World Bank Commits $1 Billion to Revive DRC’s Inga III Hydropower Megaproject
The World Bank has pledged $1 billion to help revive the long-delayed Inga III hydropower project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a crucial phase of the Grand Inga complex, which holds the potential to become the world’s largest hydropower facility.
As an initial step, $250 million will be disbursed to fund technical studies, reform the state-owned electricity utility, foster economic development, and attract private investment.
Once completed, Inga III could generate up to 11,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity—more than triple the DRC’s current power capacity—at an estimated cost of $10 billion.
The project is a cornerstone of “Mission 300,” a World Bank-led initiative aiming to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
According to World Bank President Ajay Banga, the broader initiative could attract as much as $85 billion in private investment across the continent.
“This approach maximizes the chances of Inga III actually happening,” said Yadviga Semikolenova, the World Bank’s energy practice manager for Eastern and Southern Africa.
Situated on the Congo River—the world’s third-largest river by volume—the Grand Inga site has the capacity to eventually produce up to 40,000 MW.
However, past efforts to develop it have stalled due to political instability, corruption, and the massive financial burden.
The earlier phases, Inga I and II, were commissioned in 1972 and 1982, generating 351 MW and 1,424 MW, respectively.
Over the years, the DRC has signed and later abandoned multiple agreements with investors, including Nigeria’s Natural Oilfield Services Ltd., Australia’s Fortescue Ltd., and Spanish-Chinese consortiums.
Currently, most of the electricity produced from Inga supports copper and cobalt mining operations in southern DRC, run by companies such as Glencore Plc, China Railway Group Ltd., and CMOC Ltd. Under the new vision, future energy output is also expected to power Kinshasa and neighboring energy-poor countries.
Despite the project’s troubled past, the Congolese government remains committed to tripling national electricity access by 2030.
The World Bank’s renewed support signals a potential turning point for one of Africa’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.
