Tshisekedi Puts Grand Inga and Lobito Corridor at Centre of Africa’s Energy Ambitions
COP31: Tshisekedi Champions Grand Inga and Lobito Corridor
Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has highlighted Grand Inga and the Lobito Corridor as strategic projects for expanding electricity access, supporting industrial development and strengthening economic integration across Africa.
Addressing the COP31 leaders’ summit in Antalya, Türkiye, on 11 November 2026, Tshisekedi said electrification was both an urgent development priority and a matter of climate justice for the DRC.
He called for equitable international partnerships, predictable financing and effective technology transfers to help the country turn its natural resources into lasting economic benefits.
Harnessing the DRC’s hydropower potential
Tshisekedi said the country’s digital inventory had identified 3,349 hydroelectric sites with combined generation potential exceeding 160 gigawatts.
He placed Grand Inga at the centre of efforts to develop these resources, citing an ultimate planned capacity of approximately 42,000MW.
That figure represents the wider development potential of the Inga site, rather than electricity currently available.
According to the President, Grand Inga could eventually support domestic electricity supply while contributing to the power needs of other African countries.
Tshisekedi also said decisions necessary to advance the project had been finalised under the DRC’s strategic partnership with the United States, with joint governance arrangements initiated.
Connecting power development with regional trade
The President presented the Lobito Corridor as a complementary initiative whose importance extends beyond transport.
He linked its development to the broader ambition of connecting African economies, strengthening regional trade and supporting energy integration.
Together, the two initiatives form part of the Government’s vision of using infrastructure to connect mineral resources, productive industries and regional markets.
Reliable electricity remains essential to that ambition. Expanding generation must be accompanied by infrastructure and investment that enable households and businesses to access and use the power produced.
Inga 3 preparations provide a foundation
Separate from the wider Grand Inga vision, preparations are advancing through the World Bank-supported Inga 3 Development Program.
In June 2025, the World Bank approved an initial US$250 million credit as the first phase of a US$1 billion programme intended to establish the foundations for sustainable development of Inga 3.
The first phase supports technical studies, institutional capacity and improvements to services in communities near the site in Kongo Central. These include access to water, electricity, roads and skills development.
The programme distinguishes preparatory work from construction of the hydropower infrastructure, which will require further technical decisions, investment and stakeholder engagement.
A call for development-focused climate partnerships
Tshisekedi’s address positioned the DRC’s hydropower resources alongside its forests and strategic minerals as assets that could contribute to the global response to climate change.
He argued that international cooperation should also deliver tangible benefits for Congolese communities through electricity access, employment and economic opportunities.
For Grand Inga and the Lobito Corridor, the challenge is to translate that ambition into financed, coordinated infrastructure that serves national development while strengthening links with the wider continent.
