The inauguration ceremony was attended by Nialé Kaba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, representing Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé, and Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy.

Developed under a public-private partnership, the project was led by Biovéa Énergie, a company bringing together EDF, Meridiam and Biokala, a subsidiary of the Ivorian group SIFCA. Construction of the plant began in July 2023.

The facility will use agricultural residues, particularly waste from oil palm and rubber plantations, as fuel to generate electricity for the national grid.

According to project estimates, the plant’s annual output could meet the electricity needs of approximately 1.7 million people.

Located near Aboisso, about 100 kilometres east of Abidjan, the plant adds to Côte d’Ivoire’s electricity generation capacity. It is also expected to help diversify the country’s energy mix by making use of locally available agricultural resources.

The commissioning marks another step in Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to develop biomass as a renewable energy source alongside hydropower and thermal generation.