Sonelec and the Government Facing Energy Challenges

The Comoros are making progress in the transition to clean energy. The government plans to increase the share of renewable energy to nearly 45% of the national energy mix.

The National Forum on the Energy Future, opened on October 20, 2025, at the Retaj Hotel by the Minister of Energy, brought together the CEO of Sonelec and several sector stakeholders.

For three days, public officials, technicians, and partners presented completed projects and discussed technical challenges. The forum is part of the Comoros Solar Energy Access Project (PAESC), supported by the World Bank, which aims to provide reliable, sustainable, and accessible electricity.

The Minister of Energy reiterated three priorities: ensuring equitable access to electricity, reducing dependence on expensive fossil fuels, and developing renewable energies, particularly solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power. “This strategy demonstrates the desire to strengthen energy autonomy and support environmentally friendly development,” he explained.

However, he highlighted the difficulties encountered by Sonelec. The company is suffering significant technical and commercial losses and needs to modernize its infrastructure. The governance and skills of its teams need to be strengthened to restore the confidence of citizens and partners.

Sonelec CEO Soilahoudine Moumini stated that the company is recording losses of approximately 50% on a portfolio of 130,000 customers. The CEO emphasized the need for employee training and retraining to meet modernization requirements and improve service efficiency.