Ethiopia launches National Electrification program 3.0 to boost economic growth
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The Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy introduced the third phase of its National Electrification Program (NEP 3.0) during the Third Water and Energy Week in Addis Ababa.
The new program moves beyond simply connecting homes to the power grid. It focuses on providing reliable and affordable energy to drive productivity, economic growth, and public services.
Mesfin Dabi, an official at the ministry, explained that the initiative links electricity access to socioeconomic transformation by integrating power into sectors like agricultural processing, irrigation, and textile manufacturing. The ministry plans to improve the efficiency of the power system by introducing smart metering technologies and tariff reforms. These measures aim to reduce electricity losses during transmission and distribution. The government also intends to create a national energy information management framework to help officials make data-driven decisions.
To reach areas beyond the main grid, the program will promote small-scale, off-grid solar power systems. The ministry will use public-private partnerships to deploy these decentralized solutions. The strategy aims to ensure that farmers, businesses, and schools can use energy to increase output and improve essential services.
