African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

HARNESSINGENERGY FORDEVELOPMENTOverall, Africa is a major net energy exporter,as each of its subregions, except East Africa,exports substantial amounts of energy. NorthAfrica is the largest exporter, with significantquantities of its oil and gas exports going to Europeand other markets. West Africa’s exportsare almost exclusively oil, and from one country- Nigeria. Southern Africa’s net energy exportsare oil (from Angola) and coal (from SouthAfrica). Central Africa is an oil-exporting regionwhose exports are mainly from Cameroon,the Congo and Gabon. North Africa alone producesslightly less energy than the rest of Africacombined. Taken individually, the major energyexporting countries in Africa include Nigeria,Algeria, Libya, South Africa, Egypt, Gabon, andthe Congo.There are no significant net energy importersin Africa, with the vast majority of African nationsimporting very small (i.e., 0.3 quads or less)amounts of energy (Energy in Africa, 1999).Most of the energy consumption in Africa(about 80 per cent of the total) is either in Northor Southern Africa. In 1997, only five countries(South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, and Libya)accounted for 78 per cent (8.9 quads) of allenergy consumption, and 84 per cent (22 quads)of all energy production in Africa. East Africa isa tiny net energy importer (mainly of oil).An overview of energy in Africa by USDOE(1999) reveals that, despite the abundance ofits commercial energy resources, Africa still accountsfor a small fraction (about 3 per cent) ofworld commercial energy consumption. Energydemand growth in Africa averaged 2.7 percent annually from 1980 to 1997, and a slightlyhigher 3.1 per cent annual average from 1990 to1997. During the period 1970-1997, Africa’scommercial energy consumption (not including“non-commercial” fuels like firewood, charcoal,animal waste and agricultural residue) increasedby about 220 per cent from 3.6 to 11.4 quadrillionBtu (10 15 Btu) or quads. Africa’s share ofworld commercial energy consumption increasedslightly from 2 per cent in 1970 to 3 per cent in1997. Commercial energy consumption in Africais expected to remain approximately constantas a share of the world total (at about 3 per cent)through 2020 (see figure below). Africa’s share ofworld commercial energy consumption is smallfor a variety of reasons, including low per capitaincomes, levels of industrialization, ownershipHARNESSING ENERGY FOR DEVELOPMENTFig 1: Africa Commercial Energy Consumption in World Context, and as a Percentageof World Total, 1970-2020Source: ECA – ARIA, 2003 (Energy Information Administration)215