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By Adewale Sanyaolu
Electrical faults have emerged as a leading cause of fires and industrial accidents across Africa, raising fresh concerns among safety experts and industry stakeholders.
The warning comes as AfriSAFE, in partnership with Ghana Electrical Contractors’ Association and Ghana Institute of Safety and Environmental Professionals, have finalised plans to host the 8th edition of the Africa Safety Congress and Awards in Accra.
The event, slated for November 5–6, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel, is expected to bring together regulators, safety professionals and industry leaders to address growing workplace risks, with electrical safety taking centre stage.
President of GECA, Awal Sakib Mohammed, said electrical-related incidents remain among the most frequent and severe emergencies in homes, workplaces and industrial facilities across the continent.
He noted that poor installations, aging infrastructure and weak compliance with safety standards continue to expose millions of people and critical assets to avoidable risks.
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“As electrical infrastructure expands to support Africa’s growth, strengthening safety practices is no longer optional but essential to protecting lives and ensuring sustainable development,” he said.
Industry observers say rapid urbanisation and increased energy demand have outpaced safety enforcement in many countries, worsening incidence of fire outbreaks linked to faulty wiring, overloaded systems and substandard materials.
Chief Executive Officer of AfriSAFE, Femi Da-silva, said the upcoming congress would provide a platform to push for stronger regulatory frameworks, improved professional standards and cross-border collaboration to tackle the challenge.
He added that the initiative aims to drive a proactive approach to risk prevention while strengthening institutional capacity across Africa’s safety ecosystem.
Also speaking, President of GhISEP, Miriam Eduful, said the gathering would align stakeholders on practical solutions to improve workplace safety systems and reduce preventable accidents.
