BUSINESS
SENEGAL – Tysilio inaugurates a solar station near Sédhiou in Casamance
Tysilio Senegal, a subsidiary of the French group, has just inaugurated the 39.68 kWp Tysilio solar station (TSS) in Sefa, near Sédhiou, Casamance. The installation is equipped with a bidirectional inverter and an energy storage system.
Sefa’s Community Agricultural Estate (CAR) will benefit from the solar energy produced during the day as well as the surplus that will be stored so that it can be consumed outside the hours of sunshine.
Tysilio has signed a partnership agreement with PRODAC (Community Agricultural Fields Programme) which defines an active collaboration to promote Sefa’s DAC’s sustainable access to electricity through photovoltaic solutions. This partnership was made possible thanks to the assistance of the economic service of the Embassy of France in Dakar which enabled the financing of this pilot project.
Almost 10 million FCFA annual savings
The Tysilio power plant, “innovative in its integrated, eco-friendly, modular, movable, replicable and connected concept,” has a lifespan of 25 years, with battery replacement per decade, explains a Tysilio release. It will save about CFAF 8 million a year on the diesel oil bill (fuel saving and maintenance of a diesel generator).
This demonstrator is 100% funded by the FASEP (Fonds d’étude et d’aide au secteur privé), whose objective is to allow a pilot project that can then be duplicated by other CARs.
PRODAC was created in 2014 and illustrates the willingness of the Senegalese authorities to contribute to the reduction of social insecurity in rural and peri-urban environments by promoting agricultural entrepreneurship among young people and women and, Finally, to ensure the economic and social development of these areas.
The CARs are centres of economic competitiveness, places of integration of young people and of reception of private promoters wishing to invest in the agricultural sector, as well as in production activities as processing and services. However, some CARs are too far away to connect to the power grid. They are powered by expensive diesel generators – twice the price of the public electricity grid.
A model to replicate
It was in this context that Tysilio benefited from support from the FASEP Green Innovation scheme of the General Directorate of the Treasury of the French Ministry of Economy. This scheme promotes the development of technologies, particularly in the field of green innovation.
The FASEP will allow Tysilio to prove the relevance of a modular solar station with a storage system, suitable for use in non-electrified areas on an agricultural estate. But this design is not the only one possible and Tysilio offers many medium-power self-consumption solar solutions, with or without battery, especially thanks to its TSS which can meet higher power demands, for all types of uses (agricultural, industrial, …).
Source : La Tribune Afrique
The presidency of Togo has announced that the project to exploit the manganese mine of Nayega, located in the Savanes region in the north of the country, is entering its operational phase. According to a statement issued on June 10, 2025, production is scheduled to start at the end of June 2025, with an initial volume of 4,000 tons per month, which should gradually double to reach 8,000 tons per month.
Keras Resources is the technical partner retained by the Togolese government to carry out this project. A statement from Keras, relayed by the presidency, details that the company signed a cooperation agreement in 2023 with the Togolese state, owner of the mine through the Togolese Manganese Company (STM). Under the terms of this agreement, Keras will receive a remuneration of 1.5% of the mine’s gross revenue for three years for its advisory services, as well as 6% for brokering services.
The reserves of the Nayega mine are estimated at 8.5 million tonnes, which would allow exploitation over a period of 11 years. The authorities of Lomé welcome the expected contribution of the mine to the national budget, a benefit that should be strengthened by the rigorous management of the generated revenues, as indicated by our colleagues from Agence Afrique.
With a growing global demand for manganese, particularly in steel alloys and renewable energy technologies, Togo is seeking to assert itself as an essential supplier of this strategic ore. This positioning could play a catalytic role for the national economy, always according to information from the Africa Agency.
Source: senego / Photo credit: Republicoftogo.com
The Gabonese government decided on Friday to ban the import of broilers in order to promote national poultry production and ensure food security, according to the final communiqué of the council of ministers chaired by the head of state, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.
The ban will be effective from 1 January 2027, thus leaving a period of 18 months (1 year and 6 months) for actors in the sector to structure themselves, invest and prepare to meet national demand.
“This measure aims to restore domestic poultry production, boost agricultural investment, reduce food dependency and strengthen the trade balance,” the government hopes. Gabon also hopes to foster “the emergence of a network of rural jobs, the rise in quality of products consumed locally and the creation of an economic ecosystem around this sector”.
The government has also planned a detailed operational plan to be presented within 45 days by the ministers responsible for economy and trade.
Libreville dreams of reducing its dependence on poultry imports and strengthening the country’s food security. In addition, the promotion of local poultry farming should have a positive impact on rural areas, generating jobs and contributing to the development of a vibrant poultry ecosystem.
Imported frozen chicken is the most consumed food in Gabon because of its low price and packaging ready to be thrown into a pot.
“The star of the freezer” is how Gabonese people refer to frozen chicken because it is often the only food, if not the default food, found in the freezers of Gabonese families.
Frozen chicken and meat are generally imported from Latin America and Europe. Their massive presence on the market has destroyed local production.
The Council of Ministers also announced a ban on exporting crude manganese from 1 January 2029. The objective is to promote local industrial development, create jobs and maximize the value of this resource, of which Gabon is the world’s second largest producer.
Sources: gabonactu.com
Mauritania is in the spotlight. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Sidi Ould Tah was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the annual meeting of the institution held in Abidjan. He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, in office since 2015.
His election came after a hard-fought duel against Samuel Munzele Maimbo of Zambia, who finished in second place. The election, which was marked by major geopolitical and economic issues, took place against a background of high expectations regarding governance and development financing on the continent.
The Senegalese Amadou Hott, long perceived as one of the favorites, finishes in third place, followed by the South African Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala. Despite significant diplomatic support, notably for Hott, the momentum in favour of Sidi Ould Tah has prevailed in the last few rounds.
Former minister and general manager of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Sidi Ould Tah is recognized for his experience and strategic vision. He will officially take office on 1 September 2025.
Photo credit: Forbes Africa
