Tanzanian authorities have announced that preparations for the African Heads of State Energy Summit, set for January 27-28, are progressing smoothly. The event, known as the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, aims to accelerate energy access across the continent. 

Noel Kaganda, director of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation in Tanzania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, confirmed that the summit is being co-organised by Tanzania. It will bring together over 1,500 delegates, including representatives from the African Union, the African Development Bank, and the World Bank. 

Kaganda emphasised that the summit would serve as a platform for governments, private sector leaders, development partners, and civil society to collaborate on the ambitious goal of providing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. 

Innocent Luoga, commissioner for electricity and renewable energy at the Ministry of Energy, highlighted that 14 pilot African countries would endorse the Africa Energy Compact, an initiative aimed at achieving universal energy access by 2030. These nations collectively represent 52% of the global population without electricity and a quarter of the world’s population lacking clean cooking solutions. 

Tanzania’s chief government spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa, noted that the country is actively increasing its electricity generation capacity. A key initiative is the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Project (JNHP), which currently generates 1,410 megawatts from six turbines. Upon its completion later this year, the project is expected to generate 2,115 megawatts, significantly enhancing Tanzania’s energy supply. Additionally, projects utilising geothermal, solar, and wind power are projected to contribute another 1,100 megawatts. 

(ET)