• Daystar Power signs deal to install a 5.2 MWp solar plant for Société de Ciment de Côte d’Ivoire.

• The project aims to cut energy costs and carbon emissions for industrial operations.

• Companies in West Africa are shifting to solar amid unstable grids and high diesel costs.

Daystar Power, a provider of hybrid solar energy solutions for commercial and industrial clients, announced on Monday, March 23 that it signed a contract with Société de Ciment de Côte d’Ivoire (SC CI). The agreement covers the installation of a 5.2 MWp solar power plant at the company’s industrial site.

According to the company, Daystar Power will develop the plant as an integrated solution. It will handle technical design, regulatory approvals, construction, and long-term operation.

The project will enable Société de Ciment de Côte d’Ivoire to reduce energy costs over the project’s lifetime and lower carbon emissions linked to industrial production. However, the company did not disclose the investment amount.

“This project makes SC CI the first cement plant in Côte d’Ivoire to integrate a large-scale solar installation into its energy mix, a milestone for us and for the country’s industrial energy transition,” the statement said.

Daystar Power, a subsidiary of Shell, is expanding its footprint in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria. The company develops solar solutions for industrial clients across the region.

In November 2023, the company signed an agreement with Nigerian Breweries to install a 4.2 MWp solar plant combined with a 2 MWh storage system. In September 2025, it also deployed a solar installation for Beta Glass in Agbara, capable of generating 2,040 MWh annually and covering 16% of the site’s daytime energy needs.

In West Africa, where about 50% of the population has access to electricity according to data compiled by the French Treasury, unstable grids and heavy reliance on diesel generators are driving companies to adopt solar solutions.

As a result, businesses are integrating cleaner energy sources into their production processes while also reducing emissions and improving cost efficiency.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum