The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF) has approved additional financing of US$25.79 million for Guinea to support the 225-kilovolt Guinea–Mali electricity interconnection project, a major regional initiative aimed at expanding access to affordable and reliable energy.
The financing agreement was approved in Abidjan on December 10, 2025, and comprises a concessional loan of about US$22 million and a grant of US$3.79 million from the African Development Bank Group’s concessional window.
The additional funding will sustain ongoing implementation of the project, which was first approved in December 2017 with an initial ADF contribution of approximately US$41 million. With the new financing, the total project cost in Guinea will increase from US$346 million to US$372 million.
The Guinea–Mali interconnection project is co-financed by several development partners, including the European Union, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). The implementation period is scheduled to run from January 2026 to December 2028.
The new resources will enable the installation of 37,500 additional electricity connections, significantly expanding access to power, particularly in underserved communities. The project also includes the development of medium-voltage feeders at high- and low-voltage substations to support rural electrification.
In addition, the financing provides institutional support to key national agencies, notably Électricité de Guinée (EDG) and the Electricity and Water Regulatory Authority (AREE). It will also cover operational costs for the Project Management Unit and the consulting engineer, helping to strengthen sector governance and implementation capacity.
Improved electricity access remains a critical challenge in Guinea. As of 2024, national electricity access stood at 52 percent, with wide disparities between urban areas (89 percent) and rural communities (21 percent). The project is expected to help narrow this gap.
Beyond infrastructure development, the initiative is designed to deliver strong social and gender impacts. Improved power supply will benefit households, schools, health centres, artisanal workshops, and women’s groups, enabling safer living conditions and expanded economic activities. Productive users, including women-led enterprises, will gain access to reliable electricity to scale up operations, increase incomes, and create jobs.
By strengthening socio-economic infrastructure and supporting productive use of energy, the project is expected to boost employment, reduce poverty, and enhance social cohesion in both Guinea and Mali.
