Côte d’Ivoire, JC Mont-Fort Seal Solar Deal

May 22, 2025

Key Figures & Findings: Côte d’Ivoire has formally approved the construction of a  60 million solar plant in Katiola, awarding the 25-year concession to Katiola Solar Power, a subsidiary of Swiss investor JC Mont-Fort. The May 21, 2025 decree validates a public-private agreement signed in late 2024, granting the developer full responsibility for design, funding, and long-term operation of the plant. The project will be 100% privately financed, without state capital or sovereign guarantees, making it one of the clearest applications yet of the country’s private-led National Energy Pact. JC Mont-Fort’s entry deepens Swiss involvement in West African energy, as the country races to diversify a power mix that is still heavily dependent on gas. This plant also joins a cluster of new solar and hydro projects—Gribo-Popoli (112 MW), FERKE SOLAR (52.42 MW), and Bondoukou (50 MW)—that signal a coordinated national shift toward renewables.

Statistics & Insights: The plant is expected to generate 85,934 MWh per year—enough to power more than 70,000 homes—and is part of Côte d’Ivoire’s strategy to meet a 45% renewable energy mix by 2030. The fund will be privately injected under a concession model.

Future Implications: If operational by 2027, the project could validate Côte d’Ivoire’s bid to mobilize $2 billion in private capital for renewables. Its structure may become a template for future asset-backed clean energy deals across the region.