A quota is a government-imposed trade restriction that limits the number or monetary value of goods that a country can import or export during a particular period. Countries use quotas in international trade to help regulate the volume of trade between them and other countries. Countries sometimes impose quotas on specific products to reduce imports and increase domestic production. In theory, quotas boost domestic production by restricting foreign competition.
Africa Is Rewriting the Rules of Clean Power – As It Plays the Game
Africa holds a critical position in the global energy transition – both as a frontier for renewable deployment and as a proving ground for how legal and policy instruments can be used to mobilise capital at scale. The responsibility now facing many African governments is not just to attract investment, but to design the regulatory frameworks that make clean power bankable.
That shift is already visible on the ground.
Zambia, for example, recently took a landmark decision to soften the edges of its long-standing single-electricity buyer model. With the introduction of its Electricity Open Access Framework, the Sub-Saharan nation is empowering independent power producers to generate and sell electricity directly to consumers using the networks of ZESCO (Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited), CEC (Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc), or NWEC (North-Western Energy Corporation).
The move forms part of a broader policy alignment under Zambia’s National Energy Compact, launched in January as a formal pledge to accelerate clean energy deployment. The country is one of 12 African nations to have submitted such compacts under the “Mission 300” initiative, signalling a coordinated wave of regulatory and investment commitments across the continent. Taken together with parallel reforms in grid modernisation, regional interconnection, and procurement design, these measures reflect a quiet but significant shift: Africa’s energy transition is no longer being planned in advance – it is being regulated in real time.
And the momentum is building: according to a recent World Economic Forum study, Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the strongest global performance in advancing equity within the energy transition, with 10% growth over the past decade.
But this progress stands against a longer backdrop of policy volatility, which has historically undermined investor confidence in African energy markets—particularly where project horizons stretch across decades. However, several governments are now treating regulatory clarity as a strategic condition for private capital. Tariff reform is emerging in parallel – pushing beyond the binary of cost-reflectivity and affordability toward more commercially viable pricing models.
At the same time, energy systems are becoming more decentralised. As urban and peri-urban consumers disinvest from central grids, distributed solar has gained traction – not only through market dynamics, but through deliberate policy choices by African governments.
The financial architecture underpinning the continent’s renewable energy agenda is also evolving.
Regulatory frameworks are beginning to recognise green finance as a distinct category, with central banks in some jurisdictions introducing liquidity support mechanisms or easing constraints for commercial lenders investing in clean power. The terms of access – tenor, pricing, collateral – are slowly becoming more responsive to the realities of energy infrastructure financing.
The shift is uneven, and far from complete, but the trajectory is clear: regulation is being reshaped to absorb risk, mobilise capital, and sustain long-term investment. However, despite the pace of reform and project origination, structural bottlenecks remain embedded.
Chief among them is the persistent misalignment between new generation capacity and the transmission and distribution infrastructure required to deliver that power. Grid investment – particularly in transmission and distribution – has not kept pace with the development of generation assets, resulting in a growing risk of stranded capacity: megawatts that are added but cannot be absorbed, transferred, or distributed reliably due to outdated or insufficient network infrastructure.
What is needed is a more holistic investment paradigm – one that conceives of generation, transmission, and distribution as interdependent elements of a single strategy. In this context, regional power pools and cross-border transmission corridors are foundational, and without them, national grids will remain isolated, economies of scale will be lost, and the full value of renewable generation will remain unrealised.
Africa’s positioning as an investment destination is inextricably linked to regulatory coherence and political stability. Investors require not only transparent and durable policy frameworks, but confidence in the macro-political context in which those frameworks are applied. Consistency in national policy, credible tariff trajectories, and the presence of independent regulators remain critical markers of energy project bankability. Where governance is predictable and reform is institutionalised, investment risk becomes measurable – and, with the right structuring and risk mitigation, manageable. Additionally, access to foreign exchange, clarity around repatriation, and the availability of local-currency instruments will materially shape project viability.
Africa’s energy transition is not a waiting game. For those with long-term capital and a disciplined risk lens, the opportunity lies not only in unmet demand, but in the growing coherence of the systems built to meet it.
Brian Kalero is Corporate Banking Director, Absa Bank Zambia Plc
The Quest to Assert ‘I Am the Best Leader’: Developmentalism and Leadership Cult in Modern Nation-Building
In the modern era of nation-building, the interplay between personal leadership narratives and national development trajectories has grown increasingly pronounced. Leadership plays a central role in shaping the direction and pace of national development. In many post-colonial and rapidly developing countries, political leaders frequently assert their personal centrality in achieving economic progress, national unity, and global recognition.
The declaration “I am the best leader” is not merely a rhetorical flourish – it signals a deliberate strategy to fuse personal authority with national destiny. While such approaches may deliver short-term gains, they also raise critical questions about institutional durability, accountability, and the risks of personalized rule.
Developmentalism refers to a state-led approach to economic growth, often characterized by heavy infrastructure investment, industrial policy, and centralized planning. Leaders who preside over such programs frequently equate national success with their personal vision and capacity. From South Korea’s Park Chung-hee to Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, the development miracle is often closely associated with a strong leader. These leaders position themselves as irreplaceable technocrats and visionaries, emphasizing metrics such as GDP growth, urban transformation, and poverty reduction as validations of their leadership.
