Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA (EI) — The Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy is set to lunch the third phase of the country’s flagship National Electrification Program (NEP 3.0), aimed at achieving nationwide electricity access within the next decade.
As part of ongoing efforts to advance the launching of the landmark initiative, the ministry has convened a high-level forum on Monday to review the NEP-3 roadmap, aiming to coordinate an accelerated roll-out of the country’s electric energy infrastructure.
The strategic session — which brought together representatives from key government institutions, international development partners, private sector executives, and global stakeholders — underscored that achieving the 2035 target is expected to modernize public utilities, improve rural livelihoods, and anchor long-term economic expansion, according to the ministry.
According to recent data from the World Bank, Ethiopia has made steady strides in utility expansion. By 2025, approximately 65 percent of the population—roughly 72 million people—had secured at least one source of electricity, up from 57 percent in 2018, largely propelled by rural, off-grid solar initiatives.
However, meeting participants emphasized that a significant portion of Ethiopia’s population, or in excess of 35 percent of the country’s households, still lack power.
They underscored that addressing this gap demands “immediate, and collaborative action.”
Addressing the event, Sultan Wali, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Water and Energy, framed the roadmap as a vital socioeconomic catalyst rather than a mere construction target.
“NEP 3.0 represents Ethiopia’s strategic blueprint to deliver universal, dependable, affordable, and sustainable power by 2035,” Wali stated. “Attaining this goal is the fundamental cornerstone for our country’s broader economic growth and social development.”
Sultan noted that the successes of NEP 1 and 2 have already laid a strong foundation by expanding grid networks, boosting institutional capacity, and securing essential funding.
Looking forward, experts and policymakers attending the strategic session emphasized the private sector will play a pivotal role in fully realizing the program’s objectives.Unlocking full energy coverage is widely viewed as essential to managing Ethiopia’s surging power demand, which is currently climbing at an average annual rate of 12 percent due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, and population growth.
(Photo Credit — World Bank file photo)
