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Unique Energy to embark on The Gambia’s First Green Mini-Grid Electricity Project to a tune of D30.6 Million Dalasis

November 06, 2019

By Bakary Ceesay

Unique Group subsidiaries, Unique Solutions & Unique Energy, received a co-funding grant award of $282,902 from the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency-ECREEE funded by USAID during its third annual ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum in Accra, Ghana to help usher in The Gambia’s first Solar Green Mini-Grid Electrification project.

The Group subsidiaries have committed over $300,000 towards the D30.6 million project to provide electricity in the Sara Pateh Jamwelly area of the Western Division of The Gambia & its surrounding areas.

Commenting on the D30.6 million project, Group CEO Papa Yusupha Njie said that “The focus is to make sure that we play a part in Gambians having access to affordable, reliable & clean energy wherever they may be in this country.”

Unique Solutions & Unique Energy as part of its contractual and funding obligations, have committed the sum of $316,961.56 towards the project. This D30.6 million project will provide electricity to homes and businesses in the SaraPateh Jamwelly area of the Western Region of the Gambia and its surrounding areas in the initial phase.

ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, ECREEE, awarded Unique Group the staggering sum during its third annual ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum held in October in Accra, Ghana.

A statement by Unique Group said: “The three-day forum held in Accra, Ghana on the 22nd to the 24th October 2019, concluded with an award ceremony for the Third ECOWAS Renewable Energy Facility (EREF 3), funded by USAID. Winners of the highly competitive funding included seven countries, Nigeria, Togo, Cabo Verde, Mali, The Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone. This is the first ever award to the Gambia.

“This grant funding will usher in the Gambia’s first Solar Green Mini Grid Electrification project. Unique Solutions & Unique Energy as part of its contractual and funding obligations, have committed the sum of $316,961.56 towards the project. This D30.6 million project will provide electricity to homes and businesses in the SaraPateh Jamwelly area of the Western Division of the Gambia and its surrounding areas in the initial phase.”

The chief executive officer of Unique Group of Companies Papa Yusupha Njie said of the project: “As we prepare to celebrate our 20th Anniversary of being in business, my vision is to see more Gambian owned companies play a greater role in the key economic areas of this country and our work in the energy sector over the past few years is a clear testament of what is possible. The focus is to make sure that we play a part in Gambians having access to affordable, reliable and clean energy wherever they may be in this country.

“Working with the Ministry of Energy, the Regulators, NAWEC and other stakeholders, we hope The Gambia’s first Green Minigrid project will open doors for many more opportunities including much needed jobs for our young people and also impacting thousands of ordinary Gambians in taking advantage of clean renewable energy sources.”

Mr. Njie concluded by thanking the honourable Minister of Energy and his entire team at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, USAID and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency – ECREE, for trusting his companies with this opportunity and enabling them to change lives in The Gambia and powering the energy of the future in more ways than one.


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