NEWS

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched a week-long capacity-building bootcamp in Accra for energy regulators from Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Uganda, marking a key step in strengthening digital governance and regulatory oversight across Africa’s power sector.

The training brings together officials from the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) of Tanzania, the Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority (ZURA), and the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Uganda (ERA). It is part of AfDB’s wider technical assistance program in the energy sector through the Africa Energy Sector Technical Assistance Program (AESTAP) to establish and operationalize a Regulatory Database Management System (DBMS)—a digital platform designed to streamline regulatory processes, enhance operational efficiency, and promote transparency within the electricity sector. By automating key performance indicators, the system will enable real-time monitoring of the regulator’s service delivery and its financial, technical, and commercial performance.

The initiative aligns with the Bank's broader digitalization efforts across the continent. Similar interventions are underway in Ghana, Guinea, Central Africa Republic, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, as well as with regional bodies such as COMESA, ECOWAS, SADC, and ECCAS. The aim of supporting the regional regulators is to foster regional electricity trade and exchanges, in line with the African Union’s vision of an integrated African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM).

Over the next five days, participants will engage in hands-on sessions covering PostgreSQL administration, middleware scripting with Python, frontend design with ReactJS, DevOps practices with Git, Docker, and Kubernetes, as well as modules on change management and stakeholder communication.

“At the end of the day, the real priority for Africa is affordable, reliable electricity for households and businesses. Tools like the DBMS are critical because they give regulators and utilities the data and systems they need to expand energy access, make regulation more transparent and responsive, and ultimately improve service quality and customer satisfaction,” said Wale Shonibare, the Bank’s Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation.

“This program is not just about learning new tools,” said Callixte Kambanda, Manager for Energy Policy, Regulation & Statistics at the AfDB. “It’s about building institutional ownership and ensuring that the regulatory authorities can fully sustain and scale the digital systems we are helping to deploy. The goal is to empower regulators to make faster, data-backed decisions that improve service delivery and consumer protection.”

The program reflects AfDB’s broader commitment to support regulatory reforms through innovation, capacity development, and digital transformation in support of Mission 300 initiative.

This activity is funded through the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) trust fund.