• The EU pledged €359.4m to build Côte d’Ivoire’s 400-kV Dorsale Est line, boosting capacity and regional power trade.
• The project is central to Côte d’Ivoire’s €4.5b energy pact, targeting universal electrification and renewable integration by 2030.
• It forms part of the EU’s wider Global Gateway, which funds clean energy projects from Cameroon to Somalia.

On 27 September 2025, the European Union announced a €359.4 million financial package to support the construction of the Dorsale Est, a 400-kV high-voltage transmission line in Côte d’Ivoire. The financing, delivered under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, will contribute to about 430 kilometers of double-circuit transmission line connecting Anyama near Abidjan to Ferkessédougou in the north, with associated substations and transformers.

Once operational, the project is expected to increase Côte d’Ivoire’s high-voltage transmission capacity by nearly 38 percent, from 2.5 GW to 3.5 GW, while reducing transmission losses in the West African Power Pool (WAPP) by 1.4 percent. It is also expected to secure export capacity of up to 0.9 TWh per year to Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Mali, reinforcing the country’s ambition to become a regional hub for electricity trade.

The Dorsale Est forms part of the Pacte National Énergie (2025–2030), Côte d’Ivoire’s national strategy to modernize its power sector. Presented in January 2025, the pact outlines €4.5 billion in investments, of which €2.6 billion are dedicated to transmission upgrades. Alongside the Dorsale Est, the plan includes reinforcements of the 225-kV network, the extension of over 9,000 kilometers of rural medium- and low-voltage lines, and the installation of new battery storage capacity. According to the government, these efforts are designed to achieve universal electrification by the end of 2025, while supporting the integration of more than 1 GW of new renewable capacity under development.

Côte d’Ivoire’s current grid underlines the urgency of these investments. As of 2023, the transmission system operated by CI-Énergies consisted of just over 1,000 kilometers of 400-kV lines, 3,450 kilometers at 225 kV, and 3,083 kilometers at 90 kV, with an average age of 11 to 26 years. Reliability indicators remain below regional averages, with consumers experiencing 19.5 hours of outages annually compared to a continental median of 14 hours. Financial results are also strained: despite generating USD 1.35 billion in revenue in 2023, the sector posted a net loss of nearly USD 50 million, with tariffs covering only 84 percent of costs and requiring heavy state subsidies. With demand rising by around eight percent each year, largely driven by industry and mining, the government has prioritized transmission expansion as a foundation for economic competitiveness.

The EU’s support to Côte d’Ivoire is part of a wider set of energy programs across Africa under the Global Gateway strategy. In Cameroon, €59.1 million has been allocated to rural electrification projects that will reach 687 communities and benefit more than 2.5 million people. In the Republic of Congo, €3.5 million is being directed to expand access to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower. In Lesotho, the Renewable Lesotho programme is supported with €25.9 million to unlock wind and hydro potential.

In Ghana, a €2 million envelope will prepare the ground for a large-scale solar park and strengthen prospects for regional power trade. In Central Africa, €3.3 million is dedicated to the Central African Power Pool, including technical assistance, infrastructure research funding, and a feasibility study for the cross-border “Friendship Loop” transmission line connecting Pointe-Noire, Brazzaville, and Kinshasa.

Other Global Gateway operations include €33.2 million for rural mini-grid electrification in Madagascar, €13 million for low-emission energy transition and private sector engagement in Mozambique, and €45.5 million in Somalia to expand renewable energy access, promote circular economy practices, and build resilience in agri-food systems.

By linking Côte d’Ivoire’s transmission project to this broader portfolio, the EU positions the Dorsale Est not as an isolated loan but as part of a continent-wide effort to strengthen clean energy access, regional integration, and economic resilience. For Côte d’Ivoire specifically, the success of this investment will depend on complementary financing from partners such as the African Development Bank, the West African Development Bank, and bilateral lenders. If delivered on schedule, the Dorsale Est will not only address immediate bottlenecks in the Ivorian grid but also underpin the country’s ambition to become West Africa’s electricity hub.

Idriss Linge