Power shortage expected to hamper Africa e-network project

As the Indian-government-sponsored Pan African e-network project gains ground in Africa, there are now fears that a lack of electricity to power the equipment will keep the initiative from moving forward.

The project, which is a joint initiative between the Indian government and the African Union, was first launched in Ethiopia in 2007, followed by Rwanda last year. The aim of the project is to connect African countries to satellite and fiber-optic networks in order to provide e-learning, e-education and telemedicine, among other initiatives.

The project also looks to develop African ICTs by eventually connecting all 53 African countries to satellite and fiber-optic networks.

Several African countries are now worried that the project may fail due to the lack of a constant power supply in many African countries.

Jack Chileshe, the program officer for the Zambia Academy of Science and Technology, warned last week that the project's main challenge would be lack of power to run the equipment. Southern African countries are already facing a power deficit, and the World Bank has warned that the lack of a reliable power supply has already begun to hamper the region's development.

The e-network project will fail "if no immediate measures are put in place to ensure reliable power generation and supply," Chileshe said.

The Indian government will spend more than US$125 million on the e-network project, although the project will likely demand $1 billion total. It is seen by many communication experts as Africa's biggest ICT project and is expected to extend infrastructure development to rural areas and other underserved communities.

Chileshe said African governments that have signed up to the project need to improve the region's power-supply system if the project is to succeed, especially in underserved communities experiencing persistent shortages.

So far, more than 33 countries have already signed up for the pan-African network project. India wants to make inroads into Africa's ICT markets before China solidifies its investments there.

The Indian government will fully finance the establishment of centers for all African Union states including centers for tele-education and telemedicine, as well as a private communication network for all African Union heads of state.

The e-network project was announced in 2004 in South Africa by India. In October 2005, the Indian government and the African Union signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the project.

The project will provide telemedicine services by way of online consultations between medical practitioners in Africa and specialists in India. Indian universities will offer online access to participating countries in courses of study selected by the African Union.

Students and teachers in Ethiopia are already working via satellite link with India's Indira Gandhi National Open University since the launch of the project in the country almost two years ago.

India hopes the project will help it to sell more telecom and IT gear to Africa.

Satellite ground stations are being installed at universities and hospitals in Cameroon, Malawi, Egypt and Niger. Many countries including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone and Tanzania will join the e-network project by the end of this year.