The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Government of Eritrea have formalized a $19.5 million grant agreement to launch the Desert to Power Eritrea 12 MW Mini-Grid Project.
The planned project will enhance renewable energy availability for the Gash Barka region towns of Teseney (6 MW), Kerekebet (3 MW), and Barentu (3 MW).
A signing ceremony for the project took place on March 10, 2025.
Dr. Ghiorghish Teklemichae the Minister of Finance and National Development of Eritrea and Dr. Léandre Bassole the Deputy Director General for East Africa of the AfDB jointly officiated.
Using funds from the Transitional Support Facility of AfDB this project will deliver enhanced electricity services to 235,000 people.
The program targets residential families together with small-scale agricultural operations and agricultural processing areas and water distribution facilities.
Over 160 schools together with 90 health centers based in Gash Barka region will receive benefits from the project.
The project will be implemented by Eritrea’s Ministry of Energy and the Eritrea Electricity Corporation and local enterprises.
However, this will be under leadership from a dedicated design and engineering technical consulting firm.
The sustainable development and local technical skills expansion will be achieved through equipment provision and training 25 local businesses.
The project fulfills Eritrea’s 2018 National Energy Policy directives to boost power supply rates.
It will also achieve 20% renewable energy in electric power production by 2030.
Through its support of AfDB’s Interim Country Strategy Paper 2022-2024 for Eritrea the initiative focuses on developing quality sustainable infrastructure.
This will enhance agricultural value chains to achieve economic diversification and structural transformation.
AfDB leads the Desert to Power initiative which targets the solar energy resources of Africa to supply 250 million people of Sahel with power.
Hence, this will boost both economic growth and standard of living in the region.
Through its delivery of renewable energy solutions via the Desert to Power Eritrea 12 MW Mini-Grid Project the region of Gash Barka will experience economic transformation and environmental improvements.
It will also increase employment while empowering women.
