This is the second phase of a program designed to support electricity development projects. It consists of a $200 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and $100 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The investment builds on the first phase of the project, which transformed the lives of more than two million people and contributed to job creation in the energy sector.

During the first phase, electricity was extended to 370,000 households through off-grid solutions, while 460,000 households were provided with clean cooking technologies.

The Director General of Energy at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, said the new phase aims to build on these achievements by accelerating electricity access, improving the reliability of service delivery, and creating broader economic benefits for households, businesses, and other users of electricity.

“This second phase will help us speed up electricity distribution, improve service reliability, and bring positive change to families, businesses, and others who depend on electricity,” he said.

The project will also upgrade four small power substations and construct a 3,855 km medium-voltage electricity distribution network.

It is expected to connect 200,000 households and 850 businesses to the main electricity grid, while an additional 50,000 households will receive off-grid electricity solutions.

In addition, the project will provide clean cooking solutions to 100,000 households and 310 public institutions, and install street lighting along 200 km of roads in different urban areas.

The expansion of electricity infrastructure is expected to reduce the cost of doing business, especially for small and medium enterprises, particularly in rural areas, while also improving the efficiency of public service delivery.

The AfDB Group’s Country Manager in Rwanda, Aissa Toure Sarr, described the second phase as a transformative investment that will accelerate Rwanda’s goal of achieving universal electricity access.

She added, “Through our partnership with AIIB and the Government of Rwanda, we are implementing a results-oriented collaboration that promotes accountability, efficiency, and tangible benefits for citizens.”

Rwanda aims to achieve 100% electricity access by 2030.

By December 2025, electricity access in Rwanda had reached 85.4% of households, up from 64.53% in the 2020/2021 fiscal year.