During a visit to Merseyside today (15th January 2020), International Development Minister Andrew Murrison opened a new engine repair workshop at the company, which will make power plants across Africa more efficient and support Africa’s drive for clean energy.

Opening the workshop, Minister Murrison met the Overhaul and Repair Centre Manager, Dave Nicholls, to see first-hand how high efficiency gas engines are being repaired in Knowsley in Merseyside and sent back to African nations. Similar units being deployed across Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Cameroon improve the reliability of power to businesses and communities, helping to keep the lights on and power flowing in countries with unstable energy systems.

Dr Murrison also announced a new DFID-funded testing lab for solar products ensuring that solar panels and appliances meet global standards and households have access to good quality, reliable clean energy.

Following his visit, Minister Murrison said:

From powering hospitals in London to a mosque in Algeria, Clarke Energy is just one great example of how UK businesses - including those from Liverpool - are already leading the way in investing in Africa.

Clarke Energy’s investment in Africa shows how UK expertise, technology and innovation are improving access to cleaner forms of energy, which can be replicated by businesses across the UK and Africa.

The UK-Africa Investment Summit will forge closer trading partnerships to deliver more investment, jobs and growth benefitting people and businesses across Africa and the UK.

Touring the engineering company, Minister Murrison learned more about the business’s ambition to change the future of Africa’s energy supplies and the use of green energy across the continent. He heard how Clarke Energy’s new power generation projects in Kano, Northern Nigeria will provide energy to businesses, reduce emissions and benefit whole communities.

Alex Marshall, Director for Marketing and Compliance at Clarke Energy said:

The knowledge the UK Government has both locally in the North West of England and across Africa is outstanding and helped us to navigate what can be a tough market with political considerations, language and cultural differences.

Being part of what’s set to be the world’s third largest mosque is a key milestone in our exporting journey and our work with the UK government has been core to that success. If a business from Knowsley can export on such a large scale, with the right support and hard work, anyone can make a success of trading overseas.

The visit comes ahead of the UK-Africa Investment Summit, held in London on 20 January 2020, which will bring together UK and African leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs.

By 2050, more than 2 billion people will live in Africa and 1 in 4 global consumers will be African. Businesses like Clarke Energy are ensuring that the British economy is seizing this opportunity and are investing in the trading partners of the future today.