Addis Ababa, October 20, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s vast renewable energy resources offer opportunities to deepen African cooperation in agricultural modernization, regional electricity trade and clean transport, with representatives from Uganda and Nigeria highlighting areas where joint investment and technical partnerships could accelerate the continent’s energy transition.
Paddy Bakengana, Senior Programs Associate at the Uganda Solar Energy Association, said Ethiopia and Uganda could expand the use of renewable energy technologies in agriculture to raise productivity, improve efficiency and reduce post-harvest losses.
“By the use of renewable energy, by the use of the solar water pumps, the solar dryers, we can actually increase our production,” he said.
Bakengana explained that solar-powered irrigation and drying technologies could help farmers increase output and preserve agricultural produce, while cooperation between the two countries could support the adoption of practical, affordable solutions.
He also pointed to Ethiopia’s hydropower and solar resources as potential drivers of expanded cross-border electricity trade, creating opportunities to strengthen regional energy markets and improve access to power.
Partnerships between renewable energy associations in Ethiopia and Uganda could further promote technical training, knowledge exchange and joint policy advocacy to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technologies, he said.
Bakengana also stressed the importance of expanding access to financing so that businesses and farmers can invest in renewable energy solutions and apply them at a wider scale.
Meanwhile, Motunrayo Akinfala, Chief Executive Officer of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), identified electric mobility as another promising area for cooperation among Ethiopia, Nigeria and other African countries.
She called for stronger partnerships to facilitate the exchange of expertise, attract investment and expand the deployment of clean energy technologies across the continent.
“What I would advise, suggest, is more collaboration between both countries, and even across African countries as a whole,” Akinfala said.
She also emphasized the need to attract investors and development partners to support Ethiopia’s renewable energy development and broaden access to clean energy solutions, as reported by local newswire service ENA.
The perspectives shared by the Ugandan and Nigerian representatives point to opportunities for African countries to combine their renewable resources, technical expertise and investment capacity to advance agricultural transformation, expand electricity markets and accelerate the shift toward cleaner transport.
For Ethiopia, cooperation in these areas could help extend the benefits of its renewable energy resources beyond domestic electricity generation, while contributing to wider regional integration and Africa’s sustainable development ambitions.