Life-Changing Electrification Project Illuminates Sèmè-Kpodji, Benin

Night has fallen over Sèmè-Kpodji, a bustling city bordering the Atlantic Ocean in southeastern Benin. Many residents are still going about their business, like Fatima Hounkanrin, in her thirties, who runs a small shop.

Her activity can now continue into the night thanks to public lighting, and her wares, mainly basic necessities like soap, tomatoes, peppers, and a few packs of soda, still attract a few customers.

“Before, we didn’t have lighting in the area, and we stopped selling at nightfall. Today, with electricity, we are helped, and we are very happy. We can run our business late into the night,” rejoices the young woman, occasionally glancing at her barely charged mobile phone.

“We sincerely thank our benefactors for what they are doing for us,” she continues, adding: “There are communities that have not yet been able to benefit from this project, we pray that you think of them because light brings development,” she pleads.

“A few days ago, agents from the electricity company came to talk to us. They informed us that a project was underway and it would provide us with electricity. Shortly after, it became a reality, and we are all very happy. We thank the donors for this happiness they bring us,” says Bertrand Éric Lokossou, a resident of Sèmè-Kpodji.

Bertrand Éric Lokossou, happy to have electricity meters at home

“Requests for meters no longer take as long as they used to, and meter installation is much faster. It’s a good step forward, and we are very happy about it,” adds this father.

Martine Adonon, wife of Padonou, and her family used stoves and solar lamps for many years with great difficulty. “The current was weak. In the meantime, we had to ask one of our distant neighbors to share their electricity because we couldn’t afford the connection. It wasn’t easy at all.

There were frequent voltage drops and almost permanent outages, to the point where the old lady who lives with me at home bumped her head one day due to a power cut.

She was in a lot of pain, and we spent a lot of money on her care. Fortunately, the electrification project thought of us, allowing us to have electricity all the time with our own meter. We give glory to God,” says Martine.

Fatima, Éric, and Martine are among the first beneficiaries of the Restructuring and Extension Project of the Distribution System of the Benin Electricity Company (SBEE).

The project, financed by a $9.08 million loan and a $7.28 million grant from the African Development Fund, also received a $17.79 million loan from the French Development Agency for its implementation.

The Benin government contributed $3.68 million through SBEE, the public company responsible for electricity production, distribution, and marketing in Benin.

Launched in 2018 and set to be completed by the end of 2024, the project aims to increase access to electricity in Benin, specifically in the cities and surrounding areas of Cotonou and Porto-Novo, the country’s two main cities, as well as secondary cities like Abomey, Bohicon, and Lokossa.

The project also seeks to improve the quality of electricity supply and reduce energy losses in SBEE’s distribution networks, which were estimated at 23% in 2015.

Since its inception until March 2024, the project has installed approximately 1,545 high-voltage poles and 1,378 low-voltage poles.

The reinforcement of existing 63/15 kilovolt substations in Akpakpa and Gbégamey in Cotonou, as well as the construction of 63-kilovolt power lines and substations in Lokossa-Hagoumey, have been completed.

The project has also carried out reinforcement and extension work on high-voltage/low-voltage distribution networks in Cotonou, Sèmè-Podji, Porto-Novo, Akpro-Missérété (lot 1), and Lokossa, Dogbo, Toviklin, Djakotomey, Klouékanmè, Abomey, Bohicon, Zogbodomey (lot 2).

Vissi Arnaud Adikpeto, the project coordinator, stated: “Ultimately, the project will ensure a reliable electricity supply to the residents of the thirteen communes concerned and their surroundings, including schools, health centers, and commercial and industrial enterprises.

The medium-term works will allow SBEE to have 40,000 new additional subscribers, including at least 51% women.”

“Regarding the substations, the civil engineering works are completed. All foreign-manufactured equipment is manufactured, factory tests are carried out, and the materials are received on site,” explained Éric Prégnon, the project manager at the African Development Bank.

“Once the substations are operational, and the rest of the poles and meters are installed, the project will have achieved its objective.”

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