Kinshasa – The Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa are set to resume negotiations on the long-delayed Inga 3 hydropower project in April 2026, signaling a fresh push for one of Africa’s largest energy initiatives. South Africa’s electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, is expected to visit Kinshasa to review and update existing energy agreements linked to the project.
Inga 3, part of the Grand Inga scheme on the Congo River, has been under consideration for years and could generate between 4,800 megawatts and 11,000 megawatts once completed. Current political agreements allow Congo to export 2,500 megawatts to South Africa, but ongoing talks are exploring an increase to 5,000 megawatts to meet South Africa’s growing power needs.
If developed, the dam could feed electricity into several regional grids across southern, eastern, and central Africa, positioning Congo as a key power exporter and potentially easing chronic electricity shortages in parts of the continent. 
The project is still in the preparation stage, with total costs estimated between $10 billion and $14 billion. Congolese authorities are working with the Agency for the Development and Promotion of the Grand Inga Project (ADPI) to establish financing structures with support from international partners, including the World Bank and France’s development agency.
The World Bank has committed up to $1 billion over 10 years to the broader development programme, with the first $250 million tranche approved in June 2025 already being used for technical studies, vocational training, and social safeguards. The French Development Agency signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2026 to provide technical and institutional support, while the African Development Bank is contributing to transaction support and feasibility studies.
The Ministry of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity in Congo oversees national energy policy and bilateral negotiations, working alongside ADPI to manage strategy, legal frameworks, and investor selection. Targeted construction for Inga 3 is expected to begin between 2028 and 2032.
