23 January 2015: In an effort to drive the necessary reforms to provide energy services to the 625 million people currently lacking electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative has drawn together high-level political and economic leaders from the continent to form an African Energy Leaders Group (AELG). The AELG will promote policy reforms to create an inviting investment environment, foster public-private partnerships and advocate for renewable energy.

The policymakers, investors and financiers involved in the group plan to encourage technological innovation through support for research, development and deployment (RD&D), and policy innovation, in addition to using current tools and programmes available, such as regional power pools and the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa.

Among those committed to membership in the Group are the Presidents of Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and entrepreneurs Tony Elumelu and Aliko Dangote. Other members will include Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major corporations and high-level officers from regional organizations, development banks and civil society groups.

The AELG was launched during the 2015 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The group is starting with a West African regional sub-group and plans to add an Eastern African sub-group in the near future. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) have all endorsed the AELG. [SE4ALL Press Release] [AELG Factsheet]