AFSEC to intensify efforts to promote quality standards for sustainable energy in Africa

The 9^th African Electro-Technical Standardization Commission (AFSEC) General Assembly meeting hosted by Rwanda from 3-5^th September 2024, concluded on intensifying efforts to promote quality standards for sustainable energy in Africa.

The African Standards and Certification for Energy (AFSEC) meeting brought together electricity quality experts from 18 AFSEC member states, to improve guidelines for quality standards in the energy sector across Africa.

During this meeting, various measures were taken including jointly intensifying efforts to promote standardization, the use of harmonized standards in the electrotechnical sector, supporting the growth of the industry and ensuring Africans have access to quality and safe products as highlighted Mr Murenzi Raymond, Director General of Rwanda Standards Board (RSB).

In order to attain some of those measures, conducting a campaign that will help the public identify standard to substandard materials, would be an asset as emphasized Mr Murenzi.

“We will campaign and work with the private sector in Rwanda to explain the instructions that have been given by different experts, from different countries in Africa.” He said.

“It is true that we sometimes see substandard materials on the market, especially cables, but what we are doing is encouraging people to know what the quality standards say? What is the legal status of the market? And this country has put in a lot of effort. Currently at RSB we have a laboratory that tests the quality of many of these materials, but having this laboratory is not enough. We also have border inspectors throughout the country and within the countries to ensure that materials on the market comply with standards.”

For those who don’t follow the standards, the law will be enforced and they will be removed from the market and their owners will be fined.

Mr Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, Director General in charge of Energy Directorate in the Rwanda Ministry of Infrastructure, reiterated the importance of electrotechnical standards in supporting energy production and rural electrification, distribution, not leaving out supporting in the manufacture of quality and compatible electrical and electronic products.

Mr Bernard Tawia Modey, President of AFSEC appreciated the participation of member countries in all activities of the Commission and reiterated their commitment to develop and harmonize continental electro-technical standards that contribute in the development of Africa.

One of the industrialists who use these quality guidelines on a daily basis, Baguma Reuben, who works at the Alfa Cables power cable factory, stressed that everything they do, follows the established guidelines.

“All of this helps us in our business and how we ship our products outside the country, because the first thing they ask us is if they respect the quality standards.” He explained, relating the importance of these regulations in their daily business.

The Ministry of Infrastructure shows that Rwanda is one of the fastest countries in providing electricity to the population, where it is at a rate of 80% in 2024, while in 2010 the population had electricity at a rate of 10%, and lower than 3% in 1994.

AFSEC (African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission) was established in 2008 and oversees electrical quality regulations, so that all products having anything to do with this level can be transported from one country to another safely.