Niger’s electricity company (Nigelec) has commissioned a 30-megawatt photovoltaic plant to compensate for major shortages since Nigeria stopped supplying electricity to Niger in response to the July coup.
With more than 55,000 solar panels, this plant is the largest solar energy facility built in Niger. Nigelec has already seen “improvement of the service” for its subscribers, especially in the capital Niamey (1.5 million inhabitants), Dosso (south) and Tillabéri (west), Mahaman Moustapha Barké explained on television, Minister of Energy of Niger.
The company will be operational on August 25, but its work is delayed by the departure from Niger of “many of the technical staff” who were displaced after the army moved on July 26, he said. The launch of the plant was made possible thanks to “some artisans” left in Niamey, he added, without giving further details.
Nigelec is already seeing an “improvement in the quality of service” for its subscribers, particularly in the capital Niamey (population 1.5 million), Dosso (south) and Tillabéri (west), explained Mahaman Moustapha Barké, Niger’s energy minister, on television.
The embassies of France and Niger warned in a statement on Sunday that “the plant cannot be completed in the conditions previously planned, however, there are operational risks”. This office was created on July 5 by the president who was expelled by the coup, Mohamed Bazoum, and by Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy.
The company costs 20 billion CFA francs (30.4 million euros) and is supported by a loan of 15.5 billion CFA francs (23.6 million euros) from the French Development Agency (AFD) and a grant of 3.5 billion CFA francs (5.3 million euros). of the European Union (EU). For four months, almost all districts of Niamey have suffered major power cuts, as Nigeria stopped supplying Niger as part of sanctions imposed in response to the coup d’état by the Economic Community of States. West Africa (ECOWAS). , led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
 has commissioned a 30-megawatt photovoltaic plant to compensate for major shortages since Nigeria stopped supplying electricity to Niger in response to the July coup.){kind=link}