AfDB finance to improve energy access in Niger: The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $144.7 million financing agreement for the Government of Niger to improve energy access and private sector competitiveness. Part of the plan includes the development of a 240 MW solar power plant by 2030, with a near-term target of 50 MW by December 2026. The AfDB loan will help the country increase the national electricity access from 22.5% to 30% by 2026. It will, in turn, boost the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the GDP from 2.5% to 3.8%. With this financing, Niger will be able to implement Phase I of the Energy Sector Governance and Competitiveness Support Programme (PAGSEC).
Solar-powered Botswana data center planned: Sub-Saharan-focused solar projects developer AAAS Energy, based in the Netherlands, and US-based data center operator ChillMine Corporation will jointly develop a new data center in Botswana. Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed, AAAS will establish a 250 MW solar PV project with the possible addition of a 100 MW/400 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) to provide a consistent and powerful source of energy to the data center. ChillMine says the data center will cater to clients like large-scale cloud providers that require vast amounts of uninterrupted, low-cost power to support their operations.
100 MW solar project in Zambia: Zambian state mining agency ZCCM Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) has acquired a 35% stake in Maamba Solar Energy Limited (MSEL) to co-develop a 100 MW solar PV project along with Nava Global Pte Ltd. It will be located in Zambia’s Maamba region in the Southern Province. Expected to cost $90 million, the solar power project will add clean power to the national grid, reducing load shedding and supporting the country’s climate goals when it is online by July 2026.
331 MW DC solar project in South Africa: South Africa-based independent power producer (IPP) Red Rocket has reached a financial close for the ‘2nd’ largest solar PV project in the country with 331 MW DC/300 MW AC capacity. The Tournee Solar Park, located in Mpumalanga, will be equipped with close to 463,000 bifacial solar modules and mounted on single-axis trackers. Once operational, it is expected to generate an average of 720 million kWh annually for the national grid over 20 years. Red Rocket plans to commence commercial operations in 2027. Discovery Green is the off-taker.
Floating PV project under construction in Seychelles: French independent power producer (IPP) Qair has launched the construction of a 5.8 MW floating solar PV plant in Seychelles. The Seysun Lagoon Floating PV Plant is located in the Providence Lagoon on Mahé Island. It is backed by a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC). Commissioning is scheduled for 2026. Qair recently achieved a financial close on the project (see $5.7 Million For 1st IPP Utility-Scale Project In Seychelles).
Rooftop solar in Benin: Indian solar PV manufacturer Premier Energies Limited has secured contracts for the supply and installation of solar power systems in Benin in West Africa. The contracts worth $19.95 million cover the installation of 750 rooftop solar systems at socio-community facilities, including police stations, educational institutions, health centers, and special border surveillance units. The order also comprises the installation of more than 4,400 high-efficiency solar streetlights and 650 solar water heaters. Premier Energies says that it secured the financing for the project through a line of credit from the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). It is part of a Benin government initiative to expand access to reliable, sustainable clean energy.
Syria enters Solar and wind deals: Syria’s Public Establishment for Electricity Transmission and Distribution (PETDE) has signed memoranda of understanding with Saudi firms Al-Harfi and Sakalko to develop solar PV and wind projects totaling up to 500 MW in the country. Additionally, it signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Syrian-Turkish company STE for 100 MW of solar energy.
10 MW in Kenya: Equator Energy, a commercial and industrial (C&I) solar operator in Kenya, has commissioned a 10 MW solar power plant for Mombasa Cement. The project is installed as a captive solar power plant at Mombasa Cement’s Vipingo facility. Equator Energy calls it one of the largest privately developed industrial solar projects in East Africa. It will reduce Mombasa Cement’s reliance on the national grid, cut down its daytime emissions, and deliver significant cost savings for the company, according to Equator Energy.
