Powering climate resilience in Francophone West Africa: The role of decentralised renewable energy in supporting essential services

Francophone West Africa faces a dual challenge of rising climate risks and persistent gaps in electricity access and service quality. As climate hazards intensify, the ability of essential services such as healthcare, water supply and food systems to function reliably becomes increasingly critical to resilience.

This report examines the role of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) in supporting climate adaptation, moving beyond traditional access metrics to assess whether electricity systems deliver sufficient capacity, availability and reliability to sustain key services under climate stress. Using the Multi-Tier Framework for energy access, the analysis links electricity service levels to real-world adaptation outcomes.

The findings highlight a critical gap between system deployment and service delivery, and propose practical actions to align planning, financing, and monitoring with resilience objectives. By shifting focus from connections to service performance, the report outlines a pathway to strengthen climate resilience across vulnerable communities in the region.