Mid-November, the Peer Review and Learning Network (PRLN) of African energy regulators concluded a successful week-long workshop in Cairo, hosted by the Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EgyptERA) under the leadership of Dr Mohamed Moussa Omran. The event brought together senior regulatory executives from six countries, reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening governance, transparency, and regional cooperation in Africa’s power sectors. The visiting regulator CEOs from Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Mozambique, Cameroon and Zambia engaged with EgyptERA’s board, management, and key stakeholders across government, utilities, private investors (IPPs), private distribution companies, and civil society, among others.
The PRLN, an initiative designed and facilitated by the Power Futures Lab (PFL) at the University of Cape Town in partnership with GET.transform, is a platform that enables African electricity regulators to benchmark institutional performance, exchange peer feedback, and promote continuous improvement in regulatory governance, substance and impact. The PRLN aligns with the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) agenda, advancing consistent standards and investor-friendly regulatory environments across the continent.
The core facilitators Dr. Peter Twesigye and Prof. Anton Eberhard led the sessions, guiding the peer-review process through evidence-based dialogue, structured diagnostics, and actionable recommendations.
High-Level Opening and Ministerial Commitment
The workshop had opened under the auspices of Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy. Remarks delivered on behalf of Minister Mahmoud Esmat emphasised that
collaboration among African regulators is essential to building a stronger, more resilient energy future for our continent.
He outlined Egypt’s achievements—moving from supply shortages to surplus generation, investing in renewables, and strengthening cross-border interconnections—while candidly acknowledging ongoing challenges such as financial sustainability, digital transformation, and balancing social protection with tariff reforms.
The Minister reaffirmed Egypt’s vision of a regional energy hub, leveraging vast solar and wind resources, geographic connectivity between Africa, Asia, and Europe, and expanding electricity interconnections with Arab and African neighbours. He underscored that the PRLN’s peer-review offers “fresh perspectives and practical advice” for the next phase of reforms at EgyptERA, particularly around institutional independence, transparency, and adaptability to technological change.
Reflections on Ambitious Renewable Energy Targets
Meetings extended to the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) and the New Renewable Energy Agency (NREA). The interactions highlighted Egypt’s regulatory progress under Law 87/2015, its move toward a more competitive wholesale market, and efforts to balance social and commercial imperatives amid macroeconomic pressures.
Egypt’s 1.8GW Benban Solar Park and Gulf of Suez wind projects were cited as global benchmarks for cost-effective renewables, while recent difficulties like fuel shortages and tariff freezes underscore the continuing tension between affordability and cost recovery. The review praised EgyptERA’s technical competence and transparency but called for “de facto regulatory independence to match its de jure mandate,” emphasising predictable tariffs, strengthened institutional capacity, and enhanced market rules for traders and qualified customers.
Participants commended Egypt’s openness to scrutiny and learning, describing the process as a model of regulatory transparency and mutual accountability.
As Dr Paulo da Graça, CEO and Chairman of Mozambique’s regulatory authority Arene, noted in closing, “Egypt’s peer review reaffirms the value of collective learning among African regulators. When we evaluate each other with honesty and shared purpose, we not only strengthen our institutions but accelerate the continent’s energy transformation.”
The next PRLN Meeting will be hosted by the Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Authority (ZERA) and bring the regulator CEOs together in Harare in the spring of 2026.
