The European Union on May 19 launched a 15 million euro ($17 million) ElectriFI investment window for the Democratic Republic of Congo aimed at financing decentralized electricity projects, including mini-grids and solar home systems.
The initiative was unveiled in Kinshasa in the presence of Minister of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity Aimé Sakombi Molendo, representatives of the European Union, EDFI Management Company and Team Europe.
According to Congolese authorities, the funding is intended to accelerate financing for community-based energy projects with strong social impact. The program is expected to support mini-grids, solar home systems, independent power production projects and other decentralized energy solutions.
The targeted projects will focus primarily on areas considered strategic for economic development and regional integration, including the Lobito Corridor, the Kivu-Kinshasa green corridor and areas surrounding the Upemba and Virunga national parks.
“This 15 million euro allocation for the DRC is a strong signal,” Sakombi Molendo said, describing the initiative as a sign of growing confidence in reforms undertaken in Congo’s energy sector.
ElectriFI is an EU-funded investment facility designed to support small-scale or early-stage energy projects in emerging markets, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The mechanism aims to expand access to electricity from sustainable energy sources while attracting private capital to markets considered underfinanced or higher risk.
The facility is managed by Dutch development bank FMO and EDFI Management Company, which brings together several European development finance institutions. Its financing model combines higher-risk investments with technical assistance to support projects that often cannot secure conventional financing.
According to European Commission data, ElectriFI totals 254 million euros, including more than 236 million euros financed by the European Union. The ElectriFI Global program, launched in 2016, has mobilized nearly 126 million euros alongside several international partners, including under the Power Africa initiative.
Before the DRC, several African countries had already benefited from similar investment windows supporting rural electrification and decentralized energy projects.
ElectriFI’s launch comes as the Congolese government seeks to accelerate electrification in rural areas and strategic economic corridors. Kinshasa is increasingly turning to decentralized energy solutions to support mining, industrial, agricultural and logistics activities in regions with limited access to the national grid.
In a country where energy shortages remain one of the main barriers to economic development, authorities are also seeking to attract more private investment into electricity infrastructure, as financing needs in the sector remain substantial.
Boaz Kabeya
