BBOXX to raise £2.5M to provide solar kits to four African nations, Togo included

Energy

Monday, 16 April 2018 19:04

BBOXX to raise £2.5M to provide solar kits to four African nations, Togo included

(Togo First) - British firm BBOXX, which specializes in solar energy said last Thursday it wants to raise, with the U.K government’s support (25%), 2.5 million pound sterling ($3.5 million). This is in the framework of the Energize Africa initiative launched by crowdfunding platform Lendahand Ethex.

With the monies, the UK firm intends to provide more new-generation solar kits in Rwanda, DRC, Nigeria and Togo to which it supplies off-grid power sources, under national electrification scheme.

According to BBOXX’s top executives, the fundraising will be the first of a series that should generate up to 10 million pound sterling ($14 million) over the coming years, providing 100,000 African households with access to clean and cheap energy.

Since 2010 when it was created, the firm has raised nearly $60 million and installed 150,000 power systems, satisfying the needs of 750,000 people. Now, it wants to raise more than $100 million by 2020, to provide electricity to 20 million Africans.

Let’s recall that in Togo, BBOXX, under CIZO scheme, has already benefited from a $4 million financing from Union Togolaise de Banque (UTB).

Fiacre E. Kakpo

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.