- Niger Republic just obtained $138.21 million in financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, with $46 million being lent under the Transition Support Facility (TSF).
- The government of Niger will build a 20 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant in Maradi, Niger’s third largest city in the South.
Niger Republic just obtained $138.21 million in financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, with $46 million being lent under the Transition Support Facility (TSF). This AfDB financing mechanism supports fragile or transitional states. The TSF is providing a $1.1 million grant to accompany its loan. The African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional lending arm of the AfDB Group, is providing $48.59 million.
The same facility is matching its loan with a $41.14 million grant. The remaining $1.38 million in funding comes from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This funding is part of the AfDB’s financing package towards its Desert to Power initiative to develop 10,000 MW of installed solar capacity in Sahelian countries over the next few years electrify at least 750,000 people in Niger. This funding will support the construction of solar photovoltaic power plants and solar mini-grids across the country. The solar power plants will be connected to the Nigerien Electricity Company (NIGELEC) network and the public company will then be able to connect 111,864 households and businesses with prepaid meters in 186 localities. At least 12 villages will be electrified via solar mini-grids.
The AfDB’s Managing Director for West Africa and Acting Vice President in charge of Regional Development, Integration and Service Delivery, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, said, “The AfDB’s intervention will enable Niger to produce renewable energy at a lower cost and thus reduce its dependence on energy imports”. The government of Niger will build a 20 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant in Maradi, Niger’s third largest city in the south. Another solar plant with a capacity of 10 MWp will be built in Dosso in the southwest of the country, as well as a third of 488 kWp. These installations will be accompanied by 1,203 km of medium-voltage distribution network and 1,484 km of low-voltage network, as well as 300 medium and low-voltage transformer stations.