Omexom Cameroon and City of Yaoundé Launch Smart Solar Lighting Project for a Sustainable Future
Omexom Cameroon, in close partnership with the Urban Community of Yaoundé (CUY), officially launched a pilot renewable energy project to modernize the city’s public lighting system. This ambitious initiative marks a major step forward in Cameroon’s energy transition, combining solar power, smart grid technology, and energy storage to enhance sustainability and urban resilience.
A Hybrid Solar Microgrid for Cameroon’s Capital
This project is the result of a long-standing collaboration between Omexom and CUY, which dates back to 1996 and has focused on maintaining and upgrading Yaoundé’s public lighting and traffic systems. Now, the partnership is delivering a future-ready solution to tackle energy instability and environmental impact.
The project aims to replace outdated and inefficient sodium vapor lamps with smart, solar-powered LED lighting, improving reliability while drastically reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs.
At the heart of the project lies a hybrid photovoltaic (PV) microgrid, featuring a 33-kW solar power plant, a 50-kWh energy storage system, and an intelligent Energy Management System (EMS). Installed beneath a parking shade at Yaoundé City Hall, the PV system includes 96 high-efficiency monocrystalline panels across 167 square meters, powering 100 remotely monitored streetlights.
A Sustainable Urban Transformation
This new solar lighting network is already producing powerful results. The team replaced a total of 400 old 250-W sodium lamps with modern LEDs in collaboration with French lighting partner ECLATEC. The outcome: a 90% reduction in energy use and a 91% drop in maintenance costs.
In environmental terms, the project is expected to reduce approximately 90 tons of CO₂ emissions each year.
Beyond the technological innovation, the project emphasizes knowledge transfer and training for CUY’s technical teams. This capacity-building approach ensures long-term sustainability and prepares the city to scale similar projects across other districts.
Despite challenges- including COVID-19 delays, customs issues, and initial connectivity problems, the project reached completion and was officially inaugurated on April 17, 2025, with the French Ambassador in attendance.
Studies are being conducted to explore replicability throughout Yaoundé and other Cameroonian cities, under the guidance of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINHDU). The project is part of a broader Master Plan for Light Development (SDAL) that aims to guide Cameroon’s urban energy strategy.
This smart public lighting project positions Yaoundé as a leading example of sustainable urban development in Africa.
Explore the story behind the project’s beginning here.