EBID Backs Guinea Hydropower Project in $510m West Africa Funding

The energy component of a fresh $510 million financing package approved by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) is set to support Guinea’s efforts to expand renewable power generation, with €60.62 million earmarked for the 11-MW Tinkisso II Hydropower Project.

The project will generate about 48 GWh of electricity annually and provide clean power to more than 350,000 people. Its financing forms part of five operations worth more than €269.55 million and $200 million approved by EBID at its 100th Board Meeting.

The Tinkisso II project is significant for Guinea, where limited and uneven electricity access continues to constrain households, businesses and industrial activity. Adding new hydropower capacity could help strengthen the country’s electricity supply while reducing reliance on more expensive and carbon-intensive generation sources.

The project also fits into a wider push across West Africa to expand domestic power generation and improve access to reliable electricity. Hydropower remains an important part of the region’s renewable energy mix, particularly in countries with suitable water resources.

EBID said the Tinkisso II project would support sustainable energy development and improve access to electricity. The bank’s financing is also expected to help unlock wider economic benefits by providing more reliable power for communities and productive activities.

Energy investment sits within wider regional development push

The hydropower financing comes alongside EBID’s approval of €143.06 million for road projects in Guinea and €65.87 million for a 200-bed regional hospital in Siguiri.

In Ghana, the bank approved a $150 million credit facility for Maripoma Enterprise Limited to support eight road and bridge projects, while a further $50 million subordinated loan was approved for WAICA Reinsurance Corporation in Sierra Leone.

Although most of the approved funding is directed at transport, healthcare and financial services, the Tinkisso II project gives the package a direct role in addressing West Africa’s power deficit.

EBID President and Chairman of the Board, Dr George Agyekum Donkor, said the approvals were intended to strengthen regional connectivity, expand access to essential services, promote sustainable energy and mobilise private-sector capital.

The bank noted that the investments are aligned with its Growth, Resilience and Optimisation Strategy for 2026–2030, which places structural transformation and productive capacity at the centre of its development financing.

The immediate energy priority will be turning the Tinkisso II financing into additional generation capacity for Guinea. If completed as planned, the project would add another source of renewable electricity to the national system while extending power access to communities that remain underserved.