- The African Development Bank (AfDB) held a regional workshop to advance the Joint IPP Protocol under the Desert to Power Initiative and accelerate bankable solar development in the Sahel.
- The training supported efforts to streamline project preparation and expand access to clean electricity across participating countries.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) organised a regional workshop to promote the application of the Joint Independent Power Producer (IPP) Protocol under its Desert to Power Initiative. The programme aims to speed up the development of bankable solar projects and scale clean electricity across the Sahel.
Participants attended the training following recommendations from the fifth Desert to Power Ministerial Meeting. The sessions addressed standardised contracts, risk management and negotiation tools that reduce project preparation timelines. Delegates included government energy officials, legal advisers and utility representatives from Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.
Mauritania presented its experience as the first country to adopt the Joint IPP Protocol. The government reported that its inaugural IPP project with IWA Green Energy achieved financial close in ten months. The case highlighted the protocol’s potential to lower transaction barriers and compress deal timelines.
AfDB officials stated that the initiative advances the Mission 300 objective of electrifying 300 million people by 2030. They added that Desert to Power seeks to position the Sahel as a leading hub for sustainable solar energy development and private sector mobilisation.