Electrification of Healthcare Facilities in Africa
2024-12-10 12:00 - 2024-12-12 14:00 UTC
About the event

The African School of Regulation (ASR) and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) hosted an international online conference on the essential steps needed to electrify healthcare facilities in Africa. This high-level event explored regulatory interventions, business models, and financial strategies that could enable sustainable energy access, improve healthcare services, and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.

The conference built upon an initial dialogue addressing Electricity Access and Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa. Reliable electricity access in healthcare facilities can transform health outcomes, support economic growth, and address urgent climate challenges. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 billion people worldwide rely on healthcare facilities without reliable power. In sub-Saharan Africa, around 25,000 health facilities lack electricity entirely, while approximately 70,000 have only intermittent power—a gap that compromises essential services, from patient care and medical procedures to the storage of critical medicines.

Conference Structure

Day 1. The Present Situation: Experiences and Challenges

Day 2. Surmounting The Challenges

Day 3. Looking Ahead and Innovating Together

The event featured interactive panels with international experts, policymakers, and stakeholders.

Each day’s recordings and presentations are provided below.

Conference Program

Speakers Bio

Presentations

Presentation on the Regulatory Perspective: The Need for Sustainable and Scalable Business Models by Frederick Nyang, ASR. Click to download

Presentation on Sustainable Energy Policy Hub Powering Healthcare Infrastructure by Niklas Hayek, SEforALL. Click to download

Conference Report

Conference Report: Link to download

Conference Recordings

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

ASR Talk: Global Pathways to Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Financing Adaptation in Namibia and Beyond
2025-01-29 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
About the event

This ASR Talk on financing climate adaptation in Africa featured Tuwilika Nailoke Shaimemanya, Associate Programme Management Officer for Partnerships at the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), and was moderated by Carol Ofafa, Research Associate at the African School of Regulation. The discussion explored how Namibia’s experiences offered valuable lessons for other developing nations. Participants examined strategies for unlocking climate finance, building resilient infrastructure, and fostering international cooperation.

Key Focus Areas:

Global Implications of climate-resilient Infrastructure

Financing solutions for adaptation

Lessons from Namibia for Developing Countries

Cross-border partnerships for climate adaptation

For further insights, you can read the policy brief authored by Tuwilika Shaimemanya: “Scaling Up Adaptation Finance: Lessons from Namibia.”

Workshop on Private Investment in Electricity Transmission | World Bank and IFC
2025-04-01 08:00 - 2025-04-02 17:00 UTC
The African School of Regulation (ASR) was pleased to support a high-level workshop organized by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Nairobi, focused on regulatory strategies to unlock private sector participation in electricity transmission infrastructure.

The event was facilitated by ASR Interim Director, Prof. Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga, and ASR Research Associate, Eng. Carol Ofafa, HSC, PE, MIEK, bringing ASR’s regulatory expertise to a vital conversation shaping Kenya’s energy future.

Participants included senior representatives from the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) and the Office of the Attorney General, among others. Discussions explored international best practices, legal and policy frameworks, and innovative approaches to risk mitigation and investor confidence.

This workshop marked a critical step in advancing Kenya’s efforts to modernize its grid and attract long-term investment in transmission systems.

Featured Presentations

1. Transmission Business Models with Private Investment

Presenter: Prof. Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga, African School of Regulation

Overview: Explores various models—IPTs, PPPs, merchant lines—suitable for Africa, focusing on investment incentives and regulatory challenges.

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2. Case of India – Transmission Evolution and Growth Drivers

Presenter: Devesh Singh, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Overview: Covers India’s regulatory reforms, competitive bidding processes, and lessons in scaling private investment in transmission.

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3. IFC Lender’s Perspective – IPT Project Development & Financing

Presenter: Devesh Singh, IFC

Overview: Step-by-step look at project structuring, funding strategies, risk allocation, and lender expectations for IPTs.

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4. Private Investment in Electricity Transmission – The Case of Brazil and Latin America

Presenter: Luiz Barroso, PSR

Overview: Analysis of Brazil’s concession-based model and auction system, with comparisons to other Latin American markets.

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5. WB Guarantee Instruments – Risk Mitigation Strategies for Transmission PPPs

Organizer: World Bank Group

Overview: Outlines the role of World Bank and MIGA guarantees, including payment security mechanisms and credit enhancements.

