« Le Forum Invest in Sénégal 2025 (https://FiiSenegal.sn/) est la scène où le Sénégal démontre comment innovation, durabilité et transparence convergent pour soutenir le modèle de croissance du pays », affirme Bakary Séga Bathily, Directeur général de l’APIX (https://InvestInSenegal.sn/).
Les 7 et 8 octobre prochains, le Centre international de conférences Abdou Diouf (CICAD) de Diamniadio accueillera la deuxième édition du Fii Sénégal. Un rendez-vous stratégique qui confirme l’ambition du pays de s’imposer comme hub régional de l’innovation et du développement durable.
Parmi les moments phares, une session conduite par l’APIX présentera le nouveau Code des investissements 2025. Ce dispositif élargi entend stimuler les projets stratégiques et responsables, avec à la clé des incitations renforcées, une simplification des procédures administratives, un meilleur accès au foncier et un appui accru aux PME.
Ce forum s’inscrit dans le prolongement des avancées majeures de la Vision Sénégal 2050 : une centrale solaire de 500 MW et de nouveaux parcs éoliens renforcent le mix énergétique, tandis que des infrastructures comme le BRT électrique et le TER modernisent la mobilité urbaine. L’agriculture circulaire, l’agri-énergie et les transferts d’eau à grande échelle participent à la sécurité alimentaire, pendant que la Startup Act, le cloud souverain et le centre national de données posent les bases d’une économie numérique compétitive.
Sur le terrain social, des dispositifs tels que la DER/FJ et l’ADEPME soutiennent l’entrepreneuriat féminin et des jeunes grâce au financement, au mentorat et à l’accompagnement technique.
Le programme du forum prévoit plusieurs temps forts : un panel de haut niveau sur l’énergie et les ressources stratégiques, des rencontres sur la cartographie industrielle et les opportunités d’investissement, ainsi qu’une session consacrée aux TIC et à l’intelligence artificielle. À cela s’ajouteront un concours de pitchs pour startups et des débats sur l’impact des technologies dans l’agriculture.
« En mettant en avant des initiatives porteuses de prospérité partagée et d’impact à l’échelle régionale, Fii Sénégal 2025 illustre parfaitement son credo : connecter les opportunités, bâtir l’avenir », conclut M. Bathily.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Cormac Price, Post-doctoral fellow the HerpHealth lab, office 218, Building G23. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University; University of KwaZulu-Natal
Black mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis) are Africa’s longest, most famous venomous snakes. Despite their fearsome reputation, these misunderstood snakes are vital players in their ecosystems. They keep rodent populations in check and, in turn, help to protect crops and limit disease spread. The species ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Somalia and south into South Africa. They can adapt to many environments.
Zoologist Cormac Price, in new research with professors Marc Humphries and Graham Alexander and reptile conservationist Nick Evans, found that black mambas can be indicators of heavy metal pollution. We asked him about it.
How do black mambas indicate toxic pollution?
It’s about bio-accumulation. Bioaccumulation happens when chemicals, like pesticides or heavy metals, build up in an organism’s body. These toxins come from polluted environments, from waste products of human activities like manufacturing. They pollute water or soil and gradually accumulate in plants and animals.
If toxins are present in the environment, they may first be taken in by plants, and then by animals that eat the plants, and animals that eat those animals. Black mambas are quite high up the food chain, so a lot of the toxins would accumulate in their bodies. These poisonous substances can reach dangerous levels, causing health problems for whatever eats them.
We tested the presence of four types of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) in the bodies of black mambas.
All our samples were from the eThekwini Municipality (greater Durban area) in South Africa. Durban is a busy shipping container port and has a large industrial sector that includes chemicals, petrochemicals and automotive manufacturing. Alongside all this industry the municipality also has a network of conservancies and green spaces, known as the Durban Metropolitan Open Space System.
We chose to test for these metals because they are widely used in different industries and can cause drastic negative effects in the body. Mercury primarily damages the nervous system, arsenic can cause cancer and skin lesions, cadmium harms kidneys and bones and lead mainly affects brain development and blood functions. Because these metals accumulate over time and are difficult to break down, even low-level exposure can lead to chronic poisoning and long-term health problems.
