- The Opec Fund for International Development (OFID) has signed a $25 million loan agreement with the government of Niger.
- The funding will support the implementation of a project to electrify thousands of households in three cities using solar photovoltaic energy.
Niger has obtained $25 million in funding from the Opec Fund for International Development (OFID) to support the implementation of the Niger Solar Power Plant Development and Electricity Access Improvement Project (RANAA). This financing comes just after the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved a $138.21 million package for the same project. The Ranaa initiative will involve constructing three solar photovoltaic power plants with a total capacity of 40 MWp, including a 20 MWp plant in Maradi, a 10 MWp plant in Dosso, and a 488 kWp plant in Diffa.
A substantial medium- and low-voltage distribution network as well as transformer stations will be included in the project. Together with these installations, there will be 300 medium and low-voltage transformer stations, 1,203 km of medium-voltage distribution network, and 1,484 km of low-voltage distribution network.
These solar power facilities will be linked to NIGELEC’s (Nigeria’s electricity provider) infrastructure. The public corporation will after that be able to install prepaid meters in 186 communities for 111,864 homes and businesses. In a nation where 80% of the populace still lacks access to electricity, this will provide at least 750,000 people with that service.