DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
POWER AFRICA FACT SHEET
Power Africa has supported the development of electricity generation projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In addition, various firms have received U.S. Embassy support to move transactions forward. The page below shows Power Africa's involvement in the country.
POWER AFRICA SUCCESS STORIES IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPLUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Modern Healthcare Starts with Electricity
Reliable electricity is the backbone of modern healthcare, but in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), energy shortages are limiting access to life-saving equipment like oxygen concentrators.
Power Africa and our partners at the University of California Berkeley and the Research Center for Humanitarian Aid are working to address health inequities in the DRC with cutting-edge research, strong local partnerships, and a commitment to decentralized renewable energy solutions.
Homegrown Electrification Solutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Since 2013, Altech, a Congolese-owned solar home system company, has been lighting homes in some of the remotest parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Power Africa’s engagement with Altech began in 2015 when the company received a seed grant from Power Africa’s U.S. government interagency partner, the U.S. African Development Foundation.
Since then, Power Africa has provided technical assistance, including tailored gender inclusivity support, financial management coaching, and support to launch Altech’s carbon-credit strategy. Power Africa’s support also helped Altech secure funding through the SIMA Angaza Distributor Finance Fund, a data-driven investment fund providing access to debt capital for last-mile distributors.
Leaving No One Behind: DRC’s Rural Electrification Agency Commits to Gender Equality
ANSER
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) tasked its National Rural and Peri-urban Electrification and Energy Services Agency (ANSER) to meet the ambitious goal of connecting an additional 15 million people to electricity by 2025.
Power Africa assistance, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), helped ANSER develop a gender strategy to deliver equal benefits of electrification for the women and men of these communities. USAID’s Power Africa Off-grid Project collaborated with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) to carry out this work.
Turning lights on in remote DRC: How Power Africa and PAYGO financing are changing lives in underserved communities
In 2020, Power Africa awarded Bboxx with a grant to introduce pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) solar energy solutions to DRC’s Ituri and North Kivu provinces. The Power Africa investment enabled Bboxx to open three new retail outlets in the area, train approximately 100 technicians and sales agents, and sell more than 3,000 solar home system (SHS) kits. Through these efforts, nearly 15,000 people now have first-time reliable and affordable electricity access.
