Rural areas: UpOwa, Électricité de France to light up over one million households.

The partnership was unveiled Monday February 19 in Yaounde. Representatives of both institutions and some members of government attended the event. 

Among the cabinet ministers were; Gregoire Owona of Labour and Social Security and Gaston Eloundou Essomba of Water Resources and Energy.

Speaking at the event, Minster Eloundou Essomba, quotes the reports International Energy Agency, IEA, as having identified that almost 600 million people in Africa do not have access to electricity. This figure, he said, corresponds to 43 percent of the population.

In Cameroon, he said at least 71 percent of the population has access to electricity. He said there is however a huge disparity in terms of access to power in urban and rural areas.

“While the rate is high in urban areas, it is not the same in rural areas, where it is around 40%...,” Minister Eloundou Essomba said.

He added that: “The problem of access to electricity in our country is real because there are many localities that need electrification and many people who are waiting for quality electricity supply”.

Towards 100 percent electricity access by 2030

Minister Eloundou Essomba said within the electricity sub-sector in the National Development Strategy, government envisions 100 percent access to electricity by 2030. 

The member of government said the state is working with partners to wake the vision a reality.

Right deal at the right time

The EDF and UpOwa deal, the minister said, comes at the tight time. The minister said the deal, “will enable us to meet the growing energy needs in rural areas, in particular through innovative solutions focusing on cold conservation, low-carbon cooking and internet access in rural areas”.

Energy transition and making renewable energy available to the rural population, the minister said, will become easier through the EDF-UpOwa partnership.

“In addition, EDF's technical and financial support will help to strengthen the growth of UPOWA, which, it should be remembered, has completed more than 60,000 installations, giving around a million people in rural areas access to clean, sustainable electricity at lower cost,” Eloundou Essomba assured.

Commitment to light up rural areas

The Director General, DG, of UpOwa, Loic Descamps, said the deal which makes EDF major shareholder aligns with a known commitment to boost access to power in rural areas.

UpOwa, he said, has been able to cover a great path for the past six years and is gunning for another milestone with the EDF partnership.

“We are convinced that this fruitful alliance will pave the way for innovative and sustainable initiatives to make a positive contribution to the local energy sector,” Loïc Descamps told newsmen.

The coming on board of a new partner, he disclosed, is owing to increasing demand from the population. 

He said most people in the rural areas have discovered the potential electricity has in transforming their lives.

Low-carbon solutions priority for EDF

The Managing Director, MD, of EDF Cameroon, Olivier Fesquet, said his company has found Cameroon as an interesting country. 

He said their priority remains providing low-carbon solutions to the electricity problems.

Fesquet declared that: “For EDF, this new investment reinforces an already strong presence, bringing us closer to our objective of providing low-carbon solutions to all populations”. 

To the Director of Off Grid at EDF International Division, Xavier Rouland, said his company, “is delighted to contribute to accelerating the growth of UpOwa, which has been able to develop thanks to the remarkable work of its staff and the support of its historical French and international investors”.

He added that: “With this new presence in Cameroon, EDF is increasing its presence and moving closer to its goal of connecting one million households by 2030 using off-grid solutions in Africa”.

UpOwa in summary

UpOwa was founded in 2014 by Kilien De Renty and Caroline Frontigny, with the aim to improve access to electricity in rural areas of Cameroon.

With more than 60,000 installations completed, UpOwa is now the leader ensuring access to electricity in rural areas of Cameroon. 300,000 people already have access to solutions that enable them to light their homes recharge mobile phones and watch television thanks to the company. At UpOwa, families are able to pay off their equipment in monthly installments.

EDF in brief

EDF been present in Africa for over 50 years, meeting the energy needs. The Group is present through engineering and expertise in around ten countries in Africa.

Some of these are: Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Mozambique, Cameroon and Malawi.