President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the construction of the Norbert Anku Solar Park, a flagship industrial solar project by Solar For Industries (SFI), at Agortor in the Dawa Industrial Enclave in the Greater Accra Region.
The project, named in honour of the late Mr Norbert Cormla Djampos Anku of LMI Holdings, is expected to supply power directly to the Enclave Power Company (EPC) network to serve industrial clients, rather than the national grid.
With a planned capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MWp) by 2032, the solar park is projected to become one of the largest solar installations in West Africa. The development will begin with an initial 200MWp, making it the largest private utility-scale solar farm in sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa.
The first phase will deliver 100MWp by December 2026, with the remaining 100MWp to follow within nine months.
President Mahama described the project as a major step towards clean, reliable energy for Ghana’s industrial sector.
“Today’s ceremony is not just about turning the soil to cut sod; it’s about turning a page in how we power our growth, in how we build our industries, and how we secure our energy future,” he said.
He said the Solar for Industries initiative marked a shift toward renewable energy dedicated to manufacturing and export zones.
“This facility will produce clean, stable, and affordable electricity, dedicated to Ghana’s manufacturing and export zones. And this is the core of our 24-Hour Economy and Industrial Recovery Programme,” he said.
The President said the project aligned with the Government’s Reset Agenda, which seeks to position energy as a catalyst for inclusive industrialisation.
“Our objective has always been clear — to create a Ghana where every factory, every cold storage facility, every digital hub, and every export plant can operate efficiently day and night without fear of power interruptions or the burden of high energy costs,” he said.
President Mahama noted that the project formed part of a national blueprint linking energy transition, industrial competitiveness, and climate responsibility.
He said as Ghana pursues a 24-Hour Economy, demand for dependable power across key sectors including manufacturing, food processing, mining, textiles and ICT will rise, adding that renewable projects would support this expansion sustainably.
Under the National Renewable Energy Master Plan, government aims to achieve a minimum of 15 per cent renewable energy penetration by 2030. The President said initiatives like SFI were helping to advance this target and align Ghana with global clean energy standards, including the European Union’s carbon border adjustment mechanism.
He said investing in solar-powered industrial parks would protect jobs, maintain market access for Ghanaian exports, and strengthen the country’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Commending partners on the project, President Mahama said Park Solar, Quarm Investments and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) had shown faith in Ghana’s industrial transformation.
“Your collaboration shows what can happen when public vision aligns with private enterprise,” he stated.
Mr Kojo Aduhene, Chief Executive Officer of Quarm Investments, announced that industries within the Dawa Industrial Enclave taking power from the facility would enjoy a 10 per cent discount upon completion.
Mr Kyle F. Kelhofer, Senior Country Manager for the International Finance Corporation, said IFC’s partnership with LMI Holdings — amounting to more than US$80 million so far, with an additional US$50 million forthcoming — demonstrated its commitment to sustainable industrial development, cost reduction for businesses, and job creation.