Niger Government Signs 200 MW Solar-Plus-Storage PPP Agreement with NEPP

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Nigerien government has signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with Niger Electric Power Production Company (NEPP) in the capital Niamey to build a 200 MW photovoltaic power station equipped with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The agreement was signed on behalf of both parties by Niger's Minister of Energy, Amadou Haoua, and NEPP's Chief Executive Officer, Adamou Amadou Daouda.

The total investment for the project amounts to 126.1 billion West African CFA francs (approximately USD 205–225 million), adopting a BOT (Build–Operate–Transfer) model with a 20-year concession period. The project construction and financing phase is expected to last approximately 24 months, with the first 6 months dedicated to supplementary technical studies and fundraising. Upon completion, the electricity generated will be sold to Niger's national power utility, NIGELEC, at a contracted tariff of 35 West African CFA francs per kilowatt-hour. At the end of the concession period, ownership of the power station will be transferred to the Nigerien state.

The project is located in the capital, Niamey. The integrated battery energy storage system is designed to address the intermittency of solar power generation by storing surplus electricity during periods of high sunlight and releasing it during peak demand hours and at night, thereby enhancing the stability of power supply in the capital region. Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Nigeriens Abroad, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, stated that the project will create approximately 1,300 direct and indirect jobs.

Niger currently relies heavily on thermal power generation and electricity imports from neighboring Nigeria to meet its power supply needs. This project is part of Niger's plan to increase the share of renewable energy in its electricity mix, targeting 30% by 2030. The project company, NEPP, was established in October 2024 with a registered capital of 5 million West African CFA francs.