By: Energy capital & power

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $250 million credit for the Inga 3 Development Program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), representing the first phase of a broader $1 billion financing package aimed at advancing the country’s energy ambitions.

This initial phase will focus on communities near the Inga site in Kongo Central, aiming to improve basic services and infrastructure for approximately 1.2 million people. Planned investments include access to clean water, renewable electricity, rural roads and expanded employment opportunities. The World Bank’s support also encompasses technical studies, institutional capacity building and project structuring to lay the groundwork for Inga 3 – the largest energy project ever undertaken in the DRC.

Currently, only 21% of the population in the DRC has access to electricity. Under the National Energy Pact, the government is implementing a series of reforms and investments to boost power generation, attract private sector participation and strengthen the national utility, with the goal of increasing electricity access to 62% by 2030.

“This is a chance to write a new chapter in the DRC’s development by transforming its natural resources into economic growth, job creation and human development,” said Albert Zeufack, Country Director, World Bank.