Opinion: The African grid of the future – smart, connected, resilient

In this article, GE Vernova grid solutions chief strategy and growth officer for the Middle East and Africa Bernard Dagher writes that meeting Africa’s rising electricity demand will require a significant expansion of generation and transmission infrastructure and that digitisation could play a role in delivering cost savings and efficiency improvements. The continent is projected to increase electricity generation from 939 TWh in 2024 to 1 446 TWh in 2035 – an increase of 54% in less than a decade (IEA World Energy Outlook 2025). Delivering this capacity to consumers requires a substantial commitment to grid infrastructure development. This development goes beyond traditional transmission and distribution lines; it involves creating a grid prepared for a world that is decarbonising and electrifying.