Accelerating electrification in underserved rural and remote areas across Benin, Central African Republic, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
WASHINGTON, June 22, 2026 - The World Bank Group today approved a $200 million financing package to help expand access to reliable, affordable, and clean electricity across Benin, the Central African Republic, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, as part of the first phase of the broader $853 million Regional Program for Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Solutions (Regional DARES). The operation will accelerate electrification through distributed renewable energy solutions -such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and other off-grid technologies- targeting underserved rural and remote communities across the four countries.
"Expanding access to reliable renewable energy is essential for job creation and economic transformation across West and Central Africa," said Franz R. Drees-Gross, World Bank Regional Director for Infrastructure. "By bringing electricity to households, businesses, farms, and public institutions, this program will unlock new livelihood opportunities, support entrepreneurs, and enable communities to move from subsistence to more productive economic activities."
West and Central Africa faces one of the world's largest electricity access gaps, with nearly half of the population still lacking access to electricity, most of them in rural and fragile contexts. Traditional grid expansion alone has proven too slow and costly to reach remote communities, while distributed renewable energy markets remain underdeveloped due to high upfront costs, weak institutional capacity, and limited private investment. Addressing these challenges requires scalable, cost-effective solutions that can rapidly extend access, strengthen resilience, and unlock productivity and jobs across underserved areas.
Regional DARES will generate jobs across the energy value chain, from installation and maintenance to local supply chains and productive uses in agriculture and small enterprises. By expanding access to electricity, the program will catalyze new income-generating activities, boost productivity, and broaden opportunities for youth and women. It will also strengthen resilience to climate shocks while supporting inclusive growth. In parallel, the program will expand electricity access for households, businesses, and public institutions, including schools and health centers, improving service delivery and human development outcomes. By promoting the productive use of energy, it will enable farmers, cooperatives, and small businesses to increase output, reduce losses, and create higher-value jobs.
The new initiative introduces an innovative regional platform that aggregates demand across countries and leverages private sector participation through results-based financing. In this first phase, the program will mobilize significant private investment, helping scale up deployment and accelerate impact across the region.
"Regional approaches are critical to unlocking scale and impact," said Nathan Belete, World Bank Director for Africa Regional Programs. "By creating a unified regional market for distributed renewable energy, this program will attract private investment, accelerate electrification, and strengthen regional integration, while delivering jobs and economic opportunities across participating countries."
Over time, the broader program will expand access to clean energy for millions, scale up renewable generation capacity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions-supporting both climate resilience and the transition to low‑carbon development. By doing so, it contributes to Mission 300, a joint initiative by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030.