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6. Asset Recycling for Transmission Infrastructure

Presenter: Jukka Strand, World Bank

Overview: Introduces Kenya’s transmission investment needs and explores asset recycling models to mobilize private capital.

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Webinar: Regulating Energy Storage in Africa
2025-05-22 13:00 - 15:00 (Africa/Accra)
Background

Africa’s energy landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with a growing emphasis on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. These intermittent energy sources necessitate effective energy storage solutions to ensure grid stability and reliability. The rapid decline in battery costs—over 90% since 2010—has made large-scale energy storage more feasible.

Initiatives such as South Africa’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, funded by the Bank, aim to support grid stability and manage peak demand. The project includes large-scale utility batteries with a daily capacity of 1,440 MWh and 60 MW of solar PV. The Bank is also funding a technical feasibility, policy and regulatory diagnostics study for the adoption and implementation of grid connected Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Nigeria. Additionally, during COP28, several African countries expressed interest in joining the Battery Energy Storage Systems Consortium, aiming to revolutionize Africa’s energy landscape through advanced energy storage solutions. However, the regulatory frameworks governing energy storage remain underdeveloped across many African countries, creating barriers to investment and deployment.

This webinar seeks to address the key regulatory challenges and opportunities in the energy storage sector. It will explore policy frameworks, market incentives, and technical standards necessary to foster innovation and attract investment. Additionally, the session will highlight successful case studies from both African nations and international markets, offering insights into best practices for establishing a conducive regulatory environment that supports the scaling up of energy storage solutions.

TimeTopicSpeaker13:00-13:10Welcome and introduction Opening statements MC – Rhoda Mshana, Energy Regulations Specialist Mr. Wale Shonibare, Director, Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulations, AfDB13:10-13:25Key Presentation: The importance of energy storage in Africa’s energy transition Prof. Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga, African School of Regulation13:25-14:40Panel Discussion: Technological and Regulatory Landscape, including the economic and market considerations of Battery Storage in Africa Chair: Callixte Kambanda, Manager, Energy Policy, Regulations & Statistics, AfDB Panelists : Wale Aboyade, Managing Director, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)Engr. Shehu Abba, Executive Director – System Planning, National Independent System Operator (NISO) in Nigeria Max Schoenfisch, Power Sector Modeller, IEA Barbara O’Neill, Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Mohamed Adel, Business Development Manager, Scatec 14:40-14:50Q&A, DiscussionAll14:50-15:00Closing RemarksMr. Charly Gatete, ASR

Renforcer les mécanismes de protection des consommateurs d'électricité dans un paysage énergétique en évolution. Partage d’expérience
2025-07-09 13:00 - 14:30 (Africa/Accra)
RECORDING

Le secteur de l’électricité est en pleine mutation, sous l’effet de plusieurs facteurs tels que les avancées technologiques, les réformes politiques, les contraintes économiques, les ajustements tarifaires, mais aussi l’évolution des modes de consommation et des attentes des consommateurs. Dans ce paysage en pleine évolution, la protection des consommateurs d’électricité nécessite une action coordonnée des parties prenantes, les régulateurs nationaux jouant un rôle clé. Ce webinaire a pour but de partager des idées, des bonnes pratiques et des approches collaboratives pour renforcer la protection des consommateurs et la gestion de la réglementation des consommateurs par les entités réglementaires.

Panelistes:

Mr. Pape Momar Ndiaye, Membre du Conseil de régulation, Commission de Régulation du Secteur de l’Énergie (CRSE) au Sénégal.

Mr Achi Bessecon Alain Gilles, Chef de Service Consommateurs Intérieur et vulgarisation à la Direction Consommateurs – Autorité Nationale de Régulation du secteur de l’Électricité de Côte d’Ivoire (ANARE-CI)

Mr Ouattara Salif, Vice-Président, ’Union Fédérale des Consommateurs de Côte d’Ivoire (UFC-CI).

