Driven by completed ventures, ongoing initiatives, and rising requests for its technical expertise, Sonelgaz International is accelerating its continental expansion. The corporation is successfully exporting its industrial acumen and its capacity to support fellow African nations in overcoming electrification challenges, upgrading infrastructure, and training local workforces. Yazid Djellouli, Chief Executive Officer of Sonelgaz International, discussed the milestones of this dynamic subsidiary and its strategic outlook.
“Today, Algerian industrial capabilities, demonstrated through our concrete achievements, have shed new light on Africa’s power and energy landscape. A growing number of countries are now looking closely at our specialized experience. We are fielding inquiries from diverse regions,” Djellouli stated on national radio on Thursday.
Following its successful track record in Niger, the Algerian operational model is generating substantial interest in Chad, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Tunisia, and several other African states. The Chief Executive highlighted the rapid construction of a 40-megawatt power station in Niger, which now accounts for nearly 20 percent of that nation’s electricity output. He noted that Sonelgaz International maintains its supportive role with partner states, particularly in boosting generation capacity and optimizing transmission and distribution grids.
In Chad, a power facility with a similar output capacity is slated for future development to reinforce local electricity production. However, the primary bottleneck facing the country involves the transmission of this energy, largely due to the inadequacy of the current power grid.
“There are entities that exploit the misfortunes of others,” Djellouli observed, pointing to a photovoltaic solar plant owned by a country he chose not to name. He explained that while this facility supplies Chad with a 25-megawatt capacity, only 12 megawatts can actually be utilized because of transmission network constraints.
Consequently, directives from Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb have been issued to launch engineering studies to redesign Chad’s electrical grid, enabling the country to fully harness available power, the executive clarified.
He further confirmed that Algeria will share its engineering capabilities with Chad by training personnel from the Chadian national utility. This initiative aims to gradually empower local teams to autonomously manage production and distribution for this vital socioeconomic resource.
Beyond Chad, Niger, and Mozambique—where Sonelgaz International plans to deploy its skills in gas and electricity distribution—the Algerian firm is making significant headway on major infrastructure projects in Ivory Coast.
Large-scale contracts are currently being drafted, notably for the engineering of power stations with capacities ranging between 700 and 1,000 megawatts.
“With Ivory Coast, the requirements are on a much larger scale, specifically involving the construction of facilities yielding 700 to 1,000 megawatts. If realized, these undertakings would elevate Sonelgaz International to the top tier of continental builders,” Djellouli emphasized.
Additionally, he referenced the energy alliance with Tunisia, where Algeria currently exports nearly 600 megawatts of electricity via a 400-kilovolt transmission line. According to the Chief Executive, both nations are also reviewing the feasibility of constructing an independent power producer (IPP) facility with an output capacity of 1,000 to 1,200 megawatts.
“The Tunisian authorities themselves expressed the desire for us to build an IPP in Tunisia. This is an option we are examining. Discussions are underway within the ministry to refine the concept of moving forward with an IPP project in Tunisia,” he explained, adding that the company’s continental strategy is rooted in a philosophy of intra-African cooperation.