Black mamba.Nick Evans KZN Amphibian & Reptile Conservation
Black mambas appear to be doing well in Durban and taking advantage of the abundance of rodents, which they eat. Wherever there is human settlement there will be waste and discarded food which rodents take full advantage of. Black mambas can also be quite site-specific when not disturbed, living in the same refuge for many years, giving a clearer indication of pollution levels at that specific site. This makes the snakes potentially good bioindicator species.
A bioindicator species is one that helps us understand the health of an environment. Because they are sensitive to changes like pollution or habitat damage, their presence, absence or condition can reveal if an ecosystem is in good condition or is experiencing increases of pollution or degradation.
The pollutants can be detected and calculated from a non-invasive, harmless scale clipping. Snake scales are composed mostly of keratin, the same sort of protein that produces human hair and nails. To clip a very thin slice of snake scale is as harmless as clipping a human finger nail.
We collected 31 mambas that had already been killed by vehicles, people or dogs, and tested muscle and liver samples from them for toxins. We also took scale clippings from 61 live snakes.
This was the first time in Africa that a species of snake was tested to see if it could be used as an indicator species of heavy metal pollution.
What did you find?
We found that the heavy metal concentrations in scales correlated with those found in the muscle and liver samples. For three of the four metals, scales were as accurate for testing as muscle and liver samples. So the harmless testing method is as good as the more invasive one.
For arsenic, cadmium and lead, the snakes were accumulating significantly lower concentrations of these toxins in the open, natural sites of the Durban Metropolitan Open Space System compared to more industrial and commercial areas. Mercury was less significantly different due to its more volatile nature and its capacity to travel through the environment.
What made you test mamba scales in the first place?
In 2020, I attended a conference on amphibians and reptiles, where a friend of mine presented his work on heavy metal pollutants in tiger snakes in the city of Perth, Australia.
I’ve also been working with Nick Evans of KZN Amphibian & Reptile Conservation for some years, on urban reptile ecology. Nick began collecting scale clippings, and I began to realise, while looking through the literature, how novel this was on a continental scale. Snakes had never been tested as a potential bioindicator species of heavy metal pollution in Africa previously.
Black mamba.Nick Evans KZN Amphibian & Reptile Conservation
Marc Humphries is a professor of environmental chemistry, and I was aware of his work on lead exposure in Nile crocodiles at St Lucia, a wetland in South Africa. When he expressed interest in examining the scale clippings, we were thrilled. Graham Alexander’s expertise in snake behaviour in general and specifically snakes in Durban was also instrumental in the success of this research.
How can this help fight pollution?
The fight against pollution is in the hands of the municipality and city managers. What the snakes are doing is warning us of the increasing danger these pollutants pose to environmental health and ultimately human health. They are also showing us how important open spaces are to the overall environmental and human health of the city of Durban. The snakes are telling us a story; what people in authority decide to do with this story rests with them.
Nick Evans of KZN Amphibian & Reptile Conservation made valuable contributions to the research and was a co-author on the article.
– Toxic pollution builds up in snake scales: what we learnt from black mambas – https://theconversation.com/toxic-pollution-builds-up-in-snake-scales-what-we-learnt-from-black-mambas-265802
“The Forum Invest in Senegal 2025 (https://FiiSenegal.sn/) is the stage where Senegal demonstrates how innovation, sustainability, and transparency converge to support the country’s growth model,” affirms Bakary Séga Bathily, Director General of APIX (https://InvestInSenegal.sn/).
On October 7 and 8, the Abdou Diouf International Conference Center (CICAD) in Diamniadio will host the second edition of Fii Senegal. This strategic event reaffirms the country’s ambition to establish itself as a regional hub for innovation and sustainable development.
Among the key highlights, a session led by APIX will unveil the new 2025 Investment Code. This expanded framework aims to boost strategic and responsible projects through enhanced incentives, streamlined administrative procedures, improved access to land, and increased support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This forum builds on the major milestones of Senegal’s Vision 2050: a 500 MW solar power plant and new wind farms are strengthening the energy mix, while infrastructure projects like the electric BRT and the regional express train (TER) are modernizing urban mobility. Circular agriculture, agri-energy, and large-scale water transfers are contributing to food security, while initiatives such as the Startup Act, the sovereign cloud, and the national data center are laying the foundation for a competitive digital economy.
On the social front, initiatives such as DER/FJ and ADEPME support women and youth entrepreneurship through funding, mentorship, and technical assistance.