Moderateur: Charly GATETE, Chercheur Principal associé, ASR

The electricity sector is undergoing major changes, driven by several factors such as technological advances, policy reforms, economic constraints, tariff adjustments, and the evolution of consumption patterns and consumer expectations. In this rapidly changing landscape, protecting electricity consumers requires coordinated action from stakeholders, with national regulators playing a key role. This webinar aims to share insights, best practices, and collaborative approaches to strengthen consumer protection and improve how regulatory entities manage consumer affairs.

Panelists:

Mr. Pape Momar Ndiaye, Member of the Regulatory Council, Energy Sector Regulatory Commission (CRSE), Senegal

Mr. Achi Bessecon Alain Gilles, Head of Internal Consumer Service and Outreach, Consumer Directorate – National Electricity Regulatory Authority of Côte d’Ivoire (ANARE-CI)

Mr. Ouattara Salif, Vice President, Federal Union of Consumers of Côte d’Ivoire (UFC-CI)

Moderator: Charly Gatete, Senior Research Associate, ASR

The African Opportunity in Carbon Trading
2025-10-01 13:00 - 14:30 UTC
This webinar will introduce carbon trading as a practical tool for supporting Africa’s clean energy transition. The webinar will explain how both compliance and voluntary carbon markets work and how renewable energy producers in Africa can earn revenue by selling carbon credits from emissions reductions. By highlighting opportunities in solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy, the webinar will help policymakers, developers, and sustainability professionals understand how to access carbon finance and benefit from the growing global demand for it.

The session will also explore the main factors that enable or limit participation in carbon markets across the continent. This includes the need for clear regulations, strong monitoring and reporting systems, and fair benefit-sharing practices. Challenges such as high project costs, limited market access, and policy uncertainty will be addressed, along with new initiatives like national carbon registries and the African Gold Standard. Overall, the webinar will provide a platform to share insights and ideas on how Africa can establish a stronger presence in global carbon markets.

Objective

This webinar, hosted by the African School of Regulation and the African Forum of Utility Regulators, will help participants understand how carbon trading works, explore the opportunities it offers for Africa’s renewable energy sector, and discuss the main challenges and practical steps needed to take part in global carbon markets.

Panelists:

Dario Brescia – Perspectives Climate Group

Dr. Dingane Sithole (PhD) – UNIDO

Dr. Samir Thapa – MECS / Loughborough University

Lydia Omuko-Jung – Climate Focus

AGENDA12.50 – 13.00 Participants connect to the platform 13.00 – 13.05 Key Principles of Carbon Trading Challenges and Opportunities Daniella Ngarambe (ASR) 13.05 – 13.10 Welcome remarks from the ASR Director & AFUR Representative Abdulkadir Shettima (ASR), AFUR Representative 13.10 – 14.25 Key principles of Carbon Trading Challenges and Opportunities Dario Brescia (Perspectives Climate Group) Dingane Sithole (UNIDO) Samir Thapa (MECS) Lydia Omuko-Jung (Climate Focus) Key Enablers and Considerations 14.25 – 14.30 Summary and Closing Remarks Daniella Ngarambe (ASR), Abdulkadir Shettima (ASR), AFUR 14.30 END OF THE WEBINAR

Tariff Determination Techniques and Subsidy Design in Utility Regulation
2025-11-12 13:00 - 14:30 UTC
Join the African School of Regulation (ASR) and the African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR) for an insightful webinar on Tariff Determination Techniques and Subsidy Design in Utility Regulation.

The session will explore how regulators and policymakers can design tariff frameworks that balance cost recovery, affordability, and investment sustainability. It will also examine practical approaches to subsidy design that promote equity and protect vulnerable consumers, while ensuring the financial health of utilities.

Participants will gain actionable insights from experts and regulators on developing transparent, effective, and context-appropriate regulatory mechanisms for Africa’s evolving power sector.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in the Context of Utility Regulation
2025-12-03 13:00 - 14:45 UTC
The African School of Regulation (ASR), in collaboration with the African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Energy for Growth Hub, hosted this webinar on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in the context of utility regulation. The session introduced PPAs as key tools for supporting Africa’s clean energy transition and attracting sustainable investment.

We explored the structure and essential components of PPAs, the role of regulatory oversight, and practical approaches to addressing challenges such as liquidity risks, tariff misalignment, and stranded capacity. The webinar also highlighted global best practices, including competitive procurement and renewable integration, and how they can be adapted to strengthen PPA frameworks across African power markets.

