Côte d’Ivoire accelerates energy pact with new governance launch

The National Energy Pact Steering Committee convened its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the SCIAM building in Abidjan. The session was led by Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, Minister of Planning and Development, alongside key officials including the Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Mamadou SANGAFOWA-COULIBALY, the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Budget, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, and the Technical Advisor to the President’s Cabinet Director. The gathering focused on reinforcing the National Energy Committee’s operational framework and aligning its commitments with the Pact’s strategic goals.

The Committee reviewed progress reports and greenlit a roundtable initiative aimed at mobilizing additional resources for priority projects.

The National Energy Pact is part of the Mission 300 initiative—a collaborative effort between the World Bank and the African Development Bank to bring electricity to 300 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Côte d’Ivoire formally adopted its Energy Pact in January 2025, presented by Prime Minister Robert Beugré MAMBÉ at the Dar es Salaam Energy Summit. The country was selected as a model nation by Mission 300 partners. To date, 29 African countries have established national energy pacts. Côte d’Ivoire’s implementation plan is valued at 6.56 billion dollars, approximately 3,980 billion West African CFA francs for the 2025–2030 period, with 1,177 billion CFA francs expected from private investments.

The governance structure includes a steering committee, a technical committee, and a coordination unit dedicated to the National Energy Pact.

During the opening remarks, the Minister of Planning and Development outlined four core objectives of the Pact: universal electricity access, clean cooking solutions for households, a 45% share of renewable energy in the national energy mix, and the financial sustainability of the energy sector. He emphasized the alignment of the Pact with the National Development Plan—the government’s primary policy framework—and the United Nations’ seventh Sustainable Development Goal, underscoring energy’s pivotal role in the country’s economic and social advancement.

The progress report presented to the Committee highlighted strong momentum toward the 2030 targets. In 2025 alone, Côte d’Ivoire connected 684,735 households to the grid, benefiting nearly 3.6 million people and surpassing its annual target by 105.3%. Since 2024, the nation has extended electricity access to 7.7 million citizens, with an ultimate goal of reaching 17 million by 2030. The national electrification rate now stands at 81.1%.

Structural reforms continue to align with these achievements.

The investment portfolio presented to the Committee for the 2026–2030 period includes priority projects totaling nearly 2,840 billion West African CFA francs, currently under active financing negotiations.

The Committee established new deadlines for outstanding actions and will monitor their strict adherence.

This implementation strategy benefits from the country’s established regional integration. Côte d’Ivoire boasts one of West Africa’s most robust electricity systems and has long played a central role in cross-border energy exchanges. The projects outlined in the Pact will further strengthen this position, contributing to the development of a unified West African electricity market.