West Africa turns to electric buses and CPCS is guiding the transition

CPCS

February 12, 2026

CPCS is working with C40 Cities and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to figure out how six major West African cities can roll out electric buses at scale. The goal is turning scattered pilot projects into real, bankable fleets that replace the diesel-powered minibuses dominating city streets today.

As one CPCS team member put it, “This is not about testing an idea. It’s about helping cities flip the switch from pilot to transformation.”

Key points:

C40 Cities, a global network of nearly 100 mayors committed to science-based climate action, is prioritizing the decarbonization of urban transport. Electric buses (e-buses) are one of the most effective levers available to help cities shift to low carbon mobility.

Electrifying bus systems is complex: Markets are fragmented, power grids are often weak, operators are mostly informal, and business models remain uncertain.

C40 Cities and UNEP have engaged CPCS and its partner ITP World to assess West Africa’s e-bus market readiness and identify practical pathways for largescale adoption.

This initiative is for better lives, but also a pre-investment strategy. If there are viable pathways, it could open the door for global electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and infrastructure investors looking for opportunities in emerging markets.

Supporting 6 cities towards low-carbon mobility

The cities are Abidjan, Accra, Dakar, Lagos, Lomé, and Freetown, all facing booming demand for public transport, rising pressure to reduce air pollution, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

CPCS is developing a comprehensive picture of each city’s readiness to electrify its bus fleet by assessing enabling policies, infrastructure gaps, and operational constraints, as well as the technical, institutional, economic, and environmental feasibility of transitioning from diesel to e-buses across both formal and informal transport systems.

“That complexity is exactly why we’re here,” says CPCS. “These cities aren’t lacking ambition; they’re lacking a viable pathway.”

The big picture: 3 major challenges

A big market with complicated realities

Most trips in these cities are handled by thousands of privately owned, fuel burning minibuses like the danfos in Lagos. Dropping electric buses into this ecosystem won’t work without rethinking the business model. CPCS is mapping out to make the switch profitable for these private operators.

“We need a model that leaves nobody behind,” a CPCS financial expert explains. “If informal operators can’t make money with electric buses, the transition won’t stick.”

The electricity grid could make or break the transition

An electric bus is useless if it crashes the local power grid. CPCS is conducting a “stress test” on the power reliability in these six cities. They aren’t just looking at whether there’s enough power, but whether the electricity itself is green and ensuring they have the proper charging infrastructure. If the grid collapses under new demand or runs on heavy fuel oil, you don’t get climate wins, you get unintended consequences.

The TCO equation isn’t obvious

E-buses cost far more upfront, often double the price of diesel equivalents. CPCS is running Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and lifecycle analysis to determine the “tipping point” where long-term savings outweigh high costs. Expect recommendations for “blended finance” using international climate funds to de-risk the investment for local players. The economics can work, but only if the right financing structure is in place.

Deep dive: How ready is the e‑bus market in West Africa?

Inside the operator landscape

Understanding how bus operations and market structures function in each of the six cities is essential to determine whether the existing industry can absorb ebuses or whether major reforms are needed. CPCS is engaging public transport authorities, private operators, and government agencies to assess current operating realities, identify future fleet requirements, and map the presence of manufacturers, assemblers, and suppliers within the broader electrification ecosystem.

This work focuses on:

Business models and ownership structures.
Procurement practices and contractual arrangements.
Fleet size, composition, and renewal cycles.
Financing capacity and appetite for adopting new technologies.

Designing bankable commercial and financing solutions

Using its market insights, the goal is to have structures that work in real markets, not just on paper. To overcome this, CPCS is developing practical commercial and financial solutions that could make electric fleets bankable. This includes:

Innovative financing mechanisms such as concessional finance, blended finance, and leasing schemes
New procurement strategies and performance‑based contracting
Business models that align incentives between public authorities, private operators, and investors
Risk allocation frameworks tailored for banks and development partners

The roadmap: How six cities can move from pilots to fleets

CPCS is consolidating its findings into a highlevel roadmap designed to help cities move from planning to procurement by aligning policy, market, and financing levers. The roadmap outlines the steps needed to mobilize development partners, attract investors, and sequence reforms and deployment.

The roadmap provides:

Priority actions to unlock early investment
A sequencing plan for reforms and deployment
Clear roles and responsibilities across institutions
Timelines for scaling up fleet electrification

Enabling the next generation of urban transport in West Africa

For C40 and UNEP, the goal is clear: help West African cities shift toward low-carbon mobility, more reliable transport systems. CPCS’s work equips them with the data, financial strategy, and policy direction needed to make electric buses a realistic part of daily urban mobility while improving the reliability, efficiency, and sustainability.

As one CPCS transportation advisor explains, “If even part of this roadmap becomes reality, the region could redefine what sustainable urban transport looks like in emerging markets.”

If your city or institution is exploring how to scale electric mobility, CPCS can help turn ambition into actionable strategy. Reach out to learn how our team supports governments and partners through every step of the transition.

CPCS: Better infrastructure solutions. Better lives.