GERMP Gender Program (Trainees and NAWEC Supervisors). Credit – State of Mic Multimedia, The Gambia.
Results Highlights
The World Bank has supported the construction of two solar parks with a total capacity of 48 megawatt peak (MWp): 25 MWp with a 30 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Central African Republic and 23 MWp with an 8 MWh BESS in The Gambia.
Together, the two facilities provide new or improved electricity to 500,000 people.
Electricity produced from the solar park has reduced the Central African Republic’s dependence on diesel generation by 90 percent.
Combined, both projects are on track to reduce one million tons of CO2 (tCO2) over the 20-year lifespan of the solar plants (equivalent to emissions from over 200,000 average passenger cars driving 11,500 miles per year).
Through these projects, domestic generation capacity increased by 40 percent in the Central African Republic and 20 percent in The Gambia, contributing significantly to energy security.
In a significant stride toward bolstering the energy sector in Western and Central Africa, the Emergency Electricity Supply and Access Project (PURACEL) in the Central African Republic and The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP) in The Gambia have increased power supply capacity in these countries by 40 percent and 20 percent, respectively. With a combined $149 million investment, these projects benefit over 80,000 households (about 500,000 people) between the two of them and have improved electricity services for small and medium businesses since commissioning in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Challenge
Lack of institutional capacity and inadequate investment are the biggest development challenges in the energy sectors of the Central African Republic and The Gambia. The high cost of electricity generation, combined with the inefficiencies of the power utilities, has resulted in financially weak sectors that cannot sustain development. In the Central African Republic, electricity infrastructure has failed to keep pace with growing demand and has become dilapidated due to a lack of investment in the context of political instability and insecurity from the 1990s to 2016. Electricity tariffs have remained unchanged for over three decades, despite rising generation costs. Coupled with high technical and commercial losses, this has led to a system with poor supply security and low access. The Gambia has long relied on thermal sources for power generation, using a combination of domestic thermal power plants and rental power ships (floating power plants that can be rented temporarily to provide emergency power supply). This reliance has led to prolonged energy supply deficits and severely weakened utility balance sheets. Consequently, end-user tariffs have created significant drains on economic activity, employment outcomes, and fiscal imbalances due to extensive government bailouts.
Approach
The World Bank’s global energy program focuses on the transition to clean, affordable energy, efficiency, and improved access, particularly in resource-constrained countries like the Central African Republic and The Gambia. Developing affordable and climate-resilient energy solutions is imperative. The World Bank’s strategy in these countries includes detailed power sector planning as a key tool for transforming the sector. Additionally, the World Bank’s programmatic approach aims to accelerate reforms by promoting private sector participation to create sustainable energy solutions.
The World Bank’s approach to revitalizing the energy sector in the Central African Republic and The Gambia focuses on building essential new infrastructure throughout the energy supply process. This includes creating solar parks, upgrading transmission and distribution infrastructure, and providing technical support. Special attention was given to involving women in technical positions, which has led to better sector outcomes and the creation of more jobs.
In the Central African Republic, the World Bank has implemented the Water and Electricity Upgrading Project (PASEEL) since 2018, and the Emergency Electricity Supply and Access Project (PURACEL) since 2019. These projects have supported the construction of photovoltaic (PV) solar plus battery energy storage system (BESS) mini-grids and distribution systems for two major provincial cities, Bambari and Berberati, as well as the construction of a 25 MWp solar PV plant with battery storage in the capital, Bangui. Both projects have also supported major sector reforms, such as the installation of prepaid meters for all non-essential public facilities and the revamping of commercial systems at the national utility ENERCA to improve its operational performance.
In The Gambia, renewable generation facilities through The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP) have increased the infrastructure footprint, contributing to decreasing the cost of electricity production and increased access to electricity due to expanded generation. These interventions aim to improve the sustainability of national utilities.
225kV GERMP Financed Jabang Substation – State of Mic Multimedia.
Results: Year Launched – Year Closed
The World Bank’s combined energy portfolio in the Central African Republic and The Gambia represents total investments of over $400 million across two regional and four national projects. The portfolio covers the entire value chain, from clean energy generation (such as solar parks) to transmission investments and distribution through new access projects. In both the Central African Republic and The Gambia, the solar parks are contributing to improved electricity access for people, while also reducing emissions. Taken together, the facilities provide new or improved electricity to 500,000 people (300,000 in the Central African Republic, equivalent to 5 percent of the population; 200,000 in The Gambia, equivalent to 8 percent of the population). Combined, both projects are on track to reduce one million tons of CO2 (tCO2) over the 20-year lifespan of the solar plants (equivalent to emissions from over 200,000 average passenger cars driving 11,500 miles per year).
