Energy
Imbono and universities partner on African infrastructure resilience
A new three-year academic partnership aims to build a resilience framework for infrastructure across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Key points
- Imbono, University of Cape Town, and Abu Dhabi University form a three-year research partnership.
- The initiative addresses the US$10.2bn to US$11.4bn needed yearly to cover African infrastructure losses.
- Researchers plan to create a Unified Resilience Index and decision-support platform.
What happened
According to ESI Africa, operational platform Imbono has joined forces with the University of Cape Town and Abu Dhabi University for a three-year academic project. The collaboration focuses on creating a framework to evaluate and boost infrastructure resilience throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
The project addresses the estimated US$10.2 billion to US$11.4 billion required annually to recover from infrastructure losses across the continent. Meeting broader continental demand requires between US$181 billion and US$221 billion each year, against a backdrop where more than 600 million people lack electricity access and only about 27 percent of roads are paved.
Why it matters
The initiative will combine academic knowledge with practical operating experience to build a Unified Resilience Index and a decision-support platform. ESI Africa reported that these tools are designed to evaluate performance, pinpoint risks, and guide long-term investment choices across the energy, water, food, and social sectors.
Imbono CEO Marcus Weyll stated that the partnership unites academic insight with practical field experience to establish a reliable method for measuring durability. Kathy Michell, research director at the University of Cape Town, added that the project seeks to generate long-term solutions for chronic infrastructure challenges.
What comes next
The research methodology will account for varying economic and environmental conditions across the region. Additionally, the initiative supports capacity building by sponsoring two doctoral students whose studies align with the broader goals of the partnership.
Original reporting
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