The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) has announced the financing for a large-scale water treatment facility in Rwanda. 

It is the first Bulk Surface Water Supply in sub-Saharan Africa using a public/private partnership (PPP) model. 

It is also one of the few sub-Saharan Africa water infrastructure projects being done on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. 

EAIF, the Mandated Lead Arranger of the financing, is lending Kigali Water Limited (KWL), a fully owned subsidiary of Metito, one of the world’s largest water infrastructure and utility providers, $19m of senior debt and $2.6m of junior debt. 

The African Development Bank is providing another $19m of senior debt. 

All of the loans are for 18 year terms. 

The lenders are covering $40.6m of the capital cost of the $60.8m project. 

The balance will be provided as equity finance by Metito.
 
The project also benefits from a $6.25m grant from PIDG’s Technical Assistance Facility. 

The grant was a significant element in the creation of the financial package.
 
Another PIDG facility, DevCo, which is managed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), provided initial financial support to the Government of Rwanda for the legal, financial, technical and environmental feasibility assessments of the project. 

The IFC advised Rwanda’s government on this work. 
It ensured an optimal solution for the long-term needs of Kigali and recommendations for a public/private partnership structure that best suited the development objectives of the Rwandan government.
 
The announcement of the project financing is being hailed as a landmark moment in Rwanda’s social and economic development. 

The country aims to see 100% of its 12.4 million people having reliable access to clean water within the next few years. 

Currently, some 86% of urban areas and 72% of rural areas have access to improved sources of drinking water.

“The conclusion of the financing is tremendous news for Rwanda,” said EAIF Chairman, David White.
 
“Fresh, clean water has a fundamental role to play in economic development. Water-dependent businesses like hotels, food processing and leisure, will have greater confidence in investing because of the Kanzenze water works. The financing exercise has been a model of cooperation between EAIF, the African Development Bank, the Government of Rwanda and Metito,” he added.

The site for the new facility is at Kanzenze, south of Kigali. 

Water will be drawn from the Nyaborongo River to be treated before distribution to domestic, commercial and industrial customers.
 
The plant will have the capacity to supply up to 500,000 people in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, providing 40 million litres of fresh, clean water a day. 

When complete, the facility will provide around one third of Kigali’s water. 

In addition to the public health and economic development benefits of the project for Kigali’s one million population, it will also mean a significant reduction in water rationing in the city.
 
KWL is owned by Metito, which has 60 years of experience developing and managing water facilities in international markets. 

To date, Metito has built over 3000 water treatment facilities some of which are in the most arid areas and challenging environments around the world. 

KWL will design, build, maintain and operate the treatment plant and sell potable water to the Water & Sanitation Corporation of Rwanda (WASAC) under a 27-year public/private partnership agreement. 

It is estimated that 50 new full-time jobs will be created to manage and maintain the plant. 

Construction is forecast to take 30 months from the commencement date and employ 100 people.

Mutaz Ghandour, Metito Chairman and CEO, said: “The Kigali Bulk Water Supply PPP project puts Rwanda on the map for the international investor community and marks a historic moment for the country. Together, today, we are setting a precedent not only for Rwanda, but for the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa, and surely for Metito. Once complete, this will become an exemplar project for public private partnerships in the region – there is no doubt.”
 
He added; “We are honoured to be working on this project with the Government of Rwanda and delighted to have had the support from EAIF, a first-class professional lender.”
 
EAIF is managed by Investec Asset Management, one of the largest third-party investors in private equity, credit, public equity and sovereign debt across the African continent.
 
Nazmeera Moola, Head of EAIF at Investec Asset Management, said: “As a business with its roots in Africa, Investec Asset Management is committed to furthering African economic and social progress. Nothing is more satisfying for us than to have successfully concluded our transaction with Kigali Water Limited. The company can now begin construction and soon the clean water will flow and transform the life prospects for many in Rwanda.”