Ibrahim Zakaria, CEO, ZIZ Energie, speaks with EPP to share more about the work he and his company does in Chad.
Why do you personally work in renewable energy?
I am an electrician by trade. When I finished my studies previously, people were talking about solarising my country of Chad. But, 10 years later, there was no real progress. I had set up my own energy company, where I gained experience in building transmission lines and diesel-powered mini-grids. From that experience, I learned about the advantages of solar and decided to transition my activities to boost the renewable electrification of my country.
How does your company engage with local communities?
We have an ESG department and an in-house social expert. Once our projects are operational, we have permanent staff in each city that interacts and engages closely with the local population.
Tell us about a recent or upcoming project. What is most compelling about it?
We are electrifying more than 300,000 people in five cities in Chad that currently have no reliable source of electricity. The electrification rate in Chad is only around 9%. The most compelling impact of each project we implement is the immediate and tangible socio-economic impact it has on the local population.
How do “Peace RECs” support your project development?
Peace RECs have supported solar streetlighting in our cities and provided a different and important source of funding.
What impacts does renewable energy have in the communities where you work?
The impacts are very real. Nightlife is safer. People can socialize and work later in the evening. New projects are popping up, such as new buildings. The hospital is also less reliant on its diesel gensets and more medical interventions can be planned and executed.