Freetown, Sierra Leone, March 23, 2026 – IFC today announced an investment in IPT PowerTech, a leading Telecom Energy Service Company (T‑ESCO), to expand clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centers, and small businesses can depend on more consistent digital services.
The investment will support the modernization, operation, and maintenance of 2,235 telecom sites across the three countries, more than 90 percent of which are located in off‑grid or weak‑grid locations. With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages, improved service quality, and reduced reliance on diesel generators. Optimizing the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30 percent in Liberia, 26 percent in Sierra Leone, and 52 percent in Ethiopia. This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10,624 tCO₂e annually. These improvements will help operators deliver more affordable digital services and strengthen economic participation across underserved communities. The partnership will also promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector.
Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group, said: “This agreement with IFC reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry. It empowers IPT PowerTech to scale its innovative energy platforms and deliver measurable environmental and operational impact across our global footprint.”
“Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation. Through this partnership with IPT PowerTech, we are supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to extend coverage, improve service quality, and reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably”, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC Division Director, West Africa Gulf of Guinea. “This investment demonstrates how innovative InfraTech solutions can simultaneously strengthen connectivity, reduce emissions, and unlock economic opportunity at scale.”
To enable this expansion, IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A‑Loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance from the Canada‑IFC Blended Climate Finance Program and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility. This investment marks IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years and will help scale solar‑ and battery‑based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
Beyond financing, IFC will help strengthen the company’s environmental and social practices and reinforce global standards across its operations.
This project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide reliable and affordable electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. It also aligns with the WBG’s Digital Economy for Africa strategy and Country Partnership Framework (CPF) priorities in the three countries.
About IFC
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2025, IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions and mobilizing private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
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About IPT PowerTech
IPT PowerTech is a global leader in power and telecom infrastructure solutions. For more than three decades, the company has supported mobile network operators, tower companies, and data centers worldwide with reliable, energy efficient, and cost-effective power systems. From advanced hybrid energy solutions to fully managed T-ESCO models, IPT PowerTech integrates innovation, sustainability, and technical expertise to ensure critical infrastructure operates efficiently, responsibly, and without interruption.
For more information, visit: www.iptpowertech.com
Stay Connected with IPT PowerTech on Linkedin, Youtube, Instagram
About the IDA Private Sector Window
The International Development Association’s Private Sector Window (IDA PSW) was launched in 2017 to catalyze private sector investment in the poorest and most fragile countries. Recognizing the key role of the private sector in creating jobs and promoting economic transformation, the window provides a source of co-investment funding and guarantees to de-risk private investments supported by the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The IDA PSW is an option when there is no commercial solution and the Bank Group’s other tools are insufficient. For more information, visit: http://ida.worldbank.org/psw
About Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Program
The Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Program aims to mobilize private capital for global climate action and reflects Canada's commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement to support developing countries in their transition to sustainable and resilient low-carbon economies. For more information on Canada’s investment in global climate change action, visit Canada’s climate finance for developing countries (international.gc.ca).
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