By: Dawan Africa

Somalia plans to import electricity from Ethiopia to expand energy access and cut costs, Energy Minister Abdullahi Bidhaan Warsame said.

Speaking in an interview with Dawan Media's Mizan Podcast, the minister said the Somali government was working on arrangements to import electricity from neighbouring Ethiopia.

Bidhaan said the government plans to bring Ethiopian electricity into Somalia through three entry points: Doolow, Wajaale and Goldogob, before distributing power to cities across the country.

He said the project was being supported by the World Bank and noted that feasibility studies for two of the planned entry points had already been completed.

“There is a World Bank-supported program to bring electricity from Ethiopia into Somalia through three entry points. Feasibility studies for two locations have already been completed,” Bidhaan said.

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The minister also said the government hopes the imported electricity could cost around 5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), significantly lower than current electricity prices in Somalia.

According to World Bank and energy sector reports, Somalia has some of the highest electricity prices in Africa, with costs in some cities ranging between 60 and 100 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Ethiopia currently generates more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity, according to Ethiopian government and African Development Bank data, with most of its energy produced from hydroelectric projects including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Countries in the Horn of Africa have increasingly pursued regional power interconnection projects aimed at expanding electricity access and reducing energy costs across interconnected markets.