• SENELEC to electrify 6,471 villages by 2029
• $724 million programme backed by World Bank support
• Senegal targets universal access, expanding gas and renewables

Senegal’s national power utility plans to connect 6,471 villages to electricity by 2029 under a 400 billion CFA franc ($724 million) programme.

Djiby Dieng, SENELEC’s director of infrastructure and equipment, announced the initiative after several villages in the Fatick and Kaolack regions were connected to the national grid. The World Bank has pledged support for the project, and Dieng said funding is expected to be secured soon.

“We hope financing will be finalised quickly so work can begin and we can achieve universal access to electricity,” he said.

Senegal has stepped up efforts in recent years to reach universal electricity access by 2029. On Feb. 4, four high-voltage substations were commissioned in Dakar, strengthening the capital’s power network.

According to the International Energy Agency’s Electricity 2026 report, released in February, Senegal is on track to meet its target under its “Energy Compact” plan, which requires annual access gains of 2.9%. That pace would allow the country to reach full coverage one year ahead of the 2030 deadline set under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7.

The IEA expects a marked shift in the power mix. Natural gas is projected to rise from less than 1% of electricity generation in 2025 to around 30% by 2030, reducing reliance on fuel oil-fired plants. Renewables are forecast to account for 22% of generation by 2030, up 10 percentage points from 2025.

As of 2024, about 84% of the population had access to electricity. Urban coverage is universal, while rural access stands at 66%.

Lydie Mobio