AfDB Approves $25.8m to Boost Guinea–Mali Power Interconnection Project

The additional funds will enable the installation of around 37,500 new electricity connections, significantly expanding access, particularly for underserved communities.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF) has approved additional financing of $25.79 million for Guinea to support the 225 kilovolt (kV) Guinea–Mali electricity interconnection project, a flagship regional energy initiative aimed at improving power access, reliability, and affordability in both countries.

The financing, approved in Abidjan on 10 December 2025, comes from the concessional window of the African Development Bank Group. It comprises an ADF loan of about $22 million and a grant of $3.79 million to Guinea. The additional resources will ensure the continued and timely implementation of a project that is critical to regional integration and socioeconomic development in West Africa.

The Guinea–Mali electricity interconnection project is designed to strengthen cross-border power trade, optimize the use of generation resources, and provide populations with access to high-quality, low-cost electricity. By linking national grids, the project will improve energy security, reduce supply disruptions, and support economic activity in both countries.

The newly approved financing builds on earlier ADF support of approximately $41 million approved in December 2017. With the additional funding, the total project cost in Guinea will increase from $346 million to $372 million. The project benefits from strong development partner coordination and is co-financed by the European Union, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). The revised implementation period is scheduled to run from January 2026 to December 2028.

The additional funds will enable the installation of around 37,500 new electricity connections, significantly expanding access, particularly for underserved communities. The project also includes the development of medium-voltage feeders at high-voltage/low-voltage (HV/LV) substations to support rural electrification efforts. In parallel, institutional support will be provided to key sector bodies, including Électricité de Guinée (EDG) and the Electricity and Water Regulatory Authority (AREE), to strengthen governance, regulation, and operational efficiency.

Financing will also cover the operating costs of the project’s Management Unit and the consulting engineer, ensuring effective oversight and quality implementation. These measures are expected to address long-standing challenges in Guinea’s power sector, including limited access and weak institutional capacity. As of 2024, national electricity access stood at about 52%, masking sharp disparities between urban areas, where access reached 89%, and rural areas, where it remained as low as 21%.

The project’s impact is expected to be broad-based and inclusive. Households will benefit from improved living conditions through reliable electricity supply, while essential social infrastructure—such as schools, health centres, artisanal workshops, and women’s groups—will gain dependable power to enhance service delivery and productivity. Productive users, including small businesses and agro-processing activities, will be able to expand operations, create jobs, and increase incomes.

By strengthening electricity access and sector governance, the Guinea–Mali interconnection project is expected to contribute to poverty reduction, employment generation, and social cohesion, while reinforcing regional cooperation and sustainable development in West Africa.