Street lighting through a solar-powered mini power grid in a village in Senegal

    Core area “Climate and energy, just transition” Climate-friendly and reliable power supply

    A shortage of energy is one of the main constraints to development in Senegal. Not quite half of the rural population has access to electricity. Germany is contributing to expanding energy supply in a climate-friendly way. Germany’s support is part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) which the G7 heads of state and government agreed with Senegal in June 2023.

    Senegal greatly values German knowledge in the field of renewable energy. The government continues to use its own natural gas reserves as a transitional source of energy to supply the entire population with electricity. At the same time however it is engaging in expanding renewable energies and achieving a just transition.

    Under Financial Cooperation, KfW Development Bank is supporting the construction of a photovoltaic power station south of Dakar, which is to provide energy to private households and to the Diass Special Economic Zone. Funding is also being provided for several rural micro-grids based on smaller photovoltaic or hybrid installations. Assistance is being provided to an effort covering nine cities to modernise power distribution networks and set up digital electricity meters.

    GIZ is supporting Senegal’s energy ministry in its efforts to improve the general conditions for the use of renewable energies. In addition, universities are being advised on the development of study programmes in this field.


    Sustainable urban development

    Developing affordable and climate-friendly mobility systems in rapidly growing countries in Africa is a central goal of Germany’s development cooperation work. In order to make public transport more attractive, the BMZ together with other donors is promoting measures to restructure transport networks in Senegal’s capital Dakar.

    Feeder lines are to be established that connect to the regional express train and to the rapid bus system that is being developed. The use of electric buses and the construction of cycle paths is to help significantly bring down climate-harming emissions.

    As at: 22/06/2023