LAGOS, Aug 12 – The Central African Republic has inaugurated a 50-megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant near the capital, Bangui, in a project expected to increase the country’s electricity generation by more than 60%.
The facility, developed by Abu Dhabi-based Global South Utilities (GSU), includes 15 megawatt-hours of battery storage and is expected to supply electricity to more than 300,000 households. The plant is located approximately 10 kilometres from Bangui and was completed in 10 months, according to GSU.
The project is intended to strengthen electricity supply in a country where access to power remains among the lowest in Africa. World Bank data show that only 18.2% of the Central African Republic’s population had access to electricity in 2024, highlighting the scale of the infrastructure gap facing the country.
The project was supported by concessional financing from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. GSU Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ali Alshimmari said the financing was instrumental in delivering the facility.
The inclusion of battery storage is significant for the reliability of the solar installation, allowing electricity generated during periods of strong solar output to be stored and deployed when demand rises or solar generation falls.
The new facility adds to GSU’s growing renewable energy portfolio in Central Africa. The company has previously developed a 50-megawatt solar power plant in neighbouring Chad, extending its involvement in efforts to expand electricity generation through renewable sources across the region.
The Central African Republic has faced persistent electricity shortages that have constrained households, businesses and industrial activity. The government has increasingly sought external investment and partnerships to address the country’s energy deficit.
Energy security has also featured in the country’s diplomatic engagement with Russia. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for assistance in addressing the Central African Republic’s energy challenges during a meeting between the two leaders in March.
The commissioning of the solar plant therefore represents a significant addition to the country’s electricity infrastructure, while highlighting the role of international development finance and private investment in addressing Africa’s persistent energy-access gap.
