The African Development Bank has approved two major financing packages totaling $445 million to accelerate energy access across West Africa, marking a significant boost for the region’s power sector development.
Mauritania secured the larger share with a $300 million facility awarded to Iwa Green Energy under the Desert to Power initiative. The funding will support development of a 60 MW solar-wind hybrid project designed to expand the country’s current generation capacity of approximately 450 MW. The project aligns with Mauritania’s ambitious goal of achieving universal energy access and a 70% renewable energy share by 2030.
Mohamed Ould Khaled, Mauritania’s Minister of Energy, emphasized that the financing will enable the country to boost generation capacity without increasing public debt, a crucial consideration for the nation’s fiscal health.
Meanwhile, Niger received a $144.7 million package to implement the first phase of its Energy Sector Governance and Competitiveness Support Program. The initiative targets deployment of 240 MW of solar capacity by 2030, with 50 MW expected online by December 2026.
Niger’s program aims to raise the country’s electricity access rate from 22.5% to 30% by 2026 through mini-grid expansion and increased private sector participation. Beyond household electrification, the program is expected to stimulate industrial growth, boosting the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP from 2.5% to 3.8%.
Both projects represent critical steps in addressing West Africa’s persistent energy access challenges while supporting economic diversification and industrial development.
Source: energycapitalpower.com