Niger has started running its biggest solar power plant, the energy minister said on Sunday, filling electricity shortages after neighbouring Nigeria cut supplies in sanctions following July's coup in the country.

National power company Nigelec has already noted an "improvement in the quality of the service" in the capital Niamey and the towns of Dosso and Tillaberi, Mahaman Moustapha Barke said on national television.

The facility is equipped with more than 55,000 solar panels and is capable of generating 30 megawatts of electricity.

Cost of the plant

It was due to operate from August 25 but the start was delayed after most technical staff left following the coup, Barke added.

The technicians who remained in Niamey made the starting-up of the plant possible, he said.

The plant cost 20 billion CFA francs (around $33 million), with funding coming mostly from a loan by the French development agency and an EU grant.

First dam

Most of Niger has suffered frequent blackouts after main supplier Nigeria stopped delivering electricity as part of regional sanctions against the leaders of the July 26 military coup.

Solar energy is abundant in the West African nation. Nigeria accounted for 70 percent of the electricity bought by Nigelec before the coup, according to a 2022 report by Niger's only power supplier.

Niger also began work on a first dam on the Niger River to reduce its energy dependence on Nigeria.