The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing regional power integration, stressing that stronger collaboration among African utilities is essential to delivering reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity to millions of people across the continent.

Speaking on the third day of the African Power Utilities Association (APUA) conference in Accra, Managing Director of ECG, Ing. Kwame Kpekpena, said the future of Africa’s electricity sector depends not only on strengthening individual utilities but also on building an integrated electricity market that benefits customers, businesses and national economies.

Reflecting on the previous day’s deliberations, Ing. Kpekpena noted that utility leaders from across Africa had examined progress made since 2019 in areas such as corporate governance, financial sustainability, investment readiness and cybersecurity resilience.

He said the discussions underscored the need for strong institutions, prudent financial management and strategic partnerships to meet the continent’s growing energy demand.

"Today’s discussions move us from strengthening individual utilities to strengthening Africa’s electricity future through integration,” he stated.

He explained that initiatives such as the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), the Continental Power Systems Master Plan and the East African Power Pool–Southern African Power Pool (EAPP–SAPP) Market Coupling Initiative represent significant milestones towards creating a more interconnected, efficient and resilient electricity market across Africa.

According to him, the vision of “One Grid, One Market, One Vision for Africa” is not merely about building transmission infrastructure or harmonising regulations.

"Rather, it is about ensuring that the benefits of regional cooperation translate into tangible improvements in the quality, reliability, and affordability of electricity services enjoyed by homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses across the continent.

"As distribution utilities, we must continually ask ourselves one important question: How do we translate continental market integration into better service for our customers?” he challenged participants.

Ing. Kpekpena emphasised that deeper collaboration among African electricity distribution companies, including sharing best practice in governance, financing, operational efficiency, digital transformation and peer learning, would be instrumental in delivering customer-centred services and building resilient utilities capable of supporting Africa’s economic transformation.

He commended the African Power Utilities Association (APUA), the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, the African Development Bank, regional power institutions and development partners for their unwavering commitment to advancing Africa’s energy integration agenda.

He expressed confidence that the conference would produce practical recommendations to accelerate the implementation of regional power market initiatives while strengthening cooperation among utilities across the continent.