• AfDB approves $58 million for Eritrea solar mini-grid

• 34 MW plant to benefit 306,000 people

• Project part of 10 GW Desert to Power initiative

Eritrea is launching a 34-megawatt solar mini-grid project in the Gash Barka region to expand access to reliable electricity in southwestern Eritrea.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved $58 million in financing for the project on Feb. 18, including $37.3 million from the African Development Fund and $20.7 million from the Transition Support Facility.

The solar plant will supply power to Tesseney, Kerkebet and Barentu, as well as surrounding areas. The project also includes the construction and upgrading of 542 km of distribution lines to extend the grid. The AfDB estimates it will benefit about 306,000 people.

Improved electricity access is expected to support drinking water pumping, agricultural irrigation and small business development.

Electricity access remains a major constraint in Eritrea. According to World Bank data, about 54.4% of the population had access to electricity in 2023, compared with a global average of roughly 91%.

The project forms part of the AfDB’s Desert to Power initiative, launched in 2018 to develop 10 gigawatts of solar capacity and provide electricity to 250 million people in 11 countries across the broader Sahel region by 2030.

However, a 2023 analysis by the Energy for Growth Hub said achieving those targets will depend on regulatory reforms, mobilising private capital and ensuring viable business models in participating countries.

Abdel-Latif Boureima