Two sites, eight names, the same scope

The notice published by CI-Énergies sets out the same list of eight companies or consortia for each of the two sites: AMEA Power, Qair International, the AXIAN Energy / INFRACO Africa consortium, ACWA Power, ERANOVE, Taranis France, Infinity Power and the EDF Renouvelables / Aeolus consortium. The scope is comprehensive: design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance. Each bidder may therefore bid for both sites, and there is nothing to prevent a single group from winning both.

Les points forts des 8 candidats
Les points forts des 8 candidats SBA

The timetable has been extended: the deadline for submitting bids was set for 25 July 2025, nearly fifteen months before the announcement. The financial bids, the next stage, have no set deadline. A precedent to bear in mind: for Laboa and Touba (60 MWp, Scaling Solar programme), ten bidders were shortlisted in April 2024.

What could make the difference

A strong presence in Côte d’Ivoire. AXIAN Energy, together with InfraCo Africa and Amos Holding, launched Kong Solaire (50 MW, approximately €50 million, FMO support) in October 2025, backed by a 25-year contract with CI-Énergies: presumably the same public buyer as for Dabakala and Niakaramandougou. AMEA Power is building a 50 MW plant in Bondoukou, financed to the tune of $60 million by FMO and DEG, and is preparing a second 50 MW project in the country. ERANOVE has a long-standing presence in the Ivorian electricity and water sectors, and EDF has already developed the Biovea biomass power station (46 MW) in Côte d’Ivoire; Aeolus provides an address in Abidjan in the notice.

The credibility of energy storage. With a one-hour ratio, the battery benchmark will carry significant weight. In February 2026, Qair finalised the financing for StorSun in Mauritius: 60 MWac of solar and 256 MWh of batteries. EDF Power Solutions is building 1.5 GW across 11 sites in South Africa, including the Oasis 2 battery project (77 MW / 308 MWh). Infinity Power has secured contracts for 720 MWh in Egypt, AMEA for around 900 MWh in the same country, and ACWA reports 5.6 GWh of battery capacity across the group.

Price and cost of capital: major unknowns. The final selection will be based on non-public financial bids. Bidders backed by Gulf capital (ACWA, AMEA, Infinity/Masdar) may aim for aggressive tariffs; AXIAN/INFRACO, backed by PIDG and FMO, is banking on concessional financing. All will be judged on the bankability of the power purchase agreement, a point to which lenders will pay close attention

What it means

For developers, EPC contractors and equipment manufacturers (IPP/EPC): two 100 MWh projects represent up to 200 MWh of batteries to be ordered; suppliers would be well advised to approach bidders as early as the tender phase, before the contract is awarded. For public decision-makers: Côte d’Ivoire is judged on its ability to secure low tariffs without an extended sovereign guarantee; the buyer’s payment framework will be scrutinised by lenders. For financiers (DFIs, funds, banks): the proposed tariffs will reveal the perceived cost of capital for the country; the involvement of the FMO, the DEG and the PIDG in the Ivorian projects currently under development is a sign to watch out for.

Sources: CI-énergie (avis, 25/09/2026), Ecofin (14/10/2025), Mercom (18/06/2026), SolarQuarter (01/03/2025, 24/06/2026, 09/03/2026), Energize (29/07/2025), Enerdata (10/11/2025), Qair (19/02/2026, 02/12/2025), CFAO (28/04/2026), sites ERANOVE, EDF et AMEA Power