Page 194 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 3

CPS1994 Xuan C.
3. Result
Africa’s total electricity generation capacity in 2015 is estimated to be more
than 125,000 MW [2]. There are still great disparities of this capacity between
regions, with Southern Africa produces 45% of the total capacity, North Africa
generates 39%, and the other three regions produce significantly less
electricity power (8% for West, 5% for East, and 3% for Central Africa) [3]. With
respect to the types of power, the vast majority (80%) are produced by fossil
fuel, 16% by hydropower, and a mere 4% by solar, nuclear, and biofuels [3].

Table 1. Top 10 countries of electricity generation growth, 1980 to 2015.
Ranking Country Growth in electricity
generation, 1980-2015
1 Burundi 7,566%
2 Benin 6,132%
3 Cape Verde 2,980%
4 Equatorial Guinea 2,400%
5 Mali 2,011%
6 Sudan 1,725%
7 Ethiopia 1,488%
8 Mauritania 1,340%
9 Congo 1,010%
10 Angola 942%
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Fifty-two out of fifty-four African countries have witnessed increased
electricity generation from the last 35 years (from 1980 to 2015). The only
exceptions are Liberia and Sierra Leone. Among all, ten countries have gained
electricity generation of more than ten folds (Table 1). The countries with
smaller size, such as Burundi, Benin, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, occupied
the top 4 spots by achieving the speediest growth rate of electricity
generation, all of them in 2015 produces more than 25 times of what they did
in 1980. The larger economies, on the other hands, also fare pretty well, with
Sudan, Ethiopia, and Angola all retain growth of more than 9 folds in the last
35 years.
Since most of the African economies are emerging markets that are
developing and growing at phenomenal speeds, the energy pressure imposed
upon will be ever challenging and pressing. With a young, rapidly growing
population hungry for energy and trying to push into the middle-income level,
the demands for electricity will also grow fast at the same time. Regional
planning of electricity generation and power trading therefore become a
crucial safety net to support the countries growth and meeting their energy
demands. When the population growth outpaces electricity generation

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