Interview with Mawunyo Mila Aziable, Minister Delegate to the President of the Republic in charge of Energy and Mines, whose main mission to lead the implementation of the national strategy.
Only 521% of the Togolese population has access to electricity, and 81% of that is in rural areas. How will you achieve the government's 2020-2025 roadmap, which aims to provide universal access to electricity by 2030?
It is true that there is still a significant disparity in access to electricity depending on whether one lives in an urban or rural area. However, the electrification rate in Togo is higher than the rates you suggest: in December 2021, the electrification rate was approximately 581,000 TEUs (Togolese people with 3 million TEUs), and we continue to make efforts to meet the objectives of the 2020-2025 roadmap and promote access to electricity for all Togolese by 2030, in accordance with the vision of the Head of State, His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. With this in mind, we have launched several projects, particularly in the field of solar energy, relying on public-private partnerships, to significantly increase our clean energy production capacity and our reliance on renewable energy. It is important to emphasize that we will install an additional 270MW by 2023 in accordance with the 2025 roadmap.
Do you plan to exploit the hydroelectric potential?
Today, Africa's energy sector suffers from numerous structural weaknesses, including low and uneven electrification rates, and the impact of climate change on electricity production in many countries. Therefore, the solution to Africa's energy challenges will not come from a single technology but from a mix of innovative solutions tailored to each country's specific uses and energy sources.
This is why, under the leadership of the Head of State, we have put in place an electrification strategy which promotes energy production through the combination of centralized renewable solutions (solar and hydroelectric power plants) and decentralized solutions (solar mini-grids and solar kits) to make electricity accessible to people throughout the territory and reduce dependence on wood and fuels.
Therefore, hydroelectric power is a cornerstone of our energy policy. In this regard, and following the inventory of our hydroelectric potential, the development of three sites has been deemed a priority: Sarakawa, Titira, and Tetetou. Detailed studies have been completed for Sarakawa, and those for the other two sites are currently underway.
The Tététou hydroelectric power plant, with a capacity of approximately 50 MW, exemplifies the President's commitment to achieving Togo's energy goals by leveraging green and sustainable energy. This project, which complements the existing power from the Nangbeto hydroelectric dam, will improve the quality of electricity service in Togo and reduce the country's energy dependence on imports.
Why does the contribution of the mining and extractive industries sector to the state budget remain low?
The Togolese mining sector is primarily dominated by the phosphate industry, operated by SNPT, and the coastal sedimentary limestone industry, operated by WACEM and ScanTogo Mines, for the production of clinker, the main component of cement. Regarding the phosphates mined by SNPT, all marketable ore from the processing of raw material is exported.
The Togolese mining sector's low contribution to the budget stems from its reliance on phosphate and clinker. Therefore, to significantly increase the mining sector's contribution to the national budget, it is essential to promote and diversify mining activities.
What are the issues related to phosphate mining?
Apart from the numerous direct and indirect jobs that will be created by the opening of a new phosphate mine and the mining company's contribution to local and regional development as defined by Law 2011-008 of May 5, 2011, we can cite the following main issues:
• The availability and lower cost of fertilizers on the local market; ;
• Easy supply of fertilizers to neighbouring countries, especially those in the interland; ;
• The increase in national agricultural production; ;
• The increase in the mining sector's contribution to the national budget; ;