Africa has the potential to generate 400 gigawatts of gas-generated power with Tanzania, Mozambique and Nigeria accounting for 60 percent of the capacity, indicating limited penetration of gas in non-gas producing African countries.
The share of gas in electricity generation was 14 percent in 1990, growing to 21 percent by 2000. By 2010, nearly a third of electricity generation was sourced from gas, which increased to nearly 40 percent by 2018.
Presenting a paper on Energy Transition, Regulation, Finance and the Private Sector at a side event of the ongoing seventh Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, Yohannes G. Hailu, an Economic Affairs Officer with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), said Africa should tape into gas which has become more attractive, and could replace more expensive fuel sources, and in the process reduce the cost of energy on the continent.