Sub-Saharan Africa holds some of the world’s most substantial energy endowments. Yet a deep structural imbalance persists, where generation surpluses are concentrated in a few countries while the rest face generation capacity shortfalls and low electricity access rates. Cross-border energy trade helps address these constraints by enabling countries to access regional power supplies, access more cost-effective generation, diversify their energy mix, and reach larger markets for export.
“Expanding access to reliable, affordable electricity across Southern Africa requires countries to work together. The region’s energy challenge is too large and too interconnected to be solved in isolation. By strengthening cross-border transmission and enabling clean energy trade, this project is an important step towards a more connected and resilient power system that Southern Africa’s economies and people need,” said Yadviga Semikolenova, World Bank Energy Practice Manager for Eastern and Southern Africa.
This project is part of the World Bank Group’s Regional Energy Transmission, Trade and Decarbonization in Southern Africa Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach (RETRADE-SA MPA) Program, which supports grid connectivity and enabling environment development for expanded electricity trade across the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) region.