Prices and the cost of living
Solar and wind power in Somalia
Most of Somalia's electricity comes from diesel generators run by private firms: about 90 percent in 2021, according to the World Bank. Solar is growing. IRENA counted 51 MW of solar panels at the end of 2023, up from 47 MW a year earlier. BECO opened an 8 MWp solar plant in Mogadishu in 2020, and in 2025 the government tendered a 55 MW solar plant with 160 MWh of batteries at Jazeera, Mogadishu, paid for by the World Bank.
Diesel and the switch to solar
In December 2021 the World Bank said about 90 percent of Somalia's electricity came from isolated diesel mini-grids run by private companies, and that about 9 million of Somalia's 15 million people had no electricity. It approved $150 million for the Somalia Electricity Recovery Project, to bring cheaper and cleaner power to 1.1 million households and to power 205 health centres and 380 schools (World Bank, 9 December 2021). For prices and suppliers, see Electricity in Somalia and the electricity companies directory.
How much is installed
- 51 MW of solar panels at the end of 2023, up from 47 MW at the end of 2022, according to IRENA figures reported by pv magazine (pv magazine, Patrick Jowett, 7 February 2025).
- Wikipedia, citing the World Economic Forum, gives about 100 MW of solar and wind out of about 400 MW of total capacity in 2025, and about 10 percent of electricity from renewables (Wikipedia, Solar power in Somalia).
- The country gets 5 to 7 kWh of sunlight per square metre a day and over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, according to the Somalia Investment Promotion Office as cited by Wikipedia (same source).
The plants
| Plant | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Garowe, 2016 | Somalia's first hybrid solar and wind plant | Wikipedia, citing LifeGate 2016 |
| BECO, Mogadishu, 2020 | 8 MWp solar plant supplying four hours a day; BECO aimed to reach 100 MWp for $40 million. BECO then had 35 MW of capacity against an estimated demand of 200 MW | SONNA, June 2020 |
| Jazeera, Mogadishu, tendered 2025 | 55 MW of solar with a 160 MWh battery store, under the World Bank's ASCENT programme (Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Somalia) | pv magazine, 7 February 2025 |
| Other 2025 tenders | A 10 MW solar plant with 20 MWh of batteries, and off-grid solar with batteries for 28 schools and colleges in two regions | pv magazine, 2025 |
| Berbera, 2026 | A 5 MW solar plant, as reported by Ecofin Agency | Wikipedia, citing Ecofin Agency |
Why batteries matter
BECO's chief engineer, Mohamud Farah, told reporters in 2020: "Unless we have batteries to store electricity, we can't stop using fossil fuels" (SONNA, 2020). The 2025 tenders all pair panels with battery storage (pv magazine, 2025).
Wind
The African Development Bank estimates that Somalia could produce 30,000 to 45,000 MW from renewables, mostly from onshore wind, according to SONNA (SONNA, 2020).
Sources disagree
- BECO's first plant. SONNA reported an 8 MWp plant in 2020 (SONNA). Wikipedia describes a 10 MW plant built in 2020 (Wikipedia).
- How much solar there is. IRENA counted 51 MW of solar at the end of 2023 (pv magazine); the World Economic Forum figure cited by Wikipedia is about 100 MW of solar and wind in 2025 (Wikipedia).
For solar and wind firms, see Somali solar and wind companies.
Sources
- World Bank, 9 December 2021 · worldbank.org
- pv magazine, Patrick Jowett, 7 February 2025 · pv-magazine.com
- Wikipedia, Solar power in Somalia · en.wikipedia.org
- SONNA, June 2020 · sonna.so
Toosoo!
Calankii is made by Toosoo, which works for one united, prosperous Somalia.
Can you help with Solar and wind power in Somalia? Tell us what you can give.
I want to help with this
Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Hargeysa (Hargeisa) and Woqooyi GalbeedWoqooyi Galbeed is the north-western region that holds Hargeisa (Hargeysa) and the port of Berbera, with about 1 to 1.45 million people.
- Garoowe (Garowe) and NugaalNugaal is the region around Garoowe (Garowe), Puntland's capital, with about 656,910 people in three districts.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Electricity in Somalia: who supplies power and what it costsWho generates and sells electricity in Somalia, prices by region and company, the 2023 Electricity Act, how many homes are connected, and what people cook with.
- Prices and the cost of living in SomaliaInflation and the cost of living in Somalia: the official price index, which costs rose most, grain prices after the 2025 drought, and forecasts.