Electric mobility milestones in Cabo Verde
Electric vehicles (EV) now account for 5.4% of all new vehicle registrations in Cabo Verde, exceeding the project’s original target of 4.3% and signalling rapid market uptake. Just as importantly, the national market now offers a diverse range of EV categories – from private cars and taxis to school buses – providing competitive alternatives to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles across key transport segments.
These milestones took centre stage on 3 December, when the Cabo Verde – Electric Vehicles (ProMEC) project marked its official conclusion with a high-level end ceremony in Praia. The event brought together national authorities, development partners, private sector representatives, training institutions, academia, and regional organisations to celebrate the project’s achievements and reflect on the future of electric mobility in Cabo Verde.
Funded by the Mitigation Action Facility and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Energy, ProMEC has helped turn electric mobility in Cabo Verde from a policy ambition into a functioning and increasingly competitive market.
From ambition to action: transforming transport
Transport has long been one of Cabo Verde’s most challenging sectors, highly dependent on imported fossil fuels and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. ProMEC was designed to change that trajectory.
Through a holistic and market-oriented approach, the project combined financial incentives, nationwide charging infrastructure, regulatory reform, capacity development, emissions monitoring, and awareness-raising. Gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) considerations were integrated throughout, recognising that an inclusive transition is essential for long-term sector transformation.
A strong coalition driving change
The closing ceremony reflected the breadth of partnerships underpinning the project’s success. Participants included Rito Évora, Director of the National Directorate of Industry, Commerce and Energy (DNICE), alongside representatives from the National Road Transport Regulatory Agency (DGTR) and Trações Elétrica de Cabo Verde (TAECV), operator of the national public charging network.
The event also highlighted cooperation with LuxDev, through which ProMEC supported the acquisition of two electric school buses on the island of Santiago, demonstrating how electric mobility can deliver climate benefits while strengthening essential public services.
Private sector engagement featured prominently, with car dealerships participating in the Rebate Programme in attendance. The presence of national training institutes CERMI and Variante further underscored the importance of developing local skills and technical capacity to support an expanding EV market.
Academic expertise was represented by Professor Lia Cordeiro Lima Medina, Pro-Rector of the Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA), who supported ProMEC’s gender mainstreaming efforts, including a dedicated event on women in electric mobility to advance dialogue on equal participation and skills development.
“I would like to thank our national partners for their close and sustained collaboration throughout implementation. The experience of ProMEC clearly shows that strong coordination between government institutions, the private sector, and technical partners was a key driver of the project’s results and its contribution to Cabo Verde’s electric mobility transition.”
— Leo Pagnac, ProMEC Project Director, GIZ
The ceremony also welcomed representatives from the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE).
“ProMEC has played a catalytic role in unlocking investment, accelerating regulatory progress, and stimulating market uptake for electric mobility in Cabo Verde. We are grateful to the Mitigation Action Facility for its financial support and to GIZ for the effective implementation of the project, which clearly demonstrates the value of strong international partnerships.”
— Rito Évora, DNICE
Results that reflect market transformation
ProMEC’s outcomes demonstrate how targeted support can translate into tangible system-level change:
- 409 electric vehicles financed through the Rebate Programme*, serving private users, companies, and public institutions across seven islands
- 14 electric taxis introduced, offering low-emission alternatives in urban transport
- Electric school buses deployed, expanding electrification into public service fleets
- 40 public charging stations installed across all nine inhabited islands, supporting daily use across vehicle types
- 5.4% share of EVs in new vehicle registrations, exceeding the 4.3% target
- Key legal and regulatory reforms adopted, enabling EVs in public transport and strengthening market confidence
- 73 professionals trained, including female participants, in EV-related technical skills and safety
- 1,367 tonnes of CO₂e avoided to date, demonstrating measurable climate mitigation impact
- Evidence-based planning tools developed, including the EV-grid impact study
* The Rebate Programme incentivised EV and charger purchases by both individuals and businesses, covering a significant portion of upfront costs and requiring local sourcing to stimulate the domestic market.
A policy framework built to last
Beyond infrastructure and vehicles, ProMEC helped establish the policy conditions for long-term market growth. The Government of Cabo Verde has confirmed the continuation of key fiscal incentives for EVs, including VAT and import duty exemptions – until 2028, providing predictability for consumers and investors.
Further regulatory progress is underway, with a draft law decree on electricity provision through public charging stations expected to be enacted in 2026, strengthening transparency and operational clarity for charging services.
The role of the Mitigation Action Facility
The Mitigation Action Facility played a decisive role in enabling ProMEC’s success. By supporting a comprehensive approach that addressed policy, finance, infrastructure, capacity development, inclusion, and system integration simultaneously, the Mitigation Action Facility helped catalyse a diversified and resilient electric mobility market in Cabo Verde.
What comes next
While the closing ceremony marked the end of ProMEC as a project, it also marked the beginning of a new phase. With a diversified EV market, nationwide charging infrastructure, strengthened institutions, improved grid readiness, and a supportive policy environment, Cabo Verde is well positioned to scale up electric mobility and further reduce emissions from its transport sector. Building on the foundations laid with support from the Mitigation Action Facility, and strengthened national, regional, and international partnerships, the country moves forward with momentum and a clear vision for sustainable and inclusive mobility.