Senegal: Lagazel acquires solar device production line in Thiès. | So Good News

Lagazel continues to expand in West Africa. France The Saint-Galmier-based company has just opened a new workshop for the production of solar devices in Senegal. The recently opened unit is located in the city of Thiès. on site; Lagazel can produce 5,000 products per month thanks to seven technicians and two supervisors.

The workshop in Thiès can produce 5,000 kits per month © Lagazel

The company, founded in 2015, has been developing solar lamps for lighting and mobile phone charging. solar devices to provide electricity for a home or small business; We manufacture solar panels for outdoor lighting and collective charging solutions for community projects. In addition, Now, the recently developed Boumba USB station can charge up to 16 phones or tablets simultaneously using solar photovoltaic power.

The challenge of domestic solar light box production

According to the company founded by Arnaud Chabanne, the Thiès workshop has already produced around 100 collective charging stations and more than 2,000 solar lamps. “We hope to benefit from the support of Senegalese institutions and actors to deploy these locally produced solutions across the country. If conditions are favorable, Senegal, Mauritania, It can become a manufacturing hub to support neighboring countries such as Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.” Arnaud Chabanne explains.

Also read: Senegal: Gauff trains 247 youths to install solar photovoltaic systems

The small company has opened workshops in Burkina Faso and Benin to manufacture these power tools. Since entering the West African market, Lagazel has already distributed 100,000 solar devices in some 15 African countries. The collective camps produced in Senegal are the intermediaries of the local players. It is installed in schools, especially through non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

By establishing itself in Senegal, Lagazel has been supporting the Senegalese government’s electrification policy since 2020, exempting solar power generation equipment and other clean cooking products from value-added tax (VAT). By manufacturing its equipment locally; The startup is going against the grain of other electricity providers importing from Asia to power rural areas on a pay-as-you-go basis. Local production creates additional value in the value chain of solar products through training and employment of youth.

Jean Marie Takouleu