Voice of Energy Leaders: Anton-Louis Olivier

In this edition of Voice of Energy Leaders, we feature Anton-Louis Olivier, CEO of Serengeti Energy Ltd—one of Kenya’s rising independent power producers driving clean energy across sub-Saharan Africa. Serengeti Energy focuses on hydro, solar PV, and battery energy storage (BESS) and currently operates 74MW in five countries, with a 300MW development pipeline. Olivier, who joined in 2023 with over 25 years in the renewable sector, has led a bold turnaround to position the 12-year-old company as a competitive commercial IPP.

Olivier shared how Serengeti Energy restructured its corporate model, optimized assets, and launched flagship projects, including a solar PV plant in Zambia and the largest PV-BESS project in Senegal. Over the next two years, the company plans to complete a new hydropower plant in South Africa, commission its Zambia and Senegal projects, and pursue acquisitions. He also noted the industry’s shift to private off-take agreements and highlighted grid investment as key to unlocking Africa’s renewable potential.

Briefly introduce your company (origin, footprint, focus).

Anton-Louis Olivier: Serengeti Energy is an independent power producer (IPP) specialising in hydro, solar PV, and battery energy storage (BESS) technologies. We operate across sub-Saharan Africa and have 74MW of operating power plants in 5 countries, and are developing a 300MW portfolio.

Share your company’s biggest achievement in the past 12 months.

Anton-Louis Olivier: I joined this 12-year-old company in 2024 and implemented a turnaround strategy to move the company from a small, impact-focused, and Development Finance Institution (DFI) owned entity to a large commercial IPP business. Over the last year, we have restructured our corporate structure and revised our business model to become a more competitive, integrated IPP business.

As part of the turnaround, we began by optimizing our power plant portfolio to be more focused and revamped our asset management systems.

At the same time, we proceeded with the development of an innovative PV plant in Zambia with an innovative power purchase agreement (PPA) that is fully exposed to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), as well as the development of the largest PV BESS project in Senegal. We completed the refinance of our South African business with commercial financing.

Key milestones you aim to achieve in the next 24 months.

Anton-Louis Olivier: Over the next two years, we'll complete construction of our 4th hydro power plant in South Africa, put the PV and BESS projects in Zambia and Senegal into operation, and expand our project development activities. We are also actively assessing acquisition opportunities in our key markets to support our growth and scale objectives.

Major industry challenges from your perspective.

Anton-Louis Olivier: The IPP sector is in the midst of fascinating development. We increasingly see a change from the old model of long-term, national utility off-take with a government guarantee to short-term private off-take agreements. This has huge implications for the market, with traders and brokers bridging the gap between generators and consumers. New financing structures are emerging that consider asset life and competitiveness for debt security. For IPPs, the need is to become much more customer-focused.

Biggest threats and opportunities in the energy sector.

Anton-Louis Olivier: Our industry has always suffered from overregulation, and market liberalisation is in very early stages and needs to be supported and sustained.

We have not made much progress in attracting private investment into transmission grid expansion and upgrades, which is a growing constraint to expanding generation capacity across the region.

On the other hand, governments have all accepted that IPPs are one of the more efficient routes to increasing generation capacity, with little risk to the government and providing good value for money for the local off-takers.

A little about your personal background and journey into the sector.

Anton-Louis Olivier: I am an experienced CEO and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of international experience in the renewable energy sector.

Most notably, I founded and served as CEO of the REH Group companies in South Africa in 2006. I established REH as a hydropower development company, and the group grew to become a leading developer, owner, and operator of small hydropower plants across South Africa with operations throughout Southern Africa. Qualified in mechanical engineering and holding a postgraduate degree in economics, I initially worked in the public sector as well as in private consulting, and I spent two years as a project manager with the United Nations Environment Programme in Denmark. In 2023, I was appointed CEO of Serengeti Energy. I also served as the Chairman of the International Hydropower Association (IHA), a global industry organization.

What do you enjoy most and find most challenging about your role?

Anton-Louis Olivier: I love working with international teams of smart and motivated people to put big and sustainable power projects on the grid.