The forum’s agenda includes several key highlights: a high-level panel on energy and strategic resources, discussions on industrial mapping and investment opportunities, and a dedicated session on ICT and artificial intelligence. Additional features will include a startup pitch competition and debates on the impact of technology in agriculture.
“By showcasing initiatives that deliver shared prosperity and strategic impact across the region, Fii Senegal is emphasizing its theme of ‘connecting opportunities, building the future’,” added M. Bathily.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APIX Senegal S.A.
Angolan independent etu energias has finalized a structured disbursement agreement to finance capital expenditure and development activities for its 7.5% participating interest in Block 17/06, home to the Begonia project.
The agreement was signed by Edson Dos Santos, CEO, etu energias; Matthew Thomas, Senior Relationship Manager – Structured Debt, Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB); and Vianney Faucheur de Battisti, Head of Structured Trade Finance, New Ventures, TotalEnergies Trading SA at African Energy Week 2025 in Cape Town on Thursday.
The Begonia project, located in offshore Block 17/06, is Angola’s first inter-block project and began production earlier this year, with an expected output of 30,000 barrels per day. Partners on the block include Sonangol E&P, SSI, etu energias and Falcon Oil, with TotalEnergies serving as operator.
Dos Santos described the agreement as “such an important transaction” for etu energias, which is Angola’s largest privately-owned energy company.
“As a long-time partner of etu energias, we are pleased to continue our collaboration and grow it further with this transaction,” said de Battisti.
“This is a landmark moment for MCB. We have been active in African markets for quite some time, and we are proud to support African E&Ps in driving efficient operations and growth,” added Thomas.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Employees of over 100 Congolese companies received training in the African Development Bank’s rules (www.AfDB.org) and procedures during an information and awareness seminar held in Brazzaville on 24 September 2025. The event forms part of the preparations for the Bank Group’s Annual Meetings scheduled to take place in Brazzaville in May 2026.
“The main objective of the seminar is to raise awareness among companies operating in the Republic of Congo about the Bank’s rules and procedures. This will help prepare them for contract opportunities with the Bank in the context of the Annual Meetings and even beyond,” said Olivier Beguy, Country Economist at the Bank’s Liaison Office in Congo, speaking on behalf of the Bank’s Director-General for Central Africa, Léandre Bassolé.
The meeting aimed to familiarise local businesses with procurement and contract management procedures, while identifying new service providers and expanding the Bank’s supplier database. The Bank also sought to gather feedback from local stakeholders to help tailor its procedures to the country context and optimize its internal systems.
The Bank’s institutional procurement volume for 2024 was estimated at around $103 million, of which only 0.09 percent was allocated to Congolese companies.
In his introductory remarks, Ludovic Ngatsé, Congolese Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration, and the Bank’s Governor for the country, said: “The Bank’s projects and programmes represent considerable contract volumes, and our collective ambition is for Congolese companies to be able to capture a significant share of them.”
Following the seminar, more than 100 companies across various sectors were added to the Bank’s supplier database, an important step before the opening of the service procurement contracts for the Annual Meetings.
“The seminar identified a pool of more than 105 companies with expertise in various sectors. The quality of the companies represented reinforces our belief that we will have competent suppliers for our next Annual Meetings, where their services will be in high demand,” concluded Marcelle Akposso, Head of the Bank’s Institutional Procurement Division.
The Bank has been active in the Republic of Congo since 197 and has financed projects totalling $1.27 billion in value. As of 30 June 2025 it had an active portfolio of nine sovereign operations in various sectors, valued at approximately $223.3 million.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media contact:
Solange Kamuanga-Tossou
Communication and External Relations Department media@afdb.org
Plus de 100 entreprises congolaises ont été formées aux règles et procédures de la Banque africaine de développement (www.AfDB.org) lors d’un séminaire d’information et de sensibilisation organisé le 24 septembre 2025 à Brazzaville. L’événement, piloté par le département des Services généraux et des achats de la Banque s’inscrit dans les préparatifs des Assemblées annuelles du Groupe de la Banque, prévues à Brazzaville en mai 2026.
« L’objectif principal de ce séminaire est de sensibiliser les entreprises exerçant en République du Congo sur les règles et procédures de la Banque afin de mieux les préparer aux opportunités de marchés avec la Banque dans le cadre des Assemblées annuelles et même au-delà », a déclaré Olivier Beguy, économiste pays du bureau de liaison de la Banque au Congo, au nom du directeur général de la Banque pour l’Afrique centrale, Léandre Bassolé.
