(Business in Cameroon) – Spain’s Salvi Lighting Barcelona has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Cameroonian government, represented by Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba, to prepare studies for the supply and installation of high-efficiency LED lights, solar-powered streetlights, and a smart public lighting management system in several cities. The project covers the installation of 100,000 streetlights in Douala, Yaoundé, and Bafoussam.
According to Minister Eloundou Essomba, the initiative aims to reduce both budget and energy use in urban lighting. Based on an analysis of 100,000 existing 250 W streetlights in the three cities, annual public lighting bills could be cut by at least CFA4 billion, with better illumination and a peak demand reduction of about 15 MW.
The project will not only replace current high-consumption fixtures with smart, high-efficiency LED units but will also include the Smartec system, a remote management and control platform. Salvi Lighting president Javier Elizalde described Smartec as “more than a control system,” offering real-time management, full transparency, flexible use, and unmatched operational efficiency.
Signed on August 7 in Yaoundé, the agreement covers feasibility studies to finalize the project’s terms of reference, including site identification, on-site surveys, quantity estimates, cost projections, and evaluations of both energy savings and financial returns. The total cost will be determined once these studies are completed.
Public lighting remains a contentious issue between Eneo, Cameroon’s exclusive electricity distributor, and city councils, which lack a modern public lighting network. Bills are often calculated based on the number of installed streetlights, but disagreements persist over how many are operational at any given time. In September 2023, Eneo estimated the public lighting bill at CFA68.8 billion.
