A geospatial approach towards defining cost-optimal electrification pathways in West Africa

West Africa holds some of the lowest electrification rates in sub-Saharan Africa with high disparities among countries and between urban and rural areas. Despite long-standing efforts to scale-up electrification levels, overall progress remains slow and highly cost-ineffective. Hence, it is crucial that electricity planning processes primarily address the questions of the complementarity between utility-scale and decentralised generation. This paper applies the Open Source Spatial Electrification Tool (OnSSET) to two ECOWAS countries – Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire – with the aim of determining the optimal combination of grid-connected and off-grid systems to serve rural and urban demand by 2030, using high-resolution geospatial data. This country-wide analysis highlights the fundamental role of off-grid solar photovoltaics and wind technologies in bridging the electricity access gap, particularly in Burkina Faso. Additionally, cheaper electricity costs in Côte d’Ivoire could be taken advantage of through enhanced cross-border exchanges between the two countries. •A spatial electrification analysis tool was used.•Four scenarios of electricity demand and diesel prices were generated.•Off-grid PV is mostly cost-optimal in Burkina and grid extension in Côte d’Ivoire.•Discounted electricity generation costs are lower in Côte d’Ivoire.•Interconnections and innovative business models are crucial for affordable access.