Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy claims that the country’s energy sector has grown tremendously in recent years, greatly enhancing access to power and helping millions of people alike.
Habtamu Itefa, Ethiopia’s minister of water and energy, emphasized the sector’s developments and credited strategic oversight and government initiatives for the advancements. 54% of people now have access to electricity, a 6% increase since the most recent government change. With 320,000 new connections made in the last six months, the total number of electricity users has increased to 5.1 million.
The success of rural electrification projects was highlighted by Itefa, stating, “We have made significant strides in providing power to remote areas.” Almost 10,000 people in Somalia, Oromia, Afar, and Dassanech now have access to power.
Additionally, the Minister emphasized that one of the main factors driving Ethiopia’s energy growth is the installation of solar power plants in public buildings, including educational institutions.
Habtamu Itefa also commended on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s (GERD) strategic planning, highlighting the “special wisdom and ingenuity” used in its development. A key component of Ethiopia’s long-term energy strategy is still the GERD project.
According to Itefa, the prime minister has played a significant role in the development of the energy and water sectors of the country.
“The Prime Minister’s contributions have played a vital role in the sector’s current success,” he added.
Ethiopia is still committed to expanding its energy supply from renewable sources, with a particular emphasis on improving its power generation and transmission capacities and expanding access to electricity in underserved areas.
