AfDB and Niger Sign $144.7M Agreement to Boost Energy Access and Private Sector Competitiveness
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and the Government of Niger have signed a $144.7 million financing agreement to enhance energy access, strengthen economic competitiveness, and improve resilience to shocks.
The agreement, signed at AfDB headquarters in Abidjan by AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah and Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Mahamane Zeine, provides budgetary support from the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional financing window. It will fund Phase 1 of the Energy Sector Governance and Competitiveness Support Programme (PAGSEC).
Prime Minister Zeine described the agreement as “very important for Niger,” emphasising that it will increase national electricity access from 22.5% to 30% by 2026 and raise the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP from 2.5% to 3.8%. A key component includes developing 240 MW of solar power by 2030, with 50 MW expected by December 2026.
The programme also prioritises social inclusion, with specialised support for women, youth, and over 507,000 internally displaced persons affected by security challenges in the Sahel region. It will strengthen public financial management, enhance tax revenue systems, promote public-private partnerships, and support the adoption of industrial and trade policies to boost Niger’s private sector.
Dr Ould Tah reaffirmed the Bank Group’s commitment to supporting regional member states, noting the programme will help Niger harness its renewable energy potential while building governance systems for inclusive and sustainable development.
With strategic investments like PAGSEC, the AfDB continues to advance Niger’s energy security, economic growth, and good governance, fostering long-term resilience and competitiveness.
