Although the continent consumers only 3% of the world’s energy output, Africa’s per capita energy consumption is growing faster than any other continent. Improved infrastructure, investments, and government regulations have helped change the continent resulting in a 4.1% growth for energy consumption.
However, the continent still faces major hurdles to increase its electrification rates. One of the major problems is corruption. Nigeria was estimated to have spent over $40 billion reforming its electricity industry, but less than 10% additional capacity had been added. About $32 billion is said to have been missing from Angola’s oil export receipts between 2007-2010. Instability also riddles many African nations’ growth such as coup d’etats in places like Mali and Madagascar or the Arab Spring hitting Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.
This doesn’t mean that there will not be a surge in power projects within the continent as many schemes are already underway or currently in the pipeline. And the role of renewable energy will play a vital part. Senegalese Energy Minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye said, “Using inefficient energy sources both in energy and economic terms continues to keep large sections of [Africa’s] population from the benefits of development.”
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