Africa is extremely rich in renewable resources of all kinds, which have the potential to benefit the majority of its people within a relatively short time – if properly exploited in an effective, clean and renewable manner. However, the inability by African governments to exploit these resources, has brought with it the danger of locking Africa into a development path that will always place it behind the rest of the world.
Lack of access to energy cripples essential services and economic growth
Alarmingly, more than 80 percent of Africa’s one billion people are without electricity. In some countries, as little as 5 percent of the population have direct access to electricity. The proportion of people without electricity is lower in Africa than any other continent, and the rate of electrification is slightly more than half that of developing countries elsewhere.
Power blackouts are frequent across Africa, and negatively impact on quality of living and business productivity. Power plants and transmission lines were built mostly in the 1950s and 1960s, but operate today at a fraction of installed capacity due to insufficient maintenance and lack of modernisation.
This all means that social and economic development have suffered severely in Africa, which has impacted on the building of schools, hospitals, factories and businesses – all of which rely on the provision of electricity. It is impossible to provide essential services – to have water provision, develop communications, grow education or develop healthcare – without energy and electricity. No country has ever reduced poverty without investing substantially in energy. Energy is, and will always be, central to all human development goals. Electricity is critical in delivering sustained economic growth and for helping every individual to reach their full potential in society.
Inappropriate use of natural resources devastates the environment
In Africa, due to the widespread lack of electricity, hundreds of millions of people are dependant on natural vegetation in their continuous search for firewood to cook. The proportion of people in Africa still dependent on inefficient traditional energy sources is higher than any other continent. Forests are being completely destroyed in the process, which is having an increasingly negative effect on the environment, as entire eco-systems are wiped out. This is against the backdrop of climate change and the need by national governments to deliver energy policies compliant with global goals to reduce emissions.
African International Energy PLC: The way forward
There are discrete rumblings about the need for clean energy development across the African continent, but much more is needed and the need is becoming increasingly urgent. African International Energy PLC – as an independent energy producer – strives to be part of the solution. The company aims to be the premier independent power producer in Africa, by providing clean and efficient electrical power, using various innovative approaches and technologies.
If you want further information on African International Energy PLC’s role in the African energy crisis, and the potential for investors to be involved in delivering the company’s energy solutions, please contact us!
