Burkina Faso has joined the Africa Minigrids Project (AMP). This is in a bid to increase access to electricity by providing solar power for rural regions in the country. The project is expected to significantly contribute to accelerating the nation’s rural electrification efforts. This is according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In the west African country, the AMP will be active in seven municipalities across the Cascades, the Boucle du Mouhoun, and the center. As well as the Center-East, the North, and the Central Plateau.

Burkina Faso’s rural electrification rate has increased from 3.2% in 2016 to nearly 10% in 2019, by national grid extension. Nonetheless, expanding the grid is expensive, and the overall rate of rural electrification has remained low.

The UNDP said that solar-battery mini grids can now be a competitive option to provide electricity to the off-grid areas in Burkina Faso, due to falling hardware costs, the rise of digital technologies, and the adoption of a private sector business model.

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Funding for the Africa Minigrids Project (AMP)

At a cost of 1,086,476,580 CFA francs, the project will be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). As well as the Burkina Faso Government and the Nation’s Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Quarries (MEMC).

The Burkina Faso National AMP project intends to expand access to clean energy by enhancing the commercial viability of large-scale solar power for rural regions of the country and encouraging such investments. Also, the project is intended to aid government COVID-19 recovery efforts.

The Africa mini-grids program (AMP) is a technical assistance initiative for solar mini-grids. That will be undertaken by UNDP in collaboration with RMI and the African Development Bank in 21 African countries and at the regional level. It was established in 2022 and is expected to last through 2027.