Nigeria has been left out among African countries that will benefit from a €545 million package to scale up renewables investment in Africa unveiled by the European Union (EU).

The nine benefiting African countries include: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Lesotho, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Somalia, Madagascar, Mozambique and the Central African Republic. The announcement of the €545 million package was made at the Global Citizen Festival via video message in the context of the United Nations General Assembly, according to a statement on the EU’s website seen by New Telegraph yesterday.

The EU explained that the projects will span across 9 African countries which include €359.4 million for a high voltage power in Côte d’Ivoire to boost regional energy distribution; €59.1 million for rural electrification in Cameroon, €45.5 million to increase access to affordable renewable energy in Somalia, €33.2 million to expand electrification with mini grids in rural areas in Madagascar and €25.9 million to unlock wind and hydro energy through the Renewable Lesotho programme in Lesotho.

Other are: €13 million to support low-emission energy transition and encouraging private sector involvement in Mozambique; €3.5 million to expand access to renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and hydropower in the Republic of Congo and €2 million to lay the groundwork for a large-scale solar park and regional energy trade in Ghana.

The statement stated that the €545 million package expands the EU and Team Europe’s clean energy efforts in Africa, with new projects supporting electrification, modernising power grids, and improving access to renewables.

It said: “Investing now in solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power is not just a moral and development imperative; it is also a strategic choice that strengthens supply chains, creates up to 38 million green jobs by 2030, and makes energy systems more resilient.”