Cette rencontre visait à familiariser les acteurs économiques locaux avec les procédures d’acquisitions et de gestion des contrats, tout en identifiant de nouveaux prestataires et en enrichissant la base de données des fournisseurs de la Banque. Il était également question pour la Banque de collecter les avis des parties prenantes locales afin de mieux ajuster ses procédures au contexte du pays et d’optimiser ses dispositifs internes.
Au titre de l’année 2024, le volume des acquisitions institutionnelles de la Banque a été évalué à quelque 103 millions de dollars, dont seulement 0,09 % ont été alloués à des entreprises congolaises.
Dans son mot d’introduction, Ludovic Ngatsé, ministre congolais de l’Économie, du Plan et de l’Intégration régionale, et gouverneur de la Banque pour le Congo a déclaré : « Les projets et programmes de la Banque représentent des volumes de marchés considérables, et notre ambition collective est que les entreprises congolaises puissent en saisir une part significative ».
À l’issue du séminaire, plus de 100 entreprises issues de divers secteurs ont été intégrées à la base de données « fournisseurs de la Banque », une étape importante avant l’ouverture des marchés de prestation de services à l’occasion des Assemblées annuelles.
« Ce séminaire a permis d’identifier un vivier de plus de 105 entreprises compétentes dans divers secteurs. La qualité des entreprises représentées nous conforte dans l’idée que nous disposerons de fournisseurs compétents pour nos prochaines Assemblées annuelles, où leurs services seront fortement sollicités », a conclu Marcelle Akposso, cheffe de la Division des achats institutionnels de la Banque.
La Banque coopère avec la République du Congo depuis 1972, ayant financé des projets totalisant 1,27 milliard de dollars. Au 30 juin 2025, son portefeuille actif comprenait neuf opérations souveraines dans divers secteurs pour environ 223,3 millions de dollars.
Distribué par APO Group pour African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
La Mauritanie a signé son premier contrat de producteur d’électricité indépendant, un accord de 300 millions de dollars américains avec Iwa Green Energy pour développer une centrale hybride solaire-éolienne de 60 mégawatts.
Ce projet marque une étape importante dans la volonté du pays d’accroître sa production d’électricité grâce à des financements privés, tout en accélérant sa transition vers les énergies renouvelables. L’installation, dont la mise en service est prévue en septembre 2026, portera la capacité installée de la Mauritanie à environ 450 mégawatts.
« Ce projet avec des acteurs privés témoigne de leur confiance dans la volonté du gouvernement mauritanien de diversifier la base de production et de fournir des sources d’énergie durables au service de l’économie », a déclaré Sid’Ahmed Ould Bouh, ministre de l’Économie et des Finances de la Mauritanie.
Avec moins de 10% des foyers ruraux raccordés à l’électricité, la Mauritanie dépend fortement des combustibles importés malgré son vaste potentiel en énergies renouvelables. Le gouvernement s’est fixé des objectifs ambitieux dans le cadre du plan de transition énergétique du président Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, visant à diversifier et à accélérer le rythme de la transition énergétique, à réduire les émissions de gaz carbonique et à renforcer les capacités de production d’énergie électrique.
Le ministre Mohamed Ould Khaled, ministre de l’Énergie et du Pétrole a souligné que le modèle de financement entièrement privé permettra au pays d’accroître son offre sans augmenter la dette publique.
Directeur de l’Énergie renouvelable et l’Efficacité énergétique à la Banque africaine de développement, Daniel Schroth a salué la Mauritanie pour avoir franchi cette étape importante en appliquant le Protocole Commun de Desert to Power, illustrant sa pertinence comme outil d’accélération de la mise en œuvre des projets IPP (producteur indépendant d’électricité) dans le Sahel. « Ce projet contribuera à la réalisation des objectifs de l’Initiative Desert to Power et la mise en œuvre du Compact énergétique de la Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/3VNOgmz) de la Mauritanie.
Distribué par APO Group pour African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contact médias :
Département de la communication et des relations extérieures media@afdb.org
À propos de l’Initiative Desert to Power :
lancée en 2019 par le Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement, l’Initiative Desert to Power vise à exploiter le potentiel solaire de onze pays du Sahel (Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Érythrée, Éthiopie, Mali, Mauritanie, Niger, Nigeria, Sénégal, Soudan et Tchad,) par des investissements dans la production solaire et l’accès à l’électricité. L’initiative vise à produire 10 gigawatts d’énergie solaire qui profiteront aux 250 millions de personnes qui n’ont pas accès à l’électricité.
