'rule taker' from Brussels. Starmer emphasised the tangible benefits the deal would do for Britons, including cheaper food in supermarkets and an end to passport queues at European airports with a deal for travellers to use European e-gates. No 10 hopes both can be clinched within a year. The deal also paves the way for the UK's return to the Erasmus university exchange programme, and the creation of a youth mobility scheme that would allow young people access to the EU through work, study, au pair or travel. UK ministers have insisted the scheme will be capped and time-limited, similar to those deals struck with Australia and New Zealand. But officials said there were hard negotiations yet to be done on whether the capped numbers would be from individual member states or EU-wide. Acknowledgingfor the first time the damage done by Brexit to Britain's trade, Starmer said the deal to remove restrictions from agrifood trade would give a boost of £9bn to the UK economy. In a government briefing, No 10 said it would redress the 21% drop in exports and 7% drop in imports seen since Brexit. It is the third deal Britain has struck this month, after agreements with India and the US. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, one of the biggest Europhiles in the cabinet, said Monday's agreement was 'the best deal with the EU for any country' and would show 'Britain now is the place to put investment and do business, because we've got preferential deals with the biggest economies'. But the price for the trade boost was controversial. The UK will grant EU fishers access to British waters for an additional 12 years, an eleventh-hour concession from the UK three times as long as it had originally offered, which led to cries of betrayal from the Conservatives and industry figures. Boris Johnson, the former prime minister who signed the Brexit deal, said Starmer was 'turning this country once again into the orange ball-chewing, leather-trussed gimp'. The National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations said it was 'very disappointed' with the deal and that it 'surrenders the best prospect that the fishing industry and coastal communities had for growth over the coming decade'. No 10 said the industry would benefit many times over from the export deal which would allow some foods including shellfish to be exported to the EU for the first time since Brexit. The wide-ranging deal struck at the Lancaster House summit on Monday includes: A defence pact as the first step towards securing British access to a new €150bn (£126bn) EU rearmament fund, though the UK will pay into the fund. Faster access for travellers who will be able to use e-gates at airports on the continent, although the timeline is unclear. A landmark emissions-trading deal, meaning UK exporters will avoid £800m of carbon border taxes. Closer cooperation on crime and migration, including access to the EU facial recognition data, a key request from Starmer. UK officials said they had agreed the long-term fishing settlement to give the industry certainty – and that the EU had originally demanded a permanent fishing deal or to time-limit the agrifood deal, which British negotiators refused to accept. Negotiations went late into Sunday night. The final details were offered by UK negotiators at about 10.30pm and negotiations on the language continued until 3am. EU ambassadors met in the early morning to rubber-stamp the three agreed texts. The fraught final hours came after tempers flared in Brussels, particularly when Downing Street briefed on Saturday night that the deal was done – but the 12-year fishing deal was not agreed till the following day. Sources suggested that Starmer's apparent acceptance of a youth mobility deal in an interview on Friday gave EU negotiators an opening to push for further concessions. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The agrifood deal paves the way for the removal of checks on British food exports, allowing everything from the 'great British burger to shellfish' to be sold again with ease in the EU, Starmer said. It crosses one of the totemic red lines of the Brexit negotiations under the Conservatives, accepting dynamic alignment with EU standards and a role for the European court of justice. The change, once formally agreed, will need primary legislation in parliament, though unlike under the Conservatives there is no prospect of Labour MPs holding up the change, though some are uneasy about the deal. Addressing Labour MPs after the summit, Starmer said he would face the political threat from Reform head on, making the case that trade deals would save jobs and put money in people's pockets. 'Reform are our main rivals for power,' he added. 'We have a moral responsibility to make sure [Nigel] Farage never wins. We have to be clear that every opportunity he has had in this parliament to back working people he's voted against. We will take to fight to him. We will fight as Labour.' The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, claimed it would make it 'much harder' to get a free trade agreement with the US, where chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef, banned in the EU, are allowed. There is no legal agreement on any of the deals announced and negotiations will now begin on the fine print. But von der Leyen said she hoped that the UK would be able to join the defence agreement 'within weeks.' Starmer said he wanted UK holidaymakers to be able to use e-gates in EU countries 'as soon as possible', but the final move will be up to individual states. 'There's no inhibition on this, so I want to see it done quickly,' he said. 'For holidaymakers wanting to get out this summer they will want to know that they can do so easily and without delay and chaos.' Badenoch said: 'This deal is taking us to the past and that is why we call it surrender.' She stopped short of saying she would rip up the terms of the deal, saying only that she would seek to renegotiate should the Tories return to power. Major supermarkets and food and drink companies hailed the agrifood deal as a gamechanger, though it is expected to make relatively little impact on GDP. The Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that Brexit reduced the UK economy's long-term productivity by 4%. Salmon Scotland said it was a 'breakthrough that eases the burden on our farmers, processors and the communities they support, and we welcome efforts to implement it at pace'. The NFU, an employers' association representing British farmers, said the benefits would ultimately depend on how much say the UK had over standards it had to adhere to. 'This deal will deliver many benefits for agrifood exports to the EU,' the NFU said. 'However, there remain important questions about what is within the scope of this agreement and, where current rules and regulations do differ, if there will be any exclusions.'
