As more private generators sell across borders, the terms set by governments and utilities for transmitting power and settling payments are shaping how projects attract financing. These terms and the broader markets they dictate will be a key focus of the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum, taking place in Paris from May 11–13, 2027.

Zambia’s Ilute Solar Project demonstrates how regional offtake is supporting project finance. The 32 MWp plant reached financial close in January 2026 with $26.5 million in senior debt led by the Dutch development bank FMO, based on a PPA with licensed regional trader GreenCo Power Services and without a sovereign guarantee. GreenCo now sells the power into SAPP, the continent’s most established competitive electricity market. The Government of Zambia provided regulatory certainty for the project, and state utility ZESCO earns continuous wheeling revenue for transporting power across its network.

West Africa is building comparable market infrastructure. The World Bank’s $1.6 billion West Africa Regional Electricity Market Program is supporting a day-ahead market across the 15 countries of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), along with a liquidity fund to secure timely payments between utilities. With the second phase of the regional electricity market targeted for launch in early 2027, private companies are seeking WAPP membership. At its October 2026 board meeting, WAPP reviewed applications from Niger-based independent power producer HOLDEN-Niger and Nigerian energy company Konexa, with final approval expected before year-end.

Transmission capacity will be the next key area of investment, as offtake agreements face challenges translating into reliable supply even in the continent’s most advanced regional markets. Congestion on SAPP’s central corridor prevented a third of matched bids from trading in August 2026, and the pool is preparing a $1.3 billion facility, managed by Climate Fund Managers, to finance new interconnectors. Wheeling tariffs and settlement rules are set by governments and state utilities, as are priorities for transmission expansion, making direct engagement between policymakers and investors central to the growth of regional trade.

IAE 2027 will bring governments, utilities and investors involved in that trade together in Paris. The forum opens on May 11 with a dedicated Business-to-Government Day, where governments will present investment priorities directly to investors, development finance institutions and export credit agencies. On May 12, the Grid Convergence Forum closes with a session on Cross-Border Wheeling & Regional Offtake, examining how cross-border power sales are structured and financed.

The Invest in African Energy Forum returns to Paris for its fifth edition on 11-13 May 2027. To sponsor or register as a delegate, contact sales@energycapitalpower.com. For more information, visit www.invest-africa-energy.com.