• Ghana cites financing gaps slowing rural microgrid expansion

• About 3.5 million people lack reliable electricity access

• Government targets 10% non-hydro renewables by 2030

Limited financing is slowing the expansion of microgrids in rural Ghana, Energy and Green Transition Minister John Abdulai Jinapor said at a national forum in Accra, citing high costs and perceived risks that deter private investors.

“Financing remains a hurdle. High costs and risks deter private players,” Jinapor said at the National Forum on Microgrids and Minigrids for Off-Grid Electrification, according to local media outlets.About 3.5 million people, mainly in rural, island and lakeside communities, lack reliable electricity access, NewsGhana reported on Feb. 19, citing official figures.

National electricity access reached 89.03% in 2024, up from 88.75% in 2023, according to the government’s latest Annual Progress Report. The forum brought together regulators, private operators and development partners to discuss reforms and financing tools to accelerate deployment of decentralized systems.

Renewables push

Ghana has stepped up efforts to expand renewable energy. In November 2025, the Energy Commission convened more than 40 stakeholders in Accra to review licensing oversight and operating conditions for renewable energy firms, Ecofin Agency reported, citing official sources.

Renewables accounted for about 36% of electricity generation in 2022, largely driven by hydropower. Solar represented 4.77% of the power mix, according to official data. The government launched its National Energy Transition Plan in September 2023, covering the period from 2022 to 2070, which outlines a gradual increase in clean energy use.

In October 2025, Ghana News Agency reported the launch of a 200 million dollar programme to install around 4,000 rooftop solar systems with a combined capacity of 137 megawatts, aimed at easing pressure on the national grid.

The Energy Ministry is also implementing the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Programme, known as SREP, to electrify off-grid communities through decentralized solutions. Under national policy targets, authorities aim to raise the share of non-hydro renewables to 10% of the electricity mix by 2030.

Abdel-Latif Boureima