ContourGlobal is proud to support the first-ever West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS), taking place in Lomé, Togo, on 3-5 Dec 2024. Organized by EnergyNet Limited with the Togolese government and support from the World Bank, the event will gather experts, policymakers, and investors under the theme “Stimulating West Africa's Growth through Strategic Partnerships in the Energy Sector.”

The three-day Summit will cover topics such as attracting investment for energy infrastructure, cross-border collaboration, regional integration, and deploying renewable energies to meet 2030 targets. The strategic role of gas in the region's energy future will also be highlighted.

As part of its sponsorship, ContourGlobal will host a site visit on December 5th to its Lomé power plant. This 100 MW plant, a cornerstone of Togo’s energy landscape, operates primarily on natural gas since 2018 but retains flexibility with its tri-fuel capability (natural gas, HFO, and diesel). This design ensures stable generation with rapid fuel-switching capability even amid challenging supply scenarios for the main fuel. The company is also actively studying opportunities to expand its capacity and further support Togo’s electrification goals, in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines & Energy Resources. Over nearly 15 years of  cooperation with local communities, the company has also invested more than USD $1m in social activities, mainly in the education and health sector.

Ara Hovsepyan, ContourGlobal’s Head of Africa and Armenia, commented “We are very happy to support the first edition of the West African Energy Cooperation Summit, a pivotal event taking place in Lomé. As Togo’s largest and most reliable independent power producer, we are honored to support discussions that advance energy cooperation in the region”.

With 230 MW of power generation capacity across four African countries – Togo, Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria – ContourGlobal is committed to becoming a more sustainable power generator in Africa. Among the most important initiatives on its roadmap is the project to extend the capacity and close the cycle of the Lomé plant, thus reducing the CO2 emission intensity by 20%. Similarly, in Senegal, the project of gas conversion of the 86MW Caps des Biches thermal plant, combines continued delivery of reliable electricity with a concrete step to lowering the plant’s emissions. Another standout achievement comes from ContourGlobal’s pioneering methane-to-power facility in Rwanda. Extracting methane gas produced naturally in the deep waters of Lake Kivu by anaerobic digestion of organic nutrients, the project operates 26 MW of generation capacity while reducing dependence on diesel imports and lowering emissions.

These efforts are essential as the Region faces growing energy demand driven by improved electricity access, rising per capita consumption, demographic growth, and industrial expansion.

During the summit, Ara Hovsepyan and Koete Nikouegan, Plant Manager of Lomé, will participate in panel discussions, sharing insights on ContourGlobal’s achievements and future projects.