Ducab Group has signed an MoU with Moroccan based Somagec Group to develop power, transmission systems, and electrification in Angola. According to the MoU, the group has committed to constructing over 400 kilometers of 220kV transmission lines to bolster Angola’s electrification efforts.

Nov 02, 2023

Ducab Group, a major UAE-based energy solutions provider and manufacturing firm, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somagec Group, a leading Moroccan engineering company, to collaborate on the development of Angola’s power and transmission systems and its broader electrification efforts. This partnership marks a significant step forward in bolstering Angola’s energy infrastructure and ensuring reliable access to electricity for its growing population.

The company’s commitment to expanding its footprint and global presence can be seen through the MoU as it will mark Ducab’s first supply into Angola. The group has a market presence in over 15 countries in Africa, which means over a quarter (27 percent) of Ducab Group’s international activity is directed towards the African continent.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Omar Abdulrahman Al Tunaiji, Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the UAE in Rabat, Morocco; Charles Mellagui, CEO of Ducab Cables Business; Mauro Martins, Executive Director at Angola’s Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade (RNT); Mehdi Tazi, General Vice-President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (Confédération Générale des Entreprises Du Maroc, CGEM), representing the Moroccan Government; and Roger Sahyoun, CEO of Somagec Group, along with executives and officials from both parties.

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According to the new MoU, the group has committed to constructing over 400 kilometers of 220kV transmission lines to bolster Angola’s electrification efforts. Ducab Group is set to provide approximately 2,000 kilometers of overhead transmission lines, along with high, medium, and low voltage (HV/MV/LV) cables to the Angolan energy sector. The electricity transmitted through these lines will be sourced from grid-connected hydropower plants, including LAUCA, CAMBAMBE, GOVE, and MATALA. With an anticipated completion date within two years, this project is poised to significantly enhance electrical infrastructure and connectivity across Angola.

Charles Mellagui, CEO of Ducab Cables Business, said, “As the UAE moves forward with its ambitious plans to advance the local industrial sector and boost its competitiveness on an international level, Ducab Group remains committed to playing its part in realising these objectives, expanding its global footprint, and providing quality and excellence to markets all around the world.”

“We take pride in Ducab’s cables and solutions, all of which are ‘Made in the UAE’, which are currently supporting major industrial and infrastructure projects in 55 countries,” he added. “Our plans and efforts to expand operations align with the UAE’s National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology – ‘Operation 300bn (AED)’, which aims to raise the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP from approximately USD 36.2 billion AED133 billion to USD 81.6 billion AED300 billion by 2031, advancing its regional and global position,” he added.

“We are eager to contribute to Angola’s growth after signing this MoU with Somagec Group, supplying advanced energy and cabling solutions that meet the highest industry standards, and expanding our footprint in the African continent, which accounts for more than a quarter of our operations,” Mellagui concluded.

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For his part, Roger Sahyoun, CEO of Somagec Group, noted, “We are delighted to be signing this agreement with Ducab Group to collaborate towards supplying their market-leading products and solutions to Angola. The Group is a leader in the UAE energy solutions sector, producing advanced, top-quality products, which inspired our commitment to collaborating with Ducab, and playing our part in this effort to drive further development in Angola and Africa as a whole.”

Meanwhile, Mauro Martins, Executive Director at Angola’s Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade (RNT), said, “The Matala-Jamba-Cassinga transmission line is a project of great importance for the Government of Angola, because it will bring energy to the iron mine of Cassinga, which is essential for the economic development of the country as a whole. The project will allow the mine to increase its production and revenue, which, in turn, will enable the government to grow its income as well by collecting taxes on it.”