Sinergi Burkina

SOLAFRIQUE is a Burkina Faso company founded in 2014, specializing in access to water and electricity through solar solutions tailored to rural and peri-urban areas. The company designs and installs agricultural irrigation systems, solar mini-grids and solar kits for households, based on flexible payment models such as Pay-As-You-Go. The company is also developing renewable energy training courses to strengthen local skills. Its aim: to make clean energy accessible to all, while improving the living conditions and economic autonomy of rural populations.

The entrepreneur

Ernest ASSO, a 37-year-old engineer from Burkina Faso specializing in solar pumping systems, is the founder of SOLAFRIQUE. With over 10 years' experience in renewable energies, he combines technical expertise, social commitment and entrepreneurial vision to democratize access to energy and water in rural areas.

Partnership with I&P and Néré Capital

Solafrique is supported by I&P Digital Energy, a 4.8 million euro program to finance and support a dozen start-ups and SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa offering digital solutions for access to affordable energy, backed by AFD and the EU. In Burkina Faso, this program is implemented by Néré Capital.

This 196 million F CFA financing will enable SOLAFRIQUE to :

• Expand its infrastructure by increasing the capacity of the Wapassi mini-grid and installing a new solar power plant in Namogo, in order to electrify 750 new beneficiaries in rural areas;
• Develop shared solar irrigation solutions, by setting up mutualized systems to improve farmers' access to water and strengthen local food security;
• Create jobs and strengthen its impact, consolidating over 30 existing positions, generating some 20 new jobs, and reaching over 10,000 beneficiaries with clean, affordable energy. 

Agro-Emballage specializes in the production and commercialization of woven polypropylene bags. Agro-Emballage aims to support the agri-food industry by making their products more competitive through the provision of packaging that is adapted and attractive in terms of design and quality. It also installs and maintains machinery.

The entrepreneur

Agro-Emballage was founded in 2018 by Célestin KANAZOE, an engineer specializing in mechanics and renewable energies from Mohamed 1er University in Oujda (Morocco) who has several years’ experience in entrepreneurship. With the support of his wife Estelle DJIGUIMDE, he began his entrepreneurial adventure by repackaging food products in attractive packagings. That’s how he began importing packaging for commercial purposes. Building on this success, he now plans to become the national leader in the production of polypropylene woven bags.

Partnership with Sinergi Burkina

Agro-Emballage is supported by Sinergi Burkina through an equity investment that aims at : 

• Structure and improve governance
• Finance working capital and optimize inventory
• Help set up the unit
• Increase the company’s intervention capacity
• Formalize jobs

AK Services, also known as Restaurant Chez Fitini, is a Burkinabè agri-food SME specializing in food service (specifically local meals) and event catering (weddings, birthdays, christenings, etc.). The company's target clientele consists mainly of individuals, companies, NGOs and local authorities. In just a few years, the company has built up a solid reputation, and enjoys the trust of a large portfolio of private and professional customers in Burkina Faso.

The entrepreneur

The company was founded in 2019 by Ms Assétou KOUANDA, who has over 10 years' experience in preparing African and European dishes.With a BAC G2 in accounting, her passion for cooking goes back to her childhood spent alongside her aunt who owned a restaurant in Ouagadougou's Paagla Yiri neighborhood. Over the years, she has acquired solid experience in the kitchen and consolidated her passion for entrepreneurship through trips to countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mali, France, Turkey and China, where she had the opportunity to take part in various training courses on the culinary arts.

Partnership with Sinergi Burkina

AK Services is supported by I&P and Sinergi Burkina through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. The main aims of this partnership are to :

• Increase the company's production capacity and improve the quality of its products and services 
• Expand its customer base and strengthen its brand image 
• Support the company in its management (implementation of an appropriate formal management system, including accounting, financial and tax management, production management and human resources management)

Pharm’Xpert is a company based in Burkina Faso specialized in the assistance and management of pharmacies: the company provides services such as feasibility studies for the opening of health structures, assistance in the management and recovery of pharmacies, training of pharmacy assistants and pharmacists, etc.

The entrepreneur

Pharm’Xpert was founded by Dr. Malick Ba in 2014, who started in 2002 in the Burkinabe civil service, looking for solutions to facilitate the accessibility of health products and care to the population. Convinced that a healthy population is an important lever of development for any nation, he created his own company in order to overcome the mismanagement and poor coordination of the activities of pharmaceutical structures with a view to providing quality health services to populations.

Partnership with I&P and Sinergi Burkina

Pharm’Xpert is supported by Sinergi Burkina through capital-investment. The main objective of this partnership is to :

• Finance the working capital and optimize inventory management 
• Support the company in its internationalization process
• To increase the capacity's intervention 
• Structure and improve the company's governance

 Massaka is a media and communication consulting company in Burkina Faso offering communication to national and international institutions, NGOs and associations. It also offers a service of media coverage and advertorial, online training via its web platform named “Agribusiness TV” whose vocation is to promote agricultural innovations and youth entrepreneurship.

The entrepreneurs

Massaka was created by 2 young entrepreneurs passionate about rural development issues:

• Inoussa MAIGA : President of the company, and in charge of the coordination of the communication for development branch of activities. He holds a master’s degree in information and communication technology, option communication for development from the Joseph KI-ZERBO University and an international master’s degree in media management from the Ecole Supérieur de Journalisme de Lille. He has more than 10 years of experience in the field of information and communication.
• Nawsheen Bibi HOSENALLY : Co-manager and in charge of the coordination of the activity branch Agribusiness TV. She holds an MSc in Management and Information Systems (Change and Development) from the University of Manchester, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Mauritius in Agriculture, option Vulgarisation Agricole. She has over 10 years of experience in communication and media management.

Partnership with Sinergi Burkina and I&P

Massaka is supported by I&P and Sinergi Burkina through I&P Accelération in Sahel. This partnership aims at :

• Strengthen the organization and structuring of the Agribusiness TV platform (access to a premium space, online training, instructional manuals, networking, etc.)
• Develop editorial projects to increase the audience of Agribusiness TV and build loyalty
• Acquire production and reporting equipment (journalist kits)
• Strengthen the company’s structure and management system

Expected impacts

• Consolidation of 13 existing jobs and creation of 8 new permanent full-time jobs
• Contribution to the promotion of agriculture and youth entrepreneurship
• Improve the structuration and organization of the company
• Contribution to the national economy through the payment of taxes to the tax authorities