Africa’s richest businessman Aliko Dangote has revealed plans for energy investment in the continent’s smallest mainland nation The Gambia, APA learnt on Wednesday.
Dangote is in Banjul to attend the African Caucus 2026 Meetings which began on Monday.
During face-to-face talk with Gambian president Adama Barrow at State House in Banjul on Tuesday, Mr Dangote, President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, committed $2 billion in the country’s strugglng energy sector. The investment will include a 250-megawatt solar power plant to improve Gambia’s power generation on the one hand and a modern fuel tank farm to strengthen national fuel storage and supply on the other.
With the solar power plant, Dangote looks to help accelerate mainland Africa’s smallest nation’s transition to renewable energy, and support current drives to render more reliable and affordable power supply to consumers including households, businesses, and industries.
The fuel tank farm is meant to ensure that petroleum storage capacity will prevent disruptions to supply as was witnessed in recent weeks when much of the Greater Banjul Area was plunged into protracted blackouts.
Mr Dangote described The Gambia as an investment-friendly destination which his Group would explore.
Both parties have vowed to formalise the agreements, after which feasibility and technical studies wll be conducted and joint implementation structures established.
The Gambia government said the Dangote Group’s interest in the country is a clear manifestation of growing confidence from the continent’s leading investors, the fruits of championing intra-African trade.
President Barrow raffirmed his government’s full commitment to realising the Dangote energy projects and directed the relevant state authorities to work in concert with the Dangote Group for their speedy implementation.
WN/as/APA