AFD and Global Energy Alliance sign agreement to develop energy storage in Togo

Washington | October 17, 2025 — Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet have signed a USD 200,000 contribution agreement. This agreement will finance feasibility studies for a battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Togo – a crucial step to integrate more renewable energy and achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group.

A strategic project for Togo’s energy transition

In Togo, where 40% of the population lacks access to electricity, the government has set ambitious targets: universal access by 2030, reduced dependence on imported energy, and 50% renewable energy in installed capacity by 2025. Battery storage systems will be essential to the country’s ability to integrate more renewables into the electricity mix while ensuring grid reliability and security.

The study financed under this agreement will define a 55 MW pilot storage project and establish a national BESS roadmap to guide the future deployment of this technology in Togo. AFD and Global Energy Alliance also plan to extend this approach to other African countries.

A new milestone in AFD-Global Energy Alliance partnership

This agreement complements the strategic partnership to unlock climate finance in developing countries signed between AFD and Global Energy Alliance at the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris in June 2023, followed by a first collaboration on just energy transition in South Africa in 2023-2024 and more recent commitments announced at the Finance in Common Summit in February 2025, which aims at strengthening the capacities of African financial institutions to finance renewable energy and electricity access projects.

Global Energy Alliance Battery Energy Storage Systems initiative

This collaboration in Togo marks a major milestone under the Alliance’s Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Consortium, a bold effort uniting 30 countries to deploy 5 GW of storage capacity by 2030. Following Togo’s signing of the Energy Compact in September 2025, this partnership highlights the country’s commitment under the Mission 300 initiative and offers a unique opportunity to support its Compact Delivery and Monitoring Unit.

By advancing BESS in Togo, AFD and the Global Energy Alliance are accelerating Africa’s energy transition and showcasing innovative, scalable solutions that can be replicated across the continent.
AFD, a long-standing partner in Togo’s energy transition

With a presence in Togo for over 60 years, AFD is a long-standing partner of the country. Over the past decade, AFD’s financing has provided 660,000 people with reliable and affordable access to electricity and supported the extension of the national power grid by 3,650 kilometers.

Through this new agreement, Global Energy Alliance and AFD reaffirm their joint commitment to advancing sustainable energy development in developing countries.

Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group, said: “This agreement marks a new stage in consolidating our strategic alliance with Global Energy Alliance. Together, we are joining forces to accelerate Africa’s energy transition through strong and lasting partnerships. In Togo, this project aims at bringing tangible benefits to people: more reliable and affordable electricity, greater energy security, and new economic opportunities for local communities. Togo is showing the way, and we hope other countries will follow this example.”

Woochong Um, CEO of Global Energy Alliance: “Togo’s ambitious energy commitments will bring clean energy, cleaner air, jobs and opportunity to millions of people. This is what true leadership looks like – setting bold national goals and practical pathways to achieve them. We’re proud to partner with AFD to advance Africa’s clean energy future together. Our collaboration in Togo shows how strategic partnerships can unlock innovation, combining AFD’s development leadership with our Alliance’s mission to build resilient grids of the future that power growth, opportunity and shared prosperity. Together, we’re demonstrating how clean, reliable energy access can transform lives and drive lasting systems change across the continent.”

Contact Press:
noels@afd.fr
media@energyalliance.org

About Agence Française de Développement

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) helps advance France’s policy on sustainable investment and international solidarity. Through its public sector and NGO financing operations, research and publications (Éditions AFD), sustainable development training programs (AFD Group Campus) and awareness-raising activities in France, AFD finances, supports and drives the transition to a fairer, more resilient world.
Alongside our partners, we provide sustainable solutions for—and with—communities. Our teams are working on over 2,700 projects in the field, in over 115 countries, including France’s overseas departments and territories, to support projects for the climate, biodiversity, peace, gender equality and global health. Together with Proparco and Expertise France, AFD supports the commitment of France and the French people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Working by your side, toward a world in common. For more information, please visit www.afd.fr and follow us on X at @AFD_France or @AFD_en.

About the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet

The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet works for a world where everyone has access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity and the means to use it to improve their lives. Our Alliance builds transformative public, private, philanthropic partnerships to end energy poverty and accelerate green economic opportunity. Founded in 2021 by The Rockefeller Foundation, IKEA Foundation, and Bezos Earth Fund, we unlock finance, strengthen institutions and transform markets, delivering progress anchored in deep community engagement. By uniting actors across the value chain, from households to heads of state, we go beyond individual projects to drive lasting systems change. With work in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, our Alliance aims to reach 1 billion people with clean electricity, prevent 4 billion tons of carbon emissions and create or improve 150 million jobs. For more information, please visit www.energyalliance.org and follow us on X at @EnergyAlliance.