Africa faces a wide gap in infrastructure financing, estimated at over $100 billion annually. More than half of the continent’s 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity, and the digital technologies needed to unlock new pathways for job creation are not widely available. The World Bank Group is helping Africa overcome these barriers by:
Pursuing the development of regional, interconnected electricity markets and promoting regional power trade to increase access to reliable and affordable electricity in West, Central, East, and Southern Africa
Analyzing opportunities to integrate the Pan-Arab electricity grid with those in Sub-Saharan Africa to optimize systems and regional synergies
Reducing barriers to trade and transport along key regional economic corridors in West, Central, Southern, and the Horn of Africa to relieve the pressure of high transportation costs on landlocked countries and increase access to large markets
Helping implement the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030 to close the digital divide, supporting digital markets across Africa so that people, businesses, and organizations can seamlessly access and engage in online activities, and rolling out digital financial service
