On the sidelines of the 48 Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy H.E. Lerato D. Mataboge, briefed the media on Africa’s priorities, progress, and delivery focus in infrastructure, energy, digital transformation, transport, and water sectors, under the theme “Delivering Agenda 2063: Accelerating Infrastructure, Energy, Digital Transformation and PIDA Deliverables for 2026 and Beyond.”
The Commissioner emphasised that Africa has entered a decisive phase of implementation following the adoption of the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, designated as the Decade of Accelerated Implementation. In this context, infrastructure has been positioned as the foundational enabler of Africa’s transformation, underpinning industrialisation, trade, climate resilience, and inclusive growth across the continent.
Infrastructure as the Engine of Africa’s Development
Commissioner Mataboge underscored that integrated infrastructure systems for energy, water, transport, and digital connectivity are the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, trade, food security, climate resilience, and social development.
Africa is advancing infrastructure for a continental market of 1.4 billion people, anchored in flagship frameworks such as the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), which is currently advancing 69 priority cross-border projects across energy, transport, ICT, and water.
Between 2017 and 2023, more than 120 million Africans gained access to electricity, while cross-border fibre-optic networks now exceed 60,000 kilometres, forming the digital backbone of continental integration.
2026 AU Theme of the Year; Water and Sanitation at the Centre
The Commissioner highlighted that the 2026 AU Theme of the Year – “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063” – places water and sanitation at the heart of Africa’s development and climate resilience agenda, while underscoring the central role of integrated infrastructure systems in delivering these objectives.
She emphasised that water security and safe sanitation are fundamentally dependent on energy and digital infrastructure for abstraction, treatment, pumping, desalination, distribution, and wastewater management, making reliable and affordable electricity a critical enabler of sustainable water services.
She noted that approximately 400 million Africans still lack access to safely managed drinking water, and over 700 million people do not have access to safely managed sanitation services, while water demand across the continent is projected to increase by more than 40 per cent by 2030 due to population growth, urbanisation, and expanding economic activity.
Under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa’s Second Priority Action Plan (PIDA PAP2), water investments account for approximately USD 10 billion. This includes 15 validated transboundary water projects across major shared river basins, advancing multipurpose dams, water transfer systems, and climate-resilient water and sanitation infrastructure, supported by energy and digital systems to ensure reliability, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
Energy Integration, Water Security and Growth
At the centre of Africa’s energy integration agenda is the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), operationalised through the Continental Power Systems Master Plan (CMP), which aims to scale Africa’s power generation capacity to over 1,200 GW by 2040.
Electricity access increased from 51 per cent in 2017 to about 61 per cent in 2023, yet more than 560 million Africans still lack access, and clean cooking access remains below 40 per cent, according to the New SDG’s 7 Report launched by the Africa Energy Commission (AFREC).
Digital Transformation: Enabling Smart Infrastructure and Inclusive Growth
Africa now has over 1.1 billion mobile subscriptions, and mobile broadband covers approximately 85 per cent of the population. However, more than 60 per cent of Africans remain offline, and fixed broadband penetration is below 10 per cent, which the commissioner said Africa needs to address in the short term.
Guided by the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030), the continent is advancing toward a Digital Single Market by 2030, supported by continental frameworks on artificial intelligence, data governance, cybersecurity, and interoperable digital identity.
Transport and mobility Connecting Markets and People
Transport infrastructure underpins Africa’s integration and AfCFTA objectives. Through flagship initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Integrated Railway Network (AIRN), Africa is liberalising air transport, expanding rail connectivity, and modernising ports and corridors.
Since implementation, SAATM has facilitated the launch of 113 new intra-Africa routes, including 19 fifth-freedom routes, improving connectivity and lowering travel costs.
The Revised African Maritime Transport Charter entered into force in August 2025, strengthening maritime governance, safety, and infrastructure development, while the African Road Safety Charter will enter into force in March 2026 following the achievement of its fifteenth ratification this month.
PIDA: Africa’s Continental Infrastructure Delivery Platform
PIDA provides Africa with a single, integrated pipeline of 69 priority projects valued at over USD 161 billion. Between 2023 and 2024, the portfolio registered a net advancement rate of 8.7 per cent, with digital and water projects leading progress.
Looking ahead, PIDA’s focus is on accelerating project maturity, mobilising blended and private finance, and moving more projects into construction, including through platforms such as the Luanda Infrastructure Financing Summit.
Call to Action
Commissioner Mataboge called on AU Member States to anchor continental priorities in national development plans, strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, and accelerate regulatory harmonisation. She also urged development partners and the private sector to scale long-term investment and risk-sharing.
She concluded by inviting African and international media to be active partners in telling Africa’s infrastructure story and amplifying evidence-based progress.
For Media Inquiries:
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Ms. Bezayit Eyoel | Information Analyst | Department of Infrastructure and Energy| African Union Commission| E-mail: BezayitE@africanunion.org|
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Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africanunion.org
