Mbouna

pending

The Mbouna project involves an eight-year senior-secured loan facility of €10 million to Mbouna SA, wheat flour mill located in Sanankoroba, near Bamako, Mali. Established in 2017, Mbouna SA has experienced significant growth, supported by high product quality, an efficient distribution network, and increasing market demand. Mbouna is an industrial unit specializing in wheat flour production. It supplies the local market with flour and animal feed. The company now commands an estimated 25% share of the market. In response to growing demand, Mbouna initiated a two-phase capital expenditure program. Phase 1 has been successfully completed:• Phase 1: Expanded milling capacity from 200 to 500 tons/day and added an animal feed production line. This was financed with €14.3 million in loans and €8.6 million in internal resources. • Phase 2: Seeks €10 million from IFC of which: i) €7 million to install a 4.3 MW solar power plant, reducing operational costs and mitigating the effects of Mali’s ongoing energy crisis and ii) €3 million to finance the acquisition of a strategic fleet of fuel-efficient trucks. IFC investment will target specifically (i) the construction and operation of a 4.3 MW solar PV power plant with a 12.6 MWh lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), with a combination of panels on soil and metal roof, a mobile concrete batching plant for the mill operations, and a 15 KV overhead transmission line (OHTL) connecting the PV plant to the existing plant over an extension of 0.6 km using an existing right of way (RoW) and (ii) the acquisition of fuel efficient trucks to transport the wheat from port to the plant in Sanankoroba. The electricity generated will power current operations. The Company has acquired a 2.6-hectare site next to its existing facilities on a Willing Buyer Willing Seller (WBWS) basis to accommodate the solar panel project. A small number of isolated residential buildings and a selling point are situated approximately 500 meters from the Mbouna facilities. This infrastructure has been planned to run parallel to the current electrical network, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations and optimal use of the available corridor. Construction is expected to last approximately 18 months, and MECATEC has been selected as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor and will use Jinko Tiger Neo N-type 590 Wc solar panels with warranties of 12 years for modules and 5 years for inverters.