As a country that primarily relies on importing natural gasses, steps have been taken to give people access to solar energy, a cheaper and cleaner alternative. Engie Energy Access, a French company, has reached a 20-year agreement with the Benin government to build solar panels across the country.

Ericsson will support MTN Benin’s planned rural coverage across 29 sites with energy-efficient Ericsson Radio System products. All the sites will run sustainably on 100% solar and battery power, running on clean and reliable energy sources and reducing the operator’s carbon footprint.

Climate change is a growing threat to the West African country, but the transition to renewable energy provides an opportunity to stimulate job growth. However, to effectively address this challenge, policymakers must ensure the implementation of better regulation and market access policies.

Investing in Women’s Entrepreneurship for a Greener Economy in Benin (IFEV-Benin) was set up by the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF). The funding – CAD 6 million (around $4.38m) – is provided by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

A village in the South of Benin has inaugurated a mini-grid powered by solar panels and supported by 130kWh of lithium-ion batteries. The mini-grid in Dohoué connects more than 1,500 residents and businesses to clean energy.

The mini-grid, expected to connect over 1,500 residents to electricity, is part of the company’s wider plans to install over 20 mini-grids in Benin, which will serve more than 30,000 people across 20 rural localities collectively, through a total 1.2 MW capacity.

Residents of Amagba community, Benin, the Edo State capital, were excited and grateful to the Benin branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers for donating solar street lights spanning a distance of 420 metres on Emwinmadomwan Street.

Two and a half years after Oikocredit invested in the off-grid enterprise Weziza, we look at how better access to electricity is supporting economic development in West Africa. New mini-grids have created a positive impact for more than 2,500 households and 15,000 people.