It's almost a wet firecracker. Or a sword in the water. The international weekly Jeune Afrique in a paper delivery earlier this week, browsed by Confidentiel Afrique returned to the ambitious project of power plant with a power of  300 Mgw, carried by the company West African Energy. A slew of questions about the viability of this project seems to be preferred, while the innovative format of the investment vehicle set up by the four shareholders with 100% Senegalese capital and their profiles in their respective fields of activity argue the opposite.

The magazine recalls with great  subtlety that this power plant project with an investment of 350 million euros and 100% Senegalese arouses its share of criticism in Dakar and elsewhere. But the former energy minister  has allies and arguments. Will they be enough to make a difference? " wonders the weekly Jeune Afrique . If the model arouses a lot of fascination because of its unprecedented financial package and the profile of the shareholders who have joined forces to carry out this gigantic power plant project  , Jeune Afrique doubts the success capacities of  these Senegalese entrepreneurs who have   believed in this project. West African Energy, far from being a giant at the foot of clay, refuses  to be scuttled.

Beyond the importance of  this large power plant never built in West Africa where more than  400 million consumers expect a correct and  quality electricity supply at a low price, it is more the ingenuity and the spirit of creativity that animate these Senegalese entrepreneurs who have agreed  to commit together and were able to mobilize substantial financing in the amount of 350 million euros with African capital to build the largest power plant (producible power of  300 Mgw). This mega power plant project  will contribute to reducing  by 40% the production costs of  SENELEC (Senegalese public electricity company) to the delight of Senegalese consumers. The bet is ambitious for the five musketeers (Samuel SARR, Khadim BA, Harouna DIA, Abdoulaye DIA, Moustapha NDIAYE) who carry on their shoulders this mega revolutionary project.

West African Energy with the precious and capital help of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) accelerated the raising of funding in record time. A smart, innovative and fast investment vehicle from an international banking pool has successfully completed the mobilization of investments. Shareholders have mobilized 27 billion FCFA for Equity from the counters of the pan-African mega bank Coris Bank International of the Burkinabe entrepreneur Idrissa NASSA. AFC has mobilized  191 billion, in syndication with AFREXIMBANK for 65 billion FCFA. It remains to be optimistic that this large power plant, the first of its kind in West Africa, will upset the way of seeing in reductive perimeter the projects carried out by African entrepreneurs and offer  solid crutches to our champions.