Côte d’Ivoire is steadily building one of West Africa’s most active utility-scale solar markets through a procurement model that combines competitive bidding, long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), and private investment. Rather than relying on publicly financed projects, the country is awarding Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) concessions that allow private developers to finance, build, operate, and eventually transfer solar assets to the state.
The latest example is Infinity Power Holding’s successful bid for two solar projects at Laboa and Touba, which delivered some of the lowest solar tariffs recorded in West and Central Africa. Together, these projects point to a procurement model that is attracting investment, reducing costs, and creating a repeatable pathway for utility-scale solar deployment.
The latest procurement round awarded Infinity Power Holding two solar projects with a combined capacity of 80 MW. The projects secured winning tariffs of EUR 0.03310/kWh and EUR 0.03213/kWh, among the lowest utility-scale solar prices achieved in West and Central Africa. Construction is expected to begin in March 2026 and conclude before the end of the year.
The Infinity projects build on a growing pipeline of privately financed developments. The 50 MW Kong Solaire project, developed by Africa Via and InfraCo Africa, is expected to generate around 97 GWh annually while supplying electricity to approximately 238,000 people under a BOOT concession.
FERKE SOLAR, developed by PFO Africa, is adding another 52 MW of capacity through an investment of approximately 39.5 billion CFA francs, with annual generation expected to reach around 90 GWh.
AMEA Power’s Bondoukou Solar Project, valued at approximately US$60 million, marked Côte d’Ivoire’s first utility-scale solar independent power producer (IPP). Operating under a long-term agreement with CI-Energies, the project demonstrated that privately financed solar generation could be delivered within the country’s regulatory framework.
Meanwhile, the government has also approved the Katiola Solar Project, further reinforcing the country’s commitment to expanding utility-scale renewable generation through competitive procurement.
Rather than isolated developments, these projects form part of a growing pipeline built on the same commercial structure.
The Procurement Model Behind the Growth
The momentum is being driven less by technology than by procurement design.
Under Côte d’Ivoire’s BOOT framework, private developers finance, construct, own, and operate solar facilities before transferring them to the government at the end of the concession period.
Revenue certainty comes through long-term PPAs signed with CI-Energies, providing developers and lenders with predictable cash flows over approximately 25 years.
Development finance institutions and international partners—including organisations such as IFC, Germany’s BMZ, InfraCo Africa and other blended-finance providers—further strengthen project economics by reducing financing costs and improving bankability.
For government, the model expands generation capacity without requiring significant upfront public expenditure.
For developers, it creates predictable revenue streams supported by long-term contractual arrangements.
For lenders, it produces projects with clearer risk allocation and greater financing certainty.
The result is a procurement framework capable of supporting repeated private investment rather than one-off transactions.
Why the Model Matters Beyond Côte d’Ivoire
The country’s experience offers lessons for other electricity markets across West and Central Africa.
Many countries possess strong solar resources but continue to struggle with project execution because procurement frameworks remain uncertain, PPAs lack bankability, or financing costs remain prohibitively high.
Côte d’Ivoire demonstrates that competitive procurement, long-term contractual certainty, and blended finance can work together to reduce tariffs while attracting private capital.
The approach is increasingly relevant for markets including Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon as governments seek to expand generation capacity without placing additional pressure on public finances.
The competitive tariffs achieved through recent tenders also suggest that well-structured procurement can deliver affordability alongside investment.
What Investors Should Watch
The next phase of Côte d’Ivoire’s solar market will depend less on announcing new projects than on consistently executing the procurement model.
For investors, the country offers a growing pipeline supported by established procurement rules and long-term offtake arrangements.
For developers and EPC contractors, it signals a market where repeat opportunities are beginning to emerge rather than isolated transactions.
For policymakers, it illustrates how procurement design can become just as important as resource availability in attracting private investment.
As additional projects move toward financial close and construction, Côte d’Ivoire’s experience may increasingly serve as a reference point for countries seeking to scale utility-scale solar through private capital rather than public spending.
