Senegal’s Grid Expansion Push

Senegal continues to position itself as one of West Africa’s most structured renewable energy markets, supported by its Just Energy Transition Partnership, which has mobilized up to €2.5 billion toward a 40% renewable electricity target by 2030.

Within this framework, projects such as the NEA Kolda solar-plus-storage facility – developed by Axian Energy, Voltalia and Entech – combine 60 MWp of solar with 72 MWh of storage, highlighting the country’s shift toward hybrid, dispatchable renewables. The project is part of a broader push to strengthen grid reliability while scaling renewable penetration.

Longer-term upside is anchored in Senegal’s estimated 45 GW offshore wind potential, which positions the country for future utility-scale offshore development once transmission and regulatory frameworks mature. Combined with relatively stable macroeconomic conditions and active DFI participation, Senegal offers investors a comparatively lower-risk entry point into West African renewables.

DRC’s Distributed Energy Scale-Up

The DRC represents one of Africa’s largest untapped energy access markets, with a structural deficit that continues to constrain industrial and household demand. New investment frameworks are emerging to address this gap at scale.

The Moyi Power Metro-Grids initiative, led by Gridworks and Eranove, targets $340 million in investment to deploy distributed solar systems across cities including Bumba, Isiro and Gemena. Alongside this, the government-backed Mwinda Fund is mobilizing $500 million for solar home systems, mini-grids and clean cooking solutions, creating structured entry points for private participation through public tender processes.

At a larger scale, Sun Africa’s proposed 4,000 MW Energy for Prosperity program signals long-term ambitions to integrate solar, hydropower and storage into a national electrification strategy. While still in early structuring phases, the DRC’s 70 GW solar potential and rapidly expanding mining sector provide strong underlying demand fundamentals for future IPPs and hybrid power systems.

Djibouti’s Geothermal Frontier

Djibouti has already achieved one of Africa’s highest renewable penetration rates, with roughly 80% of electricity supplied by renewables, primarily wind and imported hydropower. The next phase of growth is centered on scaling domestic generation capacity and industrial power supply.

AMEA Power’s 25 MW Grand Bara solar-plus-storage project is nearing commissioning, while a planned 100 MW solar development at the Doraleh Port highlights the country’s focus on industrial-linked renewable infrastructure.

The most significant long-term opportunity lies in geothermal energy. Early exploration at Lake Assal has confirmed viable steam resources, with development potential estimated at 20–50 MW initially. However, commercialization frameworks remain under development, leaving early-stage equity and IPP participation open to investors.

Zambia’s Solar-Led Transition

Zambia’s energy system has been severely impacted by climate-related hydropower volatility, with recent droughts cutting generation capacity from 3,777 MW to just over 1,000 MW. This has accelerated an urgent pivot toward solar deployment.

The government has fast-tracked approvals for new solar projects, including a presidential directive reducing permitting timelines to as little as 48 hours for priority projects. The GETFiT program has already delivered 332 MW across multiple signed PPAs, while projects such as the 100 MW Chirundu Solar Plant and the 118 MW Goldenray Energy development are expanding the pipeline toward utility-scale capacity.

Additional support from the African Development Bank and carbon-linked financing mechanisms is further strengthening bankability, with structured offtake agreements and long-term PPAs creating a clearer investment environment for independent power producers.

Guinea-Conakry’s Regional Hydro Hub

Guinea-Conakry’s renewable strategy is anchored in its vast hydropower potential, particularly the 294 MW Koukoutamba project, developed under the Senegal River Basin Development Authority. With multi-country offtake potential across Guinea, Senegal, Mali and The Gambia, the project represents a rare regional infrastructure asset with embedded cross-border demand.

In parallel, the government has committed to 500 MW of solar development, supported by a newly launched National Energy Pact under the World Bank and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative. The framework aims to expand electricity access to nearly 9 million additional people by 2030 while increasing the renewable share of the energy mix to 67%.

Financing for interconnection infrastructure, including the Guinea–Mali transmission line, further enhances the investment case by linking domestic generation to regional power markets.

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