The World Bank has granted Rwanda a $50-million grant to improve access to off-grid electricity. The financing agreement was signed by Claver Gatete, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and Yasser El-Gammal, the representative of the financial institution in Rwanda.
The funding will be allocated through the Rwandese Development Bank (RDB) and will go to the Renewable Energy Fund.
It is envisaged that the funding will make it possible to strengthen collaboration between financial institutions and the private sector in order to facilitate the financing of mini-grid projects and to improve the supply of high-quality autonomous power systems using renewable energy.
More broadly, this funding should support the government’s efforts under its Large-Scale Renewable Energy Upgrading Program (SREP). Through this roadmap, the executive is aiming to extend access to electricity to 70% of the population by 2018. 22% of households will be offered sustainable off-grid solutions, mainly mini Networks and individual solar systems