Mais de 100 empresas congolesas receberam formação sobre as regras e procedimentos do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (www.AfDB.org) durante um seminário de informação e sensibilização realizado a 24 de setembro de 2025, em Brazzaville. O evento, liderado pelo departamento de Serviços Gerais e Compras do Banco, faz parte dos preparativos para os Encontros Anuais do Grupo Banco, em maio de 2026, em Brazzaville.
“O principal objetivo deste seminário é sensibilizar as empresas que operam na República do Congo para as regras e procedimentos do Banco, para as preparar melhor para as oportunidades de mercado com o Banco no âmbito dos Encontros Anuais e também para lá disso”, declarou Olivier Beguy, economista do escritório de ligação do Banco no Congo, em nome do diretor-geral do Banco para a África Central, Léandre Bassolé.
Este encontro teve como objetivo familiarizar os atores económicos locais com os procedimentos de aquisição e gestão de contratos, identificando simultaneamente novos prestadores de serviços e enriquecendo a base de dados de fornecedores do Banco. O Banco pretendia também recolher as opiniões dos intevenientes locais, para ajustar melhor os seus procedimentos ao contexto do país e otimizar os seus mecanismos internos.
Em 2024, o volume de aquisições institucionais do Banco foi avaliado em cerca de 103 milhões de dólares, dos quais apenas 0,09% foram atribuídos a empresas congolesas.
Na sua introdução, Ludovic Ngatsé, ministro congolês da Economia, do Planeamento e da Integração Regional e governador do Banco para o Congo, declarou: “Os projetos e programas do Banco representam volumes de mercado consideráveis, e a nossa ambição coletiva é que as empresas congolesas possam obter uma parte significativa deles”.
No final do seminário, mais de 100 empresas de vários setores foram integradas na base de dados ‘fornecedores do Banco’, um passo importante antes da abertura dos mercados de prestação de serviços, no âmbito dos Encontros Anuais.
“Este seminário permitiu identificar um conjunto de mais de 105 empresas competentes em vários setores. A qualidade das empresas representadas reforça a nossa convicção de que disporemos de fornecedores competentes para os nossos próximos Encontros Anuais, onde os seus serviços serão muito solicitado”», concluiu Marcelle Akposso, chefe da Divisão de Compras Institucionais do Banco.
O Banco coopera com a República do Congo desde 1972, tendo financiado projetos no valor total de 1,27 mil milhões de dólares. A 30 de junho de 2025, a sua carteira ativa incluía nove operações soberanas em vários setores, no valor aproximado de 223,3 milhões de dólares.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contacto para os media:
Solange Kamuanga-Tossou
Departamento de Comunicação e Relações Externas
media@afdb.org
Sobre o Grupo do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento:
O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento é a principal instituição financeira de desenvolvimento em África. Inclui três entidades distintas: o Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (AfDB), o Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento (ADF) e o Fundo Fiduciário da Nigéria (NTF). Presente no terreno em 41 países africanos, com uma representação externa no Japão, o Banco contribui para o desenvolvimento económico e o progresso social dos seus 54 Estados-membros. Mais informações em www.AfDB.org/pt
A Mauritânia assinou o seu primeiro contrato com um produtor independente de energia (IPP), um acordo de 300 milhões de dólares com a Iwa Green Energy para desenvolver uma central híbrida de energia solar e eólica de 60 megawatts.
O projeto éum marco na iniciativa do país de expandir a geração de eletricidade através de financiamento privado, acelerando a sua transição para energias renováveis. A instalação, que deverá começar a operar em setembro de 2026, aumentará a capacidade instalada da Mauritânia em cerca de 450 megawatts.
“Este projeto com atores privados demonstra a sua confiança no compromisso do governo mauritano em diversificar a base de produção e fornecer fontes de energia sustentáveis para servir a economia”, disse o ministro da Economia e Finanças, Sid’Ahmed Ould Bouh, na cerimónia de assinatura, em Nouakchott.
