Eastern Africa Power Pool to Launch Competitive Electricity Market in April
By Skika Reporter
The Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) is set to launch its competitive regional electricity market in April 2026, marking a major milestone in cross-border energy trade across the region.
The announcement was made by Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako, Acting Director General of the Independent Regulatory Board (IRB) of EAPP. Eng. Waako, who also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), said the launch will be overseen by the EAPP Council of Ministers, the pool’s supreme governing body.
“The IRB has taken all the necessary steps to ensure that, upon going live, the Eastern Africa Electricity Market operates transparently, attracts investments, and delivers value for money for all market participants,” she said.
The announcement followed a week-long study visit to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) in Harare, Zimbabwe. The visit aimed at strengthening the IRB’s institutional and technical capacity ahead of the market launch.
During the visit, the delegation focused on key operational areas critical to a competitive regional electricity market. These included transmission pricing and wheeling frameworks to ensure fair use of cross-border transmission networks; market monitoring and surveillance systems to promote transparency and fair competition; and cross-border metering systems for accurate energy accounting and reliable electricity trade.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the IRB and SAPP to formalize cooperation. The agreement is expected to enhance regional infrastructure integration, improve power system reliability and affordability, and promote harmonized regulatory standards between Eastern and Southern Africa.
Eng. Waako said lessons drawn from SAPP’s experience will directly inform the development of a robust market monitoring and surveillance framework in Eastern Africa, ensuring fair competition and system stability once the market becomes operational.
EAPP currently comprises 13 member countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Several of these nations—including Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania—already engage in bilateral electricity trade.
The introduction of a competitive regional market is expected to improve efficiency, lower operational costs, integrate renewable energy sources, and enhance power reliability across member states.
The study visit was supported by ENGAGE, a BMZ-funded initiative focused on accelerating Africa’s energy transition, strengthening regulatory frameworks for renewable energy investment, and expanding access to clean energy.
For comparison, SAPP, established in 1995 under the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has grown into a model for regional electricity market integration with 12 member countries.
As preparations intensify ahead of the April launch, Eastern Africa is positioning itself to benefit from a transparent, inclusive, and investment-friendly electricity market designed to strengthen cross-border trade and drive sustainable energy growth
