Niger - Desert to Power Initiative - Project for the Development of Solar Power Plants and Improvement of Access to Electricity (RANAA)

RANA is a flagship project of the Desert to Power Initiative in the country, the priorities of which were set out in the national roadmap approved in 2020. It is consistent with the Bank’s CSP 2018-2022 and sector policies detailed above, as well as with Niger’s national priorities. The RANA project will not only increase electrical infrastructure as envisaged but also make it possible inter alia to conduct studies essential for preparing future sector operations and mobilizing the necessary financing from the donor community in Niger. These studies concern in particular the construction of a solar power plant in the central part of the country and the hybridisation of the SONICHAR thermal plant. Conditions will be created for effectively supporting the country’s energy transition. The project also concerns the operational framework for the deployment of solar cookers, an alternative clean cooking technology developed locally in Niger. The total cost of the project, net of taxes and customs duties, is estimated at UA 120.98 million, of which 87% is in foreign exchange and 13% in local currency. It will span a period of 5 years, from January 2023 to December 2027. This project primarily contributes to climate mitigation results. As such, 100% of the total approved amount is attributed as climate finance, of which 100% is dedicated to mitigation.