Nachtigal Hydro Power Company
Based in Cameroon, Nachtigal Hydro Power Company (NHPC) is financing and building the Nachtigal hydroelectric dam, the largest project of its kind in Africa. STOA became a shareholder in 2018 with the aim of increasing access to clean and affordable energy and supporting the country’s growth.
Challenges
In Cameroon, economic activity and private investment are limited by insufficient electricity production. As demand for electricity grows, power rationing is a major source of social tension and destabilisation. Although the country’s hydroelectric potential is immense, only 3% of it is exploited.
The Project
With a total cost of €1.2 billion, the Nachtigal dam is Africa’s largest project financed hydropower project. Located 65 kilometres north-east of the capital, Yaoundé, on the Sanaga River, the dam has a capacity of 420 megawatts and is expected to generate nearly 30% of the country’s electricity. More than 8 million people will benefit from the project.
Playing a major role in the country’s energy transition, this dam will help avoid 850,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions annually at the national level. It provides energy at a competitive cost. In 2019, the project won the Best Global Project in Multilateral Financing award from Project Finance International, a Thomson Reuters publication.
An Exemplary Construction Site in Terms of ESG
The construction and operation of the Nachtigal dam are in line with the highest CSR standards. We are proud to be working with leading partners such as STOA to develop this project.
Luc Rémont, CEO of EDF
Key Facts
Company: Nachtigal Hydro Power Company
Infrastructure: Hydroelectric Power Station
Geographic Area: Cameroon
Stake: 10%
Since: 2018
Co-shareholders: EDF, State of Cameroon, IFC, Africa 50