Improving infrastructure and regional integration as well as incorporating energy mixes could ease Africa's energy deficiency, said experts at the Africa Energy Indaba in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Professor Mosad Elmissiry, head energy programs at New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), believed that the bottleneck Africa facing is lacking of connection and transmission network.
He pointed out that by 2040 the energy demands would be about four times the current one, calling for proactive actions by the continent.
"We recognize that infrastructure needs a lot investment, which is why we have developed a program for this," Elmissiry said. "We started at national level, regional level and then continental level... We are looking at setting up an African transmission network that eventually links to Europe."
NEPAD is an economic development program of the African Union.
Abubakar Sambo, Chairperson of the Nigerian member committee of the World Energy Council (WEC), said energy shortages blocks people from reaching their economic dream.
"Over 60 percent of people on this continent don't have access to electricity regardless of how it's produced," said Sambo. "That means they don't have access to the economy and that's the tragedy we should be addressing."
Sambo suggested that independent power producers could alleviate power shortages.
Chairperson of Dzana Investments Reuel Khoza from South Africa called for good governance and political will from African governments.
"Continental and political will is somewhat lacking. The AU has plans that are not being implemented," said Khoza.
The indaba started on Tuesday and will end on Wednesday. Policy makers and businessmen are discussing solutions to current and future energy demands in Africa.
Editor:Cherie
