The AfSEM aims at connecting the Continent’s energy strategies and action plans by harmonising regulatory frameworks and integrating generation, transmission, and distribution master plans. This will allow for the diversification of energy sources supporting energy transition, better trade and investments exchanges, and close the energy infrastructure gaps between regions and countries.

The goal is to build one of the largest electricity markets in the world, covering the African Union's 55 Member States, and a population of more than 1.3 billion.

Time is running out. At current emissions levels, the IPCC tells us that a safe 1.5°C “carbon budget” will be exhausted in 7 years. Africa is uniquely vulnerable to climate disruptions. For each additional degree of global temperature rise above the present level, one billion people will find themselves living in areas uninhabitable for humans, cattle and crops, as those areas will be as hot as the hottest parts of the Sahara Desert. Many of those places are located in Africa.

The Oil for Development (OfD) Programme offers assistance to developing countries in their effort to manage petroleum resources in a sustainable manner. Oil and gas play an important role in an increasing number of developing countries, and has the potential to generate economic and social development. In several cases, however, it has proven difficult to translate the resource into improved welfare for citizens of those countries.

The development of infrastructure in Africa is an integral part of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. The Agenda aims to achieve inclusive socio-economic development, which requires adequate electricity infrastructure at the continental, regional, national and local levels, including rural areas. Electricity is a prerequisite for economic development, and it improves social infrastructure such as health, education and financial services.

The Lagos Plan of Action (officially the Lagos Plan of Action for the Economic Development of Africa) was an Organisation of African Unity-backed plan to increase Africa's self-sufficiency. The plan blamed Africa's economic crisis on the Structural Adjustment Programs of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and the vulnerability of African economies to worldwide economic shocks, such as the 1973 oil crisis. It has been characterized as the collective response of African states t

PIDA is a continent-wide program to develop a vision, policies, strategies and a programme for the development of priority regional and continental infrastructure in transport, energy, trans-boundary water and ICT.  The Program’s Sector Studies, which are to be supported by the requested IPPF Grant, will prepare detailed analysis of strategic options for the development of the continental infrastructure in Transport, Energy, ICT and Trans-boundary Water based on a common vision to emanate from consultative/validation workshops at sector, regional and continental levels.

Since 2014, Power Africa is making a difference across all sectors, from health and education, to gender and agriculture. As of July 31, 2019, 56 of Power Africa’s 124 financially closed projects are up and running and turning more Lights On by producing 3,486 MW of new electricity that transforms businesses, economies, and livelihoods. More than 68 million people in sub-Saharan Africa now have first-time access to electricity thanks to the 14.8 million new home and business connections facilitated by Power Africa support.

Lighting Africa is part of the World Bank Group’s contribution to Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll). It is implemented in partnership with the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the governments of Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

The EU has launched a Technical Assistance Facility (TAF), to assist partner countries in fine tuning their energy policies and regulatory frameworks to allow for increased investments in the energy sector. It supports countries which are committed to reaching the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) objectives, in particular those who selected energy not only as one of the priority areas of their national policy agenda, but also chose energy as a focal sector in their bilateral cooperation with the EU for the period; 2014-2020.