Togo: Construction of the Dapaong Solar Plant Begins

Energy

Thursday, 24 April 2025 12:01

Togo: Construction of the Dapaong Solar Plant Begins

(Togo First) - The Dapaong Solar power plant is officially under construction. The works began on April 22 and should be completed within 13 months. The plant is located in the northern part of Togo.

Chinese firm TBEA International Engineering, a global heavyweight in energy infrastructure, is handling the plant’s design, equipment supply, and full assembly–including a 40-megawatt-hour storage system to keep the lights on after sunset.

The facility will feature 36,000 solar panels across 52 hectares, delivering 25 megawatts at peak capacity. This project is meant to do more than just generate power. It aims to stabilize the grid and expand electricity access, targeting around 60 rural communities. The plant is expected to supply 52,114 megawatt-hours annually, powering nearly 29,000 homes and cutting 33,600 tons of carbon emissions each year.

“This is a project at the crossroads of economic ambitions, energy sovereignty and sustainable development. Without electricity, there can be no health, no education, no industry and therefore no jobs,” said Mawusi Kakatsi, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Mines.

Supported by World Bank financing of around CFA40 billion (more than €60 million), this project is part of the Regional Urgent Intervention Project in the Solar Energy Sector (RESPITE). It also contributes to the Emergency Programme for the Savanes Region (PURS), which aims to reduce economic and security vulnerabilities in this northern area of Togo.

This new infrastructure complements the already operational Blitta solar plant and other ongoing projects in Sokodé (64 MWp), Awandjelo (40 MWp), and Agoè-Nyivé (7 MWp). Together, these efforts support Togo’s national goal to raise electricity access to 75% by the end of 2025 and achieve universal access by 2030.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

REFORMS OVERVIEW

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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)

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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 .

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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.

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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.

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