Strengthening economic and technical regulation of the electricity sector in Djibouti, the DRC, Madagascar, and Lesotho
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has developed an Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI) that empirically assesses in 43 African countries:
- the level of development of regulatory frameworks and,
- the capacity of regulatory authorities to effectively fulfill their functions.
For each country, the ERI identifies gaps, compares results across countries and against international best practices, and provides targeted recommendations for improvement.
Based on these results and recommendations, the AfDB launches technical assistance programs to help countries address the most critical challenges. This is notably the case of the African Energy Sector Technical Assistance Program, Phase I (AESTAP I).
Following an international call for tenders, the AfDB selected the consortium led by PHOENIX with RICARDO and JANSON to carry out a mission to strengthen the economic and technical regulation of the electricity sectors in Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Lesotho.
The objective of this mission is to support the target countries in developing methodologies and practical tools for addressing the cost of electricity service, user pricing, and quality of service.
- The cost of service covers the full cost of the entire value chain (generation, transmission, distribution, sales).
- Pricing meets the objectives of financial equilibrium, economic efficiency, social equity, and clarity.
- Quality of service focuses on continuity of supply as well as energy quality and commercial performance.
A major capacity-building program, through knowledge transfer to the authorities responsible for sector regulation, complements this expert mission.
To carry out this mission, the Groupement draws on its combined economic, financial, technical and legal skills. This mission, which involves the electricity regulators of the 4 countries, is led by a team of 12 key experts. It is scheduled to run for 12 months from September 2025.
