AfDB approves €138 million package for Tunisian grid

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The streets of Tunisian capital Tunis lit up at night. Source: Dan Sloan, Flickr.

The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) board of directors have approved a €138 million (US$154 million) investment for Tunisia’s state-run electricity distribution network.

The financing earmarked for the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) includes a €108 million loan and €30 million from the AfDB-administered 'Africa Growing Together' fund.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The infrastructure investment paves the way for PV projects set to come online in the North African country over the coming years. This includes 15MW of PV projects being developed by Italian oil and gas major Eni and state oil company ETAP in the country’s south.

“STEG will be in a better position to deal with a continued rise in demand and transport a larger flow of electricity, in particular solar and wind power plants currently being developed,” said Mohamed El Azizi, AfDB managing director for North Africa in a statement.

The funds will enable the purchase and installation of high- and medium-voltage transformer stations, around 250 kilometres of electrical connections and a remote-control device.

While much of the AfDB’s solar activity to date has focused on microgrids, the financier is working on larger-scale projects and electricity grid enhancements in countries to Tunisia’s south through its new ‘Desert to Power’ initiative. Launched in September, the initiative wants to catalyse 10GW of solar across the Sahel. As part of that project, it provided Chad's first utility-scale PV project, a 32MW plant that will include storage, with an €18 million (US$19.6 million) loan in early October.

News of the Tunisian investment comes the same week as the development financier announced that it had hired the non-profit Coalition for Greener Capital to explore avenues for national climate change funds and green banks in African countries. CGC will work with six African countries on the study, which hopes to ultimately to accelerate investment in clean energy across the continent.

Read Next

August 28, 2025
Bahraini, Chinese, Egyptian and Emirati groups have agreed to develop a new solar and storage manufacturing facility in Egypt
Premium
August 26, 2025
Africa imported over 15GW of panels from China in the 12 months to June 2025, a 60% increase over the imports recorded in the prior year.
August 21, 2025
Qair has secured a US$5.7 million senior debt facility to finance the development of a 5.8MW floating solar (FPV) project in Seychelles.
August 14, 2025
South Africa’s state-owned energy utility, Eskom, has issued a request for proposals for 291MW of solar capacity.
Premium
August 12, 2025
AFSIA CEO John van Zuylen told PV Tech Premium that solar power is the “ideal” technology type to improve electricity access in Africa.
August 7, 2025
Infinity Power has signed two concession agreements with the Government of Côte d'Ivoire for PV projects with a total capacity of 80MWac.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines