Country snapshot · West Africa
Senegal
Solar added each year
Ember estimates of all solar (utility-scale, distributed and off-grid), MW. 2026 is Ember’s full-year estimate.
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| Year | MW | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 135.3 | Ember estimate |
| 2024 | 367.6 | Ember estimate |
| 2025 | 378.3 | Ember estimate |
| 2026E | 343.7 | Ember estimate, full year |
2.0% of Africa’s estimated 2026 solar additions (343.7 of 17,449.4 MW).1
Who has electricity
Share of people with access to electricity, 2024: rural and urban.
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| Area | Access | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rural | 67.1% | 2024 |
| Urban | 95.7% | 2024 |
| National | 82.9% | 2024 |
World Bank WDI, 2024.2
How reliable is the grid for business?
Firms experiencing electrical outages (2024 survey), compared with Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.3,4N5
55.0% (2024 survey) · Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4% · World 47.5% (2025)
The rules for small-scale generationN6
Export rules: Partial
- Regulator
- CRSE
- Main utility
- Senelec
Export rulesDecree 2023-286 on self-production (Feb 2023) covers surplus sale and grid injection; the surplus tariff mechanism is still to be set (Mission 300 compact).6,7High confidenceShow detail
Décret n° 2023-286 du 7 février 2023 relatif à l'activité d'autoproduction — covers surplus sale and grid injection. Status: in force (adopted 7 Feb 2023)
How exports are creditedDecree provides for surplus sale under contract at a CRSE-set tariff, but the tariff mechanism was still pending (Jan 2025 compact). Sold surplus capped at 10% of annual consumption (law-firm summary).6,7Medium confidenceShow detail
Surplus sold under purchase contract with the concessionnaire at a tariff set by CRSE; sold surplus capped at 10% of annual consumption (MAGP); M300 compact says a tariff-setting mechanism for surplus is still to be added
Size limits and licensingDeclaration up to 1 MW for solar PV; licence above. Sizing up to 120% of peak (domestic).6,7Medium confidenceShow detail
Declaration regime up to: solar PV 1 MW; thermal/hydro/wind 500 kW; biomass 2 MW; licence above; sales licence required whenever surplus is sold. Installed capacity ≤120% peak (domestic), ≤110% (professional)
Mini-grid rulesRural electrification concessions under the Electricity Code 2021.6,7Medium confidenceShow detail
Rural decentralised electrification concessions (CER) under Electricity Code (Law 2021-31); compact commits to "clearly defined" approval process for private mini-grids (target Aug 2025)
Market access beyond the utilityElectricity Code 2021: third-party network access and IPP sales to eligible customers.6,7High confidenceShow detail
Electricity Code Law 2021-31 (9 Jul 2021): third-party access to transmission/distribution; IPP sale to eligible customers; distribution concessions
Aggregation / VPP rulesNone foundShow detail
None found
“None found” means we could not locate a rule in public sources reviewed to 10 October 2026, not that one cannot exist.
Recent developments
Dated developments, 2024–2026.
The full report
This is a snapshot. The full story is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
The full analysis, with 17 exhibits on the boom, the data gap, the economics and the four building blocks, is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
