Addis ababa: Ethiopia's growing role as a regional energy hub is highlighting the urgent need for stronger intra-African trade to accelerate industrial growth across the continent, Tanzania's Deputy Minister for Minerals, Stephen Kiruswa, told ENA. Ethiopia is increasingly emerging as a key player in East Africa's energy integration efforts.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, as one of the region's largest electricity producers generating most of its power from renewable sources, the country already exports electricity to Djibouti, Sudan, and Kenya, while advancing new transmission connections with Somalia and Tanzania. The cross-border energy projects align with the African Union's Agenda 2063, which envisions a continent-wide renewable energy network aimed at strengthening regional integration through shared infrastructure.
Approached by ENA on the sidelines of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Addis Ababa, Kiruswa praised Ethiopia's growing contribution to regional energy cooperation. 'Ethiopia is a major producer of electricity in the region,' Kiruswa said, noting that power generated in the country is already being shared through regional cooperation mechanisms. He stressed that improved energy access remains critical for industrial expansion and deeper economic collaboration across Africa.
According to the deputy minister, Ethiopia's progress offers a practical model of how regional integration can deliver concrete economic benefits by supporting manufacturing growth, attracting investment, and strengthening shared infrastructure. Kiruswa noted that Tanzania is also expanding regional energy connectivity through the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, which is expected to supply electricity to neighboring countries, including Zambia and Malawi.
'Some of the power from Ethiopia is coming through Tanzania. We are sharing through the power-sharing platform and that electricity is also being generated in Tanzania through one of the major dams,' he said. He emphasized that growing energy integration must be matched by stronger trade ties to unlock Africa's industrial potential and reduce dependence on external markets.
African countries are ramping up efforts to build regional value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to create a single market for goods and services while boosting trade among African nations. Kiruswa called for better utilization of regional economic blocs such as the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ease the movement of goods, services, and industrial inputs across borders.
He said stronger cooperation would help countries establish shared processing hubs, lower production costs, and build more resilient industrial supply chains. 'If we are manufacturing electric vehicle batteries in Tanzania, Ethiopia can buy them from us instead of importing from outside Africa,' Kiruswa said. 'Likewise, we can source what we need from our neighbors. That is how intra-African trade will prosper.'
He added that cross-border industrial specialization could strengthen regional value chains and accelerate industrialization across the continent. Kiruswa concluded that harmonized regulations, coordinated industrial planning, and stronger trade frameworks will be essential for African countries to fully benefit from their natural resources, expanding energy systems, and growing consumer markets. He said combining increased energy connectivity with stronger intra-African trade systems would provide a solid foundation for sustainable industrial growth and long-term economic transformation across Africa.