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Proparco supports AktivCo to improve the energy efficiency of telecommunication towers in Africa
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Access to digital services and mobile network coverage are key issues for developing and emerging economies. An essential condition for meeting these challenges is the reliability of the power supply for the telecommunication network. However, a large number of towers are not connected to the national electricity grid and generally run on fuel generator. Proparco has granted a loan of 16 million euros to support AktivCo, a subsidiary of the Camusat group in 4 projects aimed at the hybridization of telecommunications towers in Burkina Faso, Niger, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon, which will allow greater energy efficiency of these services and greater reliability of the telecommunications network.
Proparco granted a loan of 16 million euros to Aktivco. The EIF has contributed €27 million. Norfund and AfricaGoGreen are also participating in this operation, for amounts of 9 and 8 million euros respectively. The total amount of the project is €60 million.
Founded in 2015, AktivCo supports telecom operators who want to outsource the energy supply of their telecom towers. This innovative segment called T-ESCO (Telecom - Energy Service Company), allows the owner of a telecom tower to outsource the power supply of the site to a specialized third party in charge of deploying, financing and operating the electrical asset under a long-term contract. This fast-growing market with great potential offers a technical solution based on the combined use of a photovoltaic system, batteries and a fuel generator. This technical device offers advantages in terms of cost and fuel savings.
The project is 100% aligned with the Paris Agreement and will help to avoid 22,800 tCO2/year and contribute to the deployment of efficient telecom infrastructures. It will also contribute to the creation or maintenance of 3,400 direct and indirect jobs.
Further reading
In Senegal, the Facility for Energy Inclusion, managed by Cygnum Capital arranged additional debt for AktivCo
The Facility for Energy Inclusion (“FEI”), managed by Cygnum Capital (formerly Lion’s Head Group), arranged EUR 49.9 million of additional debt from the existing lender group for Camusat’s energy serv...
Published on september 27 2023
