Lomé, June 22, 2021. Mr. Moustapha BEN-BARKA, Vice-President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), took part in the inauguration ceremony of a 50 MW photovoltaic power plant held in Blitta (Togo), under the presidency of His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Togolese Republic.
Also present at the ceremony were Mrs. Victoire Tomegah-Dogbé, Prime Minister of Togo, Mrs. Mila Aziable, Minister Delegate to the President of the Republic, responsible for Energy and Mines in Togo, Mr. Laré Santiégou, Managing Director of the Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo (CEET), Mr. Shegun Adjadi Bakari, and Mr. Khalifa Al Qubaisi, Deputy Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), among others.
The purpose of the project is to co-finance a 50 MWp grid-connected photovoltaic solar power plant in the town of Blitta, in the Central Region, 262 km from Lomé. Its commissioning will make it possible to : i) provide access to electricity for an additional 158,333 households and the Blitta cotton ginning plant from 2021 ; ii) increase the country’s electrification rate from 45% in 2018 to 60% in 2022; and iii) contribute to improving the living conditions of the local population.
Erected in 18 months, this plant is the fruit of an admirable synergy of action between the various donors and the Togolese government. The work, which began in October 2019, was completed in March 2021 at a total cost of CFAF 35,803 million, with BOAD contributing 12%. 000 MFCFA, of which 7 000 MFCFA already granted in December 2019 and 5 000 MFCFA in the pipeline, to be implemented shortly. The project is co-financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) and its subsidiary Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX), for a total amount of €14 million. 500 MFCFA, and by AMEA POWER, for a total amount of 9 032 MFCFA and by the Togolese government, to the tune of 272 MFCFA.
In his speech, Mr. Ben-Barka emphasized that this project is perfectly in line with the new roadmap, which sets out a strategic plan for the future. Togo 2025 “This includes two major projects in the energy sector i) pursue the policy of electrification for all, with the extension of the network and deployment of decentralized systems to reach 75% electrification by 2025, supported by the establishment of the Electricity for All Fund, in line with the goal of universal access by 2030. and ii) increasing electricity generation, transmission and distribution capacity, through the development of sustainable and reliable generation capacity, notably in solar and hydroelectric power, and the corresponding strengthening of the transmission and distribution network.
As a reminder, BOAD has made renewable energies one of its priorities to support the sustainable development of its member states over the coming years, as demonstrated by Axis 3 of its Strategic Plan ” DJOLIBA 2021-2025 “.
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About West African Development Bank
The Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD) is the joint development finance institution of the countries of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU). According to Article 2 of its Articles of Association, the BOAD’s purpose is to “promote the balanced development of member states and achieve economic integration in West Africa” by financing priority development projects. It is accredited with the three climate finance mechanisms (GEF, AF, GCF). Since 2009, BOAD has been an observer at the UNFCCC and has played an active role in discussions concerning the construction of an international architecture for climate finance. Since January 2013, it has been home to the first Regional Collaboration Center (CRC) on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), whose aim is to provide direct support to governments, NGOs and the private sector in identifying and developing CDM projects. It is committed to carbon neutrality by 2023. WWW.BOAD.ORG