Can she survive - or thrive? Rethinking the utility business model in the age of DERs
2026-02-04 14:00 - 15:30 (Africa/Accra)
REGISTER HERE

The Africa School of Regulation (ASR), in collaboration with Sustainable Energy Africa and GET.transform, is hosting this webinar to explore how Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are reshaping utility service delivery, remuneration, and regulation.

The Challenge

For over a century, utilities operated on a simple model: supply electricity to passive consumers and recover costs through tariffs. Today, that model is under pressure. Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), from rooftop solar to battery storage are transforming how electricity is produced, consumed, and valued.

Across Africa, this shift meets a fragile foundation. Distribution companies already face financial strain from low-cost recovery and high losses. DERs could deepen these challenges by reducing sales volumes and disrupting revenue flows. Yet, they also offer opportunities: new sources of flexibility, reliability, and grid support if properly valued.

This raises a critical question: Can the traditional utility model survive—or even thrive—in a decentralised energy landscape?

About the Webinar

This session will open a forward-looking conversation on how DERs are reshaping utility service, remuneration, and regulation. It will explore:

How DERs disrupt traditional cost-recovery models

What fair value exchange looks like in a multi-actor system

How tariff and remuneration frameworks must evolve

Designed for regulators, utilities, policymakers, and energy professionals, the webinar will challenge long-standing assumptions and set the stage for practical solutions in future capacity-building programs.

Agenda

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Keynote Presentation

Panel Discussion

Fit-for-Purpose Regulation
2026-02-18 13:00 - 14:30 UTC
REGISTER

Utility regulation has evolved dramatically over the past five decades from prescriptive, compliance-driven frameworks to dynamic, performance-oriented models shaped by liberalization and market reforms. Today, African regulators face a new challenge: designing frameworks that are fit for purpose, tailored to the realities of diverse sectors, jurisdictions, and developmental stages.

This webinar will unpack what “Fit-for-Purpose Regulation” means in practice and why it matters for Africa’s utility sectors. It will explore how regulatory frameworks can balance rigor with flexibility, foster innovation, and respond to emerging trends such as decentralization, digitalization, and regional integration.

Why Attend?

Understand the principles and applications of Fit-for-purpose regulation.

Learn practical approaches for tailoring frameworks to national and regional contexts

Gain insights into institutional strengthening and stakeholder engagement

Explore lessons and emerging practices from African regulatory institutions

Agenda:

13:00 – 13:05 | Welcome & Opening Remarks

13:05 – 14:20 | Interactive Discussion on Fit-for-Purpose Regulation

14:20 – 14:30 | Closing Reflections

International online conference: Regulatory frameworks for the deployment and integration of solar energy in the power sector of African countries
2026-02-24 14:00 - 2026-02-26 16:00 UTC
Register Here

The African School of Regulation (ASR), in collaboration with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), is hosting a three-day, open, online, high-level conference to discuss how regulation can enable and promote the deployment and integration of solar electricity generation in African countries’ power sectors at scale and with sustainable models. The conference will consider utility-scale power plants, distributed grid-connected solar resources, and off-grid solutions, with a focus on the former.

Context

Africa possesses some of the richest solar resources in the world.1 Yet, despite this potential, as of 2023 the continent’s installed utility-scale solar PV capacity stood at approximately 15 GW—less than 2% of the global total of over 1 TW.2 By comparison, the European Union alone had over 260 GW3, and China more than 500 GW4.

Africa’s electricity demand is expected to more than double by 2040, driven by population growth—from 1.4 billion today to 2.5 billion in 2050—and economic development. More than 600 million people in Africa lack any access to electricity today. Solar PV represents a critical opportunity to deliver affordable, clean, and scalable power to meet the associated demand. Falling technology costs—utility-scale PV levelized cost of electricity has dropped by 89% since 2010 globally —make it competitive with fossil fuel generation in many African countries.

However, achieving full electrification, adequate economic development, and a decarbonised economy by 2050 will require hundreds of billions of dollars in new investments, as well as operation and maintenance costs for solar PV generation. These investments must be supported by predictable regulatory frameworks that inspire confidence among developers, financiers, and utilities. A sound regulatory framework for solar generation is essential at all levels.

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