British company Konexa has signed an agreement with Kano State Electricity Distribution Company (Kedco) and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) for the deployment of renewable energy in Kano State in northern Nigeria. Konexa plans to invest $100 million.
Kano State’s electricity capacity is expected to increase by 2022. This is the promise made by Konexa, a renewable energy producer based in London, UK. The company, which has focused its development strategy on sub-Saharan Africa, recently signed an agreement with Kano State Electricity Distribution Company (Kedco), the company that provides the electricity utility in Kano State, Nigeria.
The agreement covers the deployment of renewable energy in the northern Nigerian state. The company plans to invest USD 100 million with the backing of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). Under this partnership, the deployment of solar energy will be favoured given its accessibility and the natural potential of northern Nigeria (Sahel). “This partnership allows us to attract investment to improve the reliability and quality of supply for our customers. We have both on-grid and off-grid solutions. Solar is an off-grid solution, and there are other solutions that Konexa brings,” says Jamil Gwamna, Kedco’s managing director.
The goal of 10 MW by 2022
In Nigeria, electricity from the public grid is distributed by 11 companies called DisCos. Konexa plans to expand Kedco’s network to 10 MW by 2022. The utility, which provides electricity service in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states, could also benefit from other services from Konexa, including rehabilitation of the distribution network and maximising revenue from the sale of electricity to consumers.
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“This is important given the state of the electricity sector in Nigeria, where many DisCos are struggling financially, even if it is just to pay for the electricity supplied to them. So, we believe that Konexa will make a significant contribution to solving the problem of the electricity sector in Nigeria,” says Pradeep Pursnani, Konexa’s managing director.
Similar experience in Kaduna State
The power producer also intends to build on the results of its project in Kano to invest in other states in the Nigerian federation. Konexa is already active in Kaduna State where it is implementing several projects, including the construction of small-scale solar power plants with a total capacity of 2.5 MW. The company also wants to acquire 30 MW of hydroelectric power from a decommissioned plant.
For these two projects, Konexa received a grant from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) in 2020. For its deployment in Nigeria, the renewable energy producer will be able to rely on other partners, notably the Climate Fund Managers, the Rockefeller Foundation, the British government’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Shell Foundation and Power Africa, a US government initiative for the electrification of Africa.
Jean Marie Takouleu
