Accra, Ghana
Three-day working session in Accra focused on the competencies, learning pathways and institutional arrangements needed to support AfSEM implementation.
September 2026 — Senior officials and technical experts from the Infrastructure and Energy Department (IED) of the African Union Commission (AUC), the GIZ-implemented project on Accelerating the Energy Transition in Africa (ENGAGE), the European Union-funded Continental Energy Programme in Africa (CEPA), and the African School of Regulation (ASR) convened in Accra for a three-day working session to design a comprehensive, standardised, and competency-based AfSEM Regulatory Readiness Capacity Building and Training Curriculum to support the implementation of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) Regulatory Readiness Action Plan across Africa.
Hosted at the ASR office, the meeting brought together around 13 experts to examine the regulatory capacity required to translate the AfSEM vision into effective action at the national, regional and continental levels.
AfSEM aims to support the development of a more integrated African electricity market by enabling greater cross-border electricity trade and cooperation. Its implementation will require regulatory institutions and sector professionals with the knowledge and practical skills to operate within increasingly interconnected electricity systems.
Against this background, the experts reviewed the adopted AfSEM Regulatory Readiness Guidelines and Action Plan, identified and prioritised regulatory competency gaps at continental, regional, and national levels; developed a structured modular curriculum aligned with AfSEM implementation priorities, including competency-based learning outcomes for each curriculum module; developed competency standards for regulators.
The discussions informed the proposed phased structure of a competency-based training curriculum for institutional leaders, regulatory professionals and technical specialists. The curriculum is expected to cover foundational knowledge, AfSEM market design and regulatory architecture, and the practical application of regulatory instruments.
The experts also considered appropriate learning pathways, training delivery methods, assessment and certification, quality assurance, and the institutional arrangements required to develop and implement the programme. They also discussed the institutional arrangements and respective roles of AUC, ASR and other relevant continental, regional and national institutions in curriculum development and delivery.
The working session was co-chair by Dr. Abdulkadir Shettima, ASR Executive Director and Madam Sara Elhag, Head of Energy Division at AUC. Prof. Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga, ASR Senior External Adviser, ASR Heads of Research and Training and representatives from AUC-IED and GIZ-ENGAGE programme attended the working session.
The work will inform the next phase of curriculum development, including the prioritisation and preparation of initial modules, peer review, validation and pilot delivery. The resulting curriculum will support efforts to equip African regulatory institutions with the capabilities needed to contribute effectively to AfSEM and the growth of regional electricity trade.
