- Congo’s Inga complex holds unrealized power potential for Africa’s digital expansion
- The project’s success depends on private capital and strong governance reforms
- World Bank funding signals renewed faith in Africa’s large-scale hydro projects
The Democratic Republic of Congo aims to use the vast Inga hydroelectric complex to power next-generation AI tools and large-scale data center infrastructure.
Government officials argue that the site is already recognized as the world’s largest hydro resource and could support Africa’s growing digital economy if it attracts the right mix of investment and regulation.
The Inga site on the Congo River has a theoretical capacity of 44 gigawatts, enough to power 88 nuclear reactors, but it currently produces less than 2 gigawatts due to underdevelopment and aging infrastructure.
A massive project with unrealized potential
Plans to expand the complex date back more than four decades, with multiple phases under the Grand Inga project still unrealized.
The next stage, known as Inga III, is designed to add about 11 gigawatts of capacity at a projected cost exceeding $20 billion.
Officials say the government is drafting an “Inga Law” to provide fiscal and regulatory clarity.
This law aims to make the site more attractive to private partners capable of managing both design and construction.
Momentum around Inga III has increased as the nation’s mining industry faces growing energy shortages.
The World Bank has pledged $1 billion to advance the project, including an initial $250 million installment in 2025, and has also promised to use its Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency to help reduce risk and draw in private capital.
Congolese officials see this mix of public and private financing as vital to turning long-standing plans into functional power generation.
However, such partnerships have a mixed record in Africa, often stalling over transparency, procurement, and governance concerns.
Although uncertain, Congo’s proposal aligns with a broader trend linking renewable power projects with the surge in AI computing.
Advocates say that Inga’s water resources and geographic position could offer both abundant energy and natural cooling advantages.
Yet until construction advances and regulatory structures stabilize, the vision of powering Africa’s digital transformation through the Inga complex remains more promise than proof.
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