Com menos de 10% das famílias rurais ligadas à eletricidade, a Mauritânia depende fortemente de combustíveis importados, apesar do seu vasto potencial de energia renovável. O governo estabeleceu metas ambiciosas no âmbito do plano de transição energética do presidente Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, com o objetivo de alcançar o acesso universal à eletricidade e 70% de produção renovável até 2030.
O projeto foi um dos primeiros a ser desenvolvido no âmbito do Protocolo Conjunto de Produtores Independentes de Energia da iniciativa Desert to Power (https://apo-opa.co/48JQ3Rc), uma estrutura regional apoiada pelo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento para atrair capital privado através da harmonização das condições de investimento em 11 países do Sahel.
O ministro da Energia, Mohamed Ould Khaled, salientou que o modelo de financiamento totalmente privado permitirá ao país expandir o abastecimento sem aumentar a dívida pública.
Daniel Schroth, diretor de Energias Renováveis e Eficiência Energética do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento, elogiou a Mauritânia por dar este importante passo na aplicação do Protocolo Conjunto da Desert to Power, ilustrando a sua relevância como ferramenta para acelerar a implementação de projetos IPP no Sahel.
“Este projeto contribuirá para os objetivos da Iniciativa Desert to Power e do Compacto Energético Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/4gTDrcd) da Mauritânia”, afirmou Schroth.
O projeto faz parte de uma mudança em todo o continente, em que os governos africanos estão cada vez mais a recorrer a produtores independentes de energia para mobilizar investimentos e ampliar projetos renováveis, reduzindo simultaneamente a pressão sobre as finanças públicas.
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contacto para os media:
Departamento de Comunicação e Relações Externas
media@afdb.org
Sobre a Iniciativa Desert to Power:
Lançada em 2019 pelo Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento, a Iniciativa Desert to Power visa aproveitar o potencial solar de 11 países do Sahel (Burquina Faso, Chade, Djibuti, Eritreia, Etiópia, Mali, Mauritânia, Níger, Nigéria, Senegal e Sudão) através de investimentos na geração de energia solar e no acesso à eletricidade.
Sobre o Grupo do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento:
O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento é a principal instituição financeira de desenvolvimento em África. Inclui três entidades distintas: o Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (AfDB), o Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento (ADF) e o Fundo Fiduciário da Nigéria (NTF). Presente no terreno em 41 países africanos, com uma representação externa no Japão, o Banco contribui para o desenvolvimento económico e o progresso social dos seus 54 Estados-membros. Mais informações em www.AfDB.org/pt
Mauritania has signed its first independent power producer contract, a $300 million agreement with Iwa Green Energy to develop a 60-megawatt hybrid solar-wind power plant.
The project marks a milestone in the country’s drive to expand electricity generation through private financing while accelerating its transition to renewables. The facility, scheduled to come onstream in September 2026, will boost Mauritania’s installed capacity of about 450 megawatts.
“This project with private actors demonstrates their confidence in the Mauritanian government’s commitment to diversifying the production base and providing sustainable energy sources to serve the economy,” said Economy and Finance Minister Sid’Ahmed Ould Bouh at the signing ceremony in Nouakchott.
With fewer than 10 percent of rural households connected to electricity, Mauritania relies heavily on imported fuels despite its vast renewable energy potential. The government has set ambitious goals under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani’s energy transition plan, targeting universal electricity access and 70 percent renewable generation by 2030.
The project was one of the first to be developed under the Desert to Power (https://apo-opa.co/48JQ3Rc) initiative’s Independent Power Producer Joint Protocol, a regional framework backed by the African Development Bank to attract private capital through standardised investment terms across 11 Sahel countries.
Energy Minister Mohamed Ould Khaled stressed that the fully private financing model will allow the country to expand supply without adding to public debt.
Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank, commended Mauritania for taking this important step in applying the Desert to Power Joint Protocol, illustrating its relevance as a tool for accelerating the implementation of IPP projects in the Sahel.
“This project will contribute to the goals of the Desert to Power Initiative and Mauritania’s Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/3VNOgmz) Energy Compact,” Schroth stated.
The project is part of a continent-wide shift in which African governments are increasingly turning to independent power producers to mobilise investment and scale renewable projects while reducing pressure on public finances.
– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media contact:
Department of Communications and External Relations
media@afdb.org
About the Desert to Power Initiative:
Launched in 2019 by the African Development Bank Group, the Desert to Power Initiative aims to harness the solar potential of 11 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan) through investments in solar power generation and access to electricity.
