KIGALI, RWANDA, Minister of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Armand Zingiro, has called for stronger investment, innovation, partnerships and faster project execution to accelerate Africa’s transition towards reliable, affordable, clean and inclusive energy systems.

The Minister of State made the call while officially opening the 6th edition of the Renewable Energy for Sustainable Growth Conference and Exhibition 2026, held in Kigali under the theme focused on advancing Africa’s renewable energy potential and its contribution to sustainable economic growth.

The conference brings together government representatives, private-sector actors, investors, development partners, financial institutions, researchers and energy experts to discuss opportunities to accelerate renewable energy deployment, mobilise investment and strengthen partnerships across Africa’s energy sector.

In his remarks, Hon. Armand Zingiro highlighted the enormous renewable energy potential across the African continent, ranging from solar, hydropower and geothermal to wind, biomass and other renewable energy resources.

He noted, however, that the key challenge is no longer whether Africa has sufficient energy resources, but rather its ability to translate these resources into bankable projects, mobilise capital, deploy solutions at scale and deliver results efficiently and sustainably.

“Energy is not simply another sector of the economy. It is an enabling infrastructure for development that powers industries and businesses, supports agriculture, healthcare and education, drives digital transformation, creates jobs and strengthens the competitiveness of our economies,” he said.

Rwanda’s progress and ambition

Hon. Zingiro highlighted Rwanda’s progress in expanding access to electricity, noting that 85.4% of households currently have access to electricity, up from approximately 64.5% five years ago.

Building on this progress, Rwanda is targeting universal electricity access by 2029 and aims to increase the contribution of renewable energy to at least 60% by 2030. The country is also targeting approximately 1,066 megawatts of electricity generation capacity by 2034.

The Minister of State emphasised that achieving these ambitious targets will require more than public resources, calling for increased private capital, innovative financing mechanisms, technology, strong institutions, effective partnerships and disciplined execution.

“These are ambitious targets. Achieving them will require more than public resources. It will require private capital, innovative financing, technology, strong institutions, effective partnerships and disciplined execution,” he said.

From electricity access to economic transformation

The Minister of State stressed that expanding electricity connections should not be viewed solely as an infrastructure target, but as a means of unlocking productivity, opportunity and economic transformation.

He noted that electricity access must translate into tangible benefits for citizens and businesses by powering schools and health facilities, supporting agriculture and irrigation, enabling agro-processing, strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting manufacturing and digital services, and creating opportunities for young people.

He further linked Rwanda’s ambitions to the broader continental Mission 300 initiative, through which African countries and their partners aim to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030.

He called for the initiative to be understood not only in terms of the number of people connected, but also in terms of the economic opportunities and improved livelihoods that access to electricity can unlock.

“Our objective should therefore be clear: from access to productive use, from productive use to economic opportunity, and from economic opportunity to sustainable growth,” he said.

Private sector investment key to Africa’s energy transformation

Hon. Zingiro underscored the importance of placing the private sector at the centre of Africa’s energy transformation, noting that public resources alone will not be sufficient to meet the continent’s growing energy needs.

The Minister of State encouraged stakeholders to use the conference as a platform for practical investment discussions, asking how more private capital can be mobilised, how viable projects can reach financial close more quickly, and how risks and transaction costs can be reduced to unlock greater investment.

The Minister of State noted that Africa’s energy landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by developments in artificial intelligence, data centres, electric mobility, energy storage and energy efficiency.

These developments are creating new demand for reliable power while also presenting opportunities for African countries to participate in and create value within the emerging global energy economy.

He called for increased investment in skills, research and innovation, reliable data, and stronger collaboration between governments, universities, technology companies, entrepreneurs and investors.

He emphasised the need to create an ecosystem in which African innovators can develop solutions tailored to African markets while also positioning them for global relevance.

From dialogue to action

The Minister of State urged participants to ensure that discussions and commitments translate into concrete projects, investments and measurable outcomes.

He called on investors to bring forward commercially viable solutions, development partners to help de-risk and scale investments, the private sector to innovate and deliver, and public institutions to make investment and implementation faster, easier and more predictable.

“Our people need results,” he said, emphasising that the success of Africa’s energy transition should ultimately be measured by the lives transformed, businesses created, jobs generated, industries enabled and opportunities created for citizens.

Concluding his remarks, Hon. Armand Zingiro called for the development of energy systems that are reliable, affordable, clean, resilient and inclusive, positioning renewable energy as a foundation for industrialisation, innovation, competitiveness and sustainable growth.

He reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to contributing to the ambition of Mission 300 and to advancing an energy future in which every citizen, business and community can access the energy needed to realise its full potential.