In constructing the Development Miracle, the “miracle” narrative often depends on symbolic infrastructure (e.g., highways, dams, smart cities); international diplomacy and aid coordination; control of media narratives and suppression of dissent; and performance-based legitimacy over electoral legitimacy.
Leaders assert “I am the best” by juxtaposing their administration with prior regimes’ failures or external threats. They often highlight improved access to education and healthcare, rapid urbanization and modernization and expansion of national pride and identity.
Leadership cults refer to a political culture in which a leader is elevated above institutions, ideology, and accountability. Such cults are characterized by excessive glorificationof the leader in state narratives; iconography and symbolism(statues, slogans, portraits); attribution of all successto the individual leader and suppression of dissentunder the guise of national unity or developmental urgency
This phenomenon differs from charismatic leadership in general; a cult of personality implies institutional imbalance, where formal checks on power are weakened in favor of personal
Regarding the Cult of Leadership and political risks, while development gains can be tangible, the personalization of credit raises risks which includes institutional weakness in which bureaucracies are undermined when loyalty outweighs competence; suppressed pluralism in which dissent is often reframed as anti-development or anti-national; as well as succession crises in which the image of an irreplaceable leader complicates transitions. The tendency to centralize both credit and power around one individual fosters a fragile political environment, where state continuity is uncertain, and opposition lacks space to mature.
There are several cases which illustrates this assertion. President Kagame has been praised for transforming Rwanda into a fast-growing, clean, and digitally ambitious economy. However, critics warn of authoritarian tendencies, suppressed opposition, and centralized decision-making, raising questions about long-term democratic resilience.
Erdoğan’s tenure has involved massive infrastructure expansion and middle-class growth. Yet, his consolidation of power has weakened judicial independence and media freedom, prompting concern over democratic backsliding.
Ethiopia’s late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is frequently cited as a model of the “developmental state” leader during his reign of EPRDF No.1. Under his rule, Ethiopia experienced rapid infrastructure expansion and doubled its GDP. PM Meles Zenawi presented himself as both a philosopher-king and a technocrat, asserting that his leadership uniquely fused ideology with implementation.
However, the centralization of power around his person also generated concerns over repression, ethnic tension, and the marginalization of opposition voices – issues that would later contribute to political volatility.
A leadership cult, even when aligned with developmental goals, can undermine institutional checks and balances, reduce transparency in economic planning, concentrate power in informal networks as well as lead to overreliance on a single figure for national vision
In contrast, institutionalized leadership that shares credit, promotes meritocracy, and allows for contestation tends to produce more sustainable developmental outcomes.
To conclude, the quest to assert personal superiority in the realm of national development is a double-edged sword. It may yield impressive statistics and international applause, but it risks cultivating a fragile political ecosystem that depends on one leader’s continuity. True leadership in the 21st century should be measured not by how indispensable one becomes, but by how effectively one empowers institutions, decentralizes capacity, and builds an enduring democratic legacy.
Ethiopian-American Author Aster Mohamed Shares Inspiring Journey in New Memoir
A new memoir by Ethiopian-American educator and community leader Aster Bato Mohamed is touching hearts and inspiring readers with its powerful message of faith, resilience, and hope. Titled “The Joy of Walking by Faith,” the book chronicles Mohamed’s remarkable journey from a humble village in Ethiopia to becoming an influential figure in the United States.
Aster Mohamed’s story is deeply intertwined with her family, particularly her eldest brother, who raised her after their parents’ passing. In a heartfelt dedication, Mohamed credits her brother’s unwavering Christian faith and guidance as the foundation for her own spiritual journey. “He was an example of walking by faith for the villagers as well as for the missionaries,” she writes.
Growing up as the youngest of six siblings in Aira village, Mohamed faced both love and hardship. She candidly recounts her experiences with traditional practices, including the pain and stigma of female circumcision, and the challenges of accessing education. Despite these obstacles, Mohamed’s determination and faith propelled her forward.
Her journey took her from rural Ethiopia to the United States, where she learned new languages, assimilated into a different culture, and eventually became an educator in one of the nation’s largest school systems. Along the way, she became a community activist, church leader, and advocate for safe schools.
Mohamed’s motivation to write her memoir stemmed from a desire to leave a legacy for her children and grandchildren, and to offer comfort to immigrants and others facing adversity. Inspired by former President Barack Obama’s memoir and encouraged by friends and writing groups, Mohamed overcame her own reluctance to share painful personal stories, including those considered taboo in her culture.
Her perseverance paid off, as she found support from fellow writers and editors who helped her refine her manuscript. The memoir also features journal entries from her late brother, adding a deeply personal dimension to her narrative.
At its core, “The Joy of Walking by Faith” is a testament to the power of faith, family, and community. Mohamed encourages readers to seek out mentors and supporters who can help them reach their full potential, regardless of their background or circumstances.
As Mohamed writes, “When fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer it, and you will find that there is no one there.” Her story stands as an inspiration not only to Ethiopians and immigrants but to anyone striving to overcome life’s challenges through faith and perseverance.
“The Joy of Walking by Faith” is now available for readers seeking a moving account of courage, cultural identity, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
