Operating costs differ by lens: per connection and per kW. Eastern & Southern Africa shows higher OPEX per connection at $26/yr versus $15/yr in Western & Central Africa. Conversely, Western & Central Africa records higher OPEX per kW at $155/yr versus $120/yr in Eastern & Southern Africa.
Use both metrics together: per-connection OPEX reflects customer usage/scale dynamics, while per-kW OPEX reflects asset intensity and servicing per installed capacity.
Operating expenditure per kilowatt differs across technology choices in the dataset. PV plus battery systems without diesel average about $137 per kW per year, while PV plus battery with diesel hybrid systems average about $155 per kW per year.
Differences reflect system design and operational requirements. Hybrid configurations carry generator-related servicing and fuel management, whereas PV plus battery only sites avoid fuel costs and engine maintenance. Interpreting these values alongside utilisation and service levels helps place the costs in context.
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The chart shows average capital expenditure per kW for new minigrids by region from 2021 to 2024. Western and Central Africa typically records higher CAPEX per kW than Eastern and Southern Africa, reflecting differences in system design, logistics and market conditions reported in the sector study.
Values should be read as per-kW averages for new sites in each year. Use the series together to compare regional trajectories rather than any single data point.
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Average capital costs per kW are higher in Western and Central Africa than in Eastern and Southern Africa. In contrast, average costs per connection are higher in Eastern and Southern Africa than in Western and Central Africa.
In the values shown here, Eastern and Southern Africa averages $5775 per kW and $1948 per connection, while Western and Central Africa averages $7216 per kW and $1046 per connection. This pattern aligns with differences in system sizing, demand profiles and deployment conditions discussed in the sector report.