• EU pledges €1.16B to boost Africa’s energy transition
• Funds target electrification, grids, and renewable storage in 17 countries
• Disbursement pending; pledges part of Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative
  

In less than a month, the European Union (EU) has announced more than €1.16 billion in funding to support Africa’s energy transition and expand access to electricity. After pledging €545 million in late September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a second €618 million package at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on Thursday, October 9.

These back-to-back announcements underscore the EU’s commitment to building a long-term partnership with Africa centered on renewable energy.

The first package, unveiled at the Global Citizen Festival during the UN General Assembly, supports electrification and grid modernization projects in nine countries, from Madagascar to Somalia. Key initiatives include the “East Backbone” high-voltage line in Côte d’Ivoire, a rural electrification program in Cameroon, and support for Mozambique’s low-carbon transition.

The €618 million package extends support to eight additional countries, including Mauritania, Togo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya, focusing on regional interconnections, transmission corridors, and energy storage systems.

The funding is part of the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI), launched in 2022, and ties into the Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign co-led with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. It reflects an integrated approach combining rural electrification, transmission development, storage capacity, and national grid support to expand electricity access in a region that still accounts for 80% of the world’s unelectrified population.

For now, the announcements remain at the pledge stage. No disbursement timeline has been set, and implementation agreements must still be finalized with partner countries. If delivered, the funds could cement the EU’s position as a key player in Africa’s energy transition and in the global drive toward universal electricity access.

Abdoullah Diop