Ethiopia's Energy Dev't Game Changer for Country, Africa: UNIDO Representative

Addis Ababa, February 7, 2026 (ENA)—Ethiopia's remarkable move towards energy development is a game changer for the country and Africa at large, UNIDO Representative and Sub-Regional Office Director, Stephen Kargbo, said.

Speaking to ENA, Kargbo praised Ethiopia for its notable strides in enhancing regional integration across various sectors, particularly in energy development.

According to him, the country’s potential plays a pivotal not only in the nation’s industrialization and social development, but also in fostering regional integration and addressing the continent's energy challenges.

Moreover, Ethiopia’s progress towards offering affordable energy is a substantial advancement for both the nation and the sub-region as a whole, he noted.

“Ethiopia's development and progress towards providing affordable energy for its people and the region is a significant step forward.”

He further stressed that the energy developments are poised to be game changers for Ethiopia and all other African nations.

The UNIDO Representative also noted that the significant hurdle facing Africa is the scarcity of energy required to fuel industrialization, hospitals, schools, and digital initiatives.

Without reliable and affordable energy, Africa’s advancements in digitalization and overall development are compromised, he stressed.

“One of the biggest challenges that we face in Africa is the lack of energy to power industrialization, the lack of energy to power our clinics, our hospitals, the lack of energy to even power our schools, including internet; and I can go on even to digitalization. If we don't have affordable and reliable energy, we can forget about it.”

In this regard, Kargbo drew a stark comparison citing his previous experience in China, where the country's energy installed capacity exceeds that of all of Africa combined by a substantial margin, illustrating the gap Africa needs to bridge to catch up with global industrial advancements.