NEWS

On 15 May 2026 in Abidjan, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved €103.14 million in financing for Côte d'Ivoire to extend electricity access to more than 100,000 households and improve service delivery across 18 regions of the country.

 The second phase of the Project to Strengthen Electrical System Infrastructure and Electricity Access (PROSER II) has a total cost of €234.56 million.  The Islamic Development Bank will co-finance the project with €83.96 million, alongside €47.46 million from the government of Côte d'Ivoire.

The project will enable the electrification of 244 rural localities, spread across 18 regions of Côte d'Ivoire. It will also extend, strengthen and rehabilitate electricity distribution networks in Greater Abidjan, parts of the country's interior, and 12 departmental capitals. It is targeting the connection of more than 107,000 households to the national electricity grid and the installation of 74,010 more efficient and durable LED-type public lighting fixtures, contributing to enhanced public safety, energy efficiency, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"The approval of PROSER II marks an important milestone in strengthening the Ivorian electrical system. The project will extend people's access to reliable, higher-quality electricity, while supporting local economic development and improving the living conditions of the beneficiaries," said Lamin Barrow, Director General of the African Development Bank Group for West Africa.

The project supports Côte d'Ivoire's ambition to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, with a particular focus on rural areas, underserved communities, and rapidly growing urban centres.

It is aligned with the country’s National Development Plan (2026–2030) and the National Energy Compact (2025–2030). It also responds to the strategic priorities of the African Development Bank Group, notably the Country Strategy Paper 2023–2028 for Côte d'Ivoire, the Bank Group’s Ten-Year Strategy 2024–2033, and its Four Cardinal Points (CP), in particular CP4, which aims to build climate-resilient infrastructure and enhance value addition.

Beyond infrastructure, the project incorporates significant social and institutional components. It includes targeted actions on youth employability and the economic empowerment of women in the targeted areas, as well as strengthening the planning, implementation, and monitoring capacity of electricity-sector institutions.

 Phase one of PROSER was approved in March 2020 and is currently nearing completion.  The African Development Bank provided €62.35 million in financing, or 40% of the total cost for the phase of €156.03 million. It enabled the electrification of 1,509 localities (109% of the initial target), the construction of 9,838 kilometres of medium- and low-voltage (MV/LV) distribution power lines, and the creation of 1,527 MV/LV transformer substations.