Rwanda eyes US$5 billion ASCENT programme for its 2030 electricity access goal

Rwanda is among the countries eligible for the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) initiative, a US$5 billion programme for electricity access in Eastern and Southern Africa, officials said at a regional workshop in Kigali on 3 November 2026, The New Times reported.

ASCENT runs until 2030 and aims to bring electricity to 100 million people and clean cooking to 20 million in more than 20 countries, while mobilising a further US$10 billion of public and private investment over seven years. It brings together the World Bank Group, COMESA, governments, utilities and private companies. Private firms in distributed renewable energy and clean cooking can seek finance through the ASCENT Regional Energy Access Financing Platform run by the Trade and Development Bank.

Rwanda has designed a US$400 million ASCENT project to expand modern energy for households, businesses and public institutions and improve the efficiency of electricity services. Bernard Dzawanda, director of infrastructure and logistics at COMESA, said the organisation is ready to help Rwanda identify further projects. COMESA also runs a US$50 million facility to prepare investment-ready energy projects.

The country's universal access target for 2030 is backed by a costed US$3 billion investment plan, including US$1 billion from the private sector. The plan would raise installed generation capacity from 466 MW to 1,066 MW and lift the renewable share of the energy mix to 60%. Jovine Nsekanabanga of Energy Development Corporation Limited said better data and aligned national plans are needed to guide investors.

For off-grid solar and clean-cooking companies, the financing platform is a possible source of funding for expansion in Rwanda.