GAUFF, Côte d’Ivoire Ink €150M Solar Deal

Key Figures & Findings: Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy has officially signed a commercial contract with German engineering firm GAUFF GmbH & Co. Engineering KG for the electrification of 400 rural settlements using photovoltaic solar systems. The agreement, sealed on March 19 at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, marks a strategic push to decentralize power delivery in underserved areas. GAUFF, known for its infrastructure development across Africa, is partnering with the Direction Générale de l’Énergie (DGE) to execute the initiative. Key stakeholders, including Sub-Saharan Africa Division Chief Stefanie Schmid-Lübbert and rural electrification heads from Senegal and the DRC, attended the signing, underscoring strong regional collaboration.

Statistics & Insights: The project, backed by €150 million in financing, will involve field deployment across 10 pilot sites, eventually scaling to 400 settlements. It aims to integrate solar PV microgrids, enhance rural power reliability, and deliver skills transfer to local energy technicians, positioning the program as one of the largest distributed solar investments in Côte d’Ivoire’s energy transition strategy.

Future Implications: Construction could begin as early as 2026, with Côte d’Ivoire aiming to significantly reduce rural electrification gaps. If executed as planned, the project could serve as a scalable blueprint for similar multi-country efforts across West and Central Africa.

Source: LinkedIn