In the Central African Republic, electricity produced from the solar park has reduced the country’s dependence on diesel generation as a supplementary source of generation by 90 percent. Blackouts due to the unavailability of generation have been significantly reduced, and residents in the capital now have a reliable power supply. In provincial towns, power systems destroyed years ago are being reconstructed.
In The Gambia, under the Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization project (GERMP), investments have been anchored on multi-year least-cost power development plans. These plans detail an approach toward sustainability across the sector and highlight the benefits of decarbonizing the energy sector. In parallel, projects supporting regional integration (the Gambia River Basin Development Organization Interconnection) have reduced generation costs by 25 percent, compared to rental power ships and domestic generation. These investments have decreased the national utilities’ reliance on volatile oil prices and increased the share of clean energy in the production mix from 0 percent in 2018 to 6 percent.
As a gender-focused project, the GERMP has further advanced gender outcomes in the energy sector. Over 100 women have benefited from scholarships, internships, and training opportunities provided by the project. These interventions have allowed for increased employment opportunities for these beneficiaries, particularly in renewable energy-related roles across the public and private sector in The Gambia.
Both countries have seen tangible improvements in service delivery. They can now reasonably meet demand through increased generation capacities from new power sources and have reduced system-wide blackouts due to unavailable generation. This progress has encouraged the two countries to accelerate renewable energy projects by introducing private sector participation, making solar parks for domestic use and electricity exports a reality. Over 150 jobs at different levels were created during the construction phase of both projects, with national utility staff exposed to large-scale solar installations for the first time. But even more importantly, this has created necessary technical expertise in the solar energy space as well as enhanced project management skills for the countries.
Beneficiary Quotes
Danzi is only the beginning of our march towards universal access to clean, quality energy for all Central Africans, promoting economic recovery and contributing to the sustainable development of the country. This transformative project impacts all aspects of people's lives, from powering homes to lighting schools and hospitals, as well as providing refrigeration and supporting small businesses and large industries.
Faustin-Archange Touadera,
President of the Central African Republic
As this is a utility-scale solar PV plant, we have designed it to significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuel for electricity generation. Similarly, the project aims to accelerate our progress towards generating 50 percent of the nation’s power supply from renewable energy sources by 2030. This is our national target, and the message is clear: as a responsible member of the international community, The Gambia is committed to the global energy transition.
Adama Barrow,
President of The Gambia
Data Highlights
The Gambian Energy Mix in 2024 following commissioning of the solar plant detailing evolution from a purely thermal based utility to the introduction of renewable energy via the Jambur Solar PV Plant in March 2024. (Source, NAWEC).
Energy evacuated from Danzi PV solar with BESS facility in Central African Republic into the national grid and distributed locally. (Source: Danzi Production report by ENERCA)
Aerial View of 23MWp Jambur Solar Park – State of Mic Multimedia.
Collaboration across the World Bank Group
In the Central African Republic, under the Electricity Sector Strengthening and Access Project (PARSE), $113 million, approved in June 2022, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are facilitating a 15 MWp expansion of the 25 MWp Danzi Solar Power Plant. The plant was commissioned in November 2023, and the expansion is being pursued through a private sector partnership.
World Bank Group Contribution
The World Bank’s financing for the energy portfolio in the Central African Republic is about $200 million, of which $110 million is focused on generation and grid investments, $50 million on off-grid investments, and $40 million on reforms and performance improvement of the national utility, ENERCA.
The World Bank has invested over $200 million in The Gambia’s energy sector. These investments have covered the entire value chain through interventions in generation (solar), transmission and distribution upgrades, and a robust utility reform agenda to improve efficiency and responsiveness.
Partnerships
The World Bank has collaborated effectively with development partners in executing ongoing projects in The Gambia. GERMP is co-financed by the European Union and the European Investment Bank, scaling up resources and fostering positive collaboration. The depth of interventions in the energy sector from the World Bank and co-financing partners has facilitated substantial transformation in very fragile markets.
Looking Ahead
In the Central African Republic, the World Bank’s approach entails the expansion of the 25 MWp Danzi solar facility to increase the capacity to 40 MWp, the construction of 5 new PV solar mini-grids and off-grid solar solutions, the reinforcement of transmission and distribution infrastructure and targeting over a million people with new electricity services by the end of calendar year 2027.
Aerial view of the Danzi PV solar and BESS facility.
In The Gambia, the World Bank is preparing two energy sector projects to support the reform agenda and align with the long-term roadmap of the Gambian energy sector. Key issues addressed by these operations include helping The Gambia to achieve universal access ahead of the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 7 target, further strengthening transmission infrastructure to incorporate new connections, and enhancing the resilience of the network in urban areas. Additionally, the World Bank, through the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), is supporting the development of a 50 MWp solar park with a 10 MW/40 MWh battery energy storage system. The initiative aims to integrate large-scale private sector investments in the sector and enhance domestic generation capacity.
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