REI Cameroon secures Cameroon’s first solar mini-grid authorisation.

The authorisation grants REI Cameroon the right to produce and distribute electricity in off-grid communities. 

The milestone deal was signed in Yaounde on August 18, between REI Cameroon’s Chief Executive Officer, Jude Numfor, and ARSEL’s Deputy Director General, Demenou Tapamo Honoré, for their respective institutions. 

For REI Cameroon, the authorisation marks the transition from nearly two decades of researching and piloting into full-scale operations. 

“Until now, we couldn’t grow beyond pilots because we didn’t have this important legal instrument to operate fully. With this authorization, we can finally reach more off-grid communities with reliable power bringing smiles to the faces of thousands of Cameroonians,” Numfor said.

The project

REI Cameroon is developing pipelines of projects one of which is “project 145”, a project to electrify 145 off-grid villages across 6 regions with solar mini-grids by 2029. 

The plan, designed to unfold in three phases known as portfolios, is part of a broader effort to bridge the gap for the nearly 9,000 villages in Cameroon still without electricity.

 “Portfolio One will be the starting point, targeting nine villages with a combined capacity of 1.8 megawatts with works expected to run between now and the end of 2026. After that, we will move to Portfolio Two, then Portfolio Three, and from there begin the next pipeline of projects. Our goal is to continue,” Numfor explained.

As part of Portfolio One, Voundou is the first of nine villages, spread across four regions. Voundou is a small but vibrant agricultural community of more than 12,000 people, located in Cameroon’s Central Region. 

Like many rural villages, it faces acute energy poverty: Most households have no electricity, while businesses and institutions rely on costly and unreliable diesel or petrol generators.

In this community, the majority of residents are self-employed in agriculture, with cocoa farming serving as the primary source of income. 

Beyond farming, there exists a variety of small businesses and institutions including bars, restaurants, retail shops, grain mills, phone charging kiosks, barbershops, cocoa warehousing, and microfinance operators as well as public institutions such as a hospital, schools, churches, and even a fuel pumping station all of which require electricity to run efficiently and grow sustainably.

As the first site of project 145, REI Cameroon will be installing a 200kWp solar mini-grid with a storage capacity of 360kWh to serve the entire population of Voundou including businesses, institutions and households.

“Decentralized electrification or mini-grids can transform the lives of people in an off-grid community. It doesn’t only provide impact in lighting but it is a tool for generating income and improving economies. It brings opportunity, dignity, and modern life,” Numfor emphasized.

ARSEL Commends REI’s Professionalism

At the signing ceremony, ARSEL’s Deputy Director General, Demenou Tapamo Honoré, praised REI Cameroon’s persistence and commitment. 

“We congratulate REI Cameroon for their patience, professionalism, and determination,” he said. 

“With this authorization, you are not only becoming an operator in the mini-grid sector, you are becoming a provider of happiness to the people of Cameroon who have been waiting for reliable electricity,” Demenou concluded. 

Driving national development

This pioneering authorisation directly supports Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030, NDS30, which prioritizes universal access to electricity and sustainable growth. 

By enabling decentralised clean energy solutions, REI Cameroon is participating in bridging the country’s rural energy gap. One village at time.

About REI Cameroon

REI Cameroon is an energy company building decentralized systems for electrification in off-grid and weak grid areas. 

REI Cameroon has been carrying out research and piloting mini-grid solutions tailored to the realities of rural communities. 

It has also developed hybrid solar systems that combine solar power with backup options to provide reliable electricity for, businesses, institutions and homes with critical energy needs. 

These systems are smart, robust, and upgradable, delivering standard 50Hz/220V single-phase or 50Hz/380V three-phase electricity.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3572 of Monday September 22, 2025