Off-grid solar solutions provider BBOXX has signed a supply agreement with the government of Togo to deliver and install 300,000 of its solar home solutions across the country over the next five years.
The deal was signed following a meeting between BBOXX and the Togo president, H.E. Faure Gnassingbe, who is keen to raise the electrification rates in a country where 10% of households are living without access to the electricity grid.
Mobile phone penetration, however, is at 66% and growing, and BBOXX’s mobile payment platform is viewed by the government as a handy and cost-effective way to deliver solar energy to the populace.
The first 10,000 BBOXX systems – which comprise small solar panels that can be used to charge up to five lights, a TV, radio, torches and a 12 V battery – will be rolled out across Togo’s rural areas over the next 12 months.
Once installed, a remote monitoring app enables users to manage their consumption and make payments via the money-mobile platform. BBOXX will deliver a full energy service, which includes upgrades and replacements of batteries and solar panels.
“In addition to increasing the rural electrification rate from 7% to 40%, this initiative aims at providing massive adoption of mobile payment solutions across rural areas, thus facilitating financial inclusion of rural populations,” said a Togolese government press releases.
BBOXX is already present in two West African nations – Nigeria and Cameroon – and company CEO and co-founder Mansoor Hamayun said he is looking forward for the Tologese president’s vision to provide access to electricity to two million Togolese people.
“The governmental authorities have created the right framework to facilitate and attract private capital to electrify Togolese rural households,” said Hamayun.
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