The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat has announced plans to create more than 160,000 direct and indirect jobs following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ATRI Energy Transition Private Limited, an India-based renewable energy and mobility solutions firm.

The agreement, signed during a brief ceremony in Accra on Thursday, forms part of the Secretariat’s strategy to deepen private sector participation in Ghana’s emerging 24-hour economy.

Augustus Goosie Tanoh disclosed that the partnership is expected to generate about 165,000 jobs, which aligns with the Secretariat’s broader target of 160,000 employment opportunities.

He explained that the jobs would be created through initiatives such as the development of 40,000 hectares of grass plantations, the establishment of solar parks, agro-ecological zones, and expanded value chain activities linked to energy and transport infrastructure.

According to him, the agreement is the first in a series of joint development arrangements aimed at delivering up to 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy to Ghana’s national grid within the next five years.

Mr Tanoh said the projects—including solar power generation, battery energy storage systems and biomass-to-power initiatives—would be implemented through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) known as PAX Energy. The entity will be jointly owned by the Secretariat and its partners, with additional private sector investment expected from ATRI and other stakeholders.

“We are targeting structured, affordable and sustainable power for the multi-economic corridor under the 24-hour economy programme,” Mr Tanoh said.

He added that the tariff framework guiding the projects was designed to ensure affordable electricity.

“Our tariff regime mandates that if the system includes battery storage, we cap the cost at seven cents per kilowatt hour. Without storage, the price will remain between four and five cents, significantly lower than the current average of about 15 cents,” he said.

Mr Tanoh also indicated that the initiative would support Ghana’s drive toward energy self-sufficiency, particularly at a time when electricity demand is rising due to the growth of electric vehicle charging and the expansion of data centres.

He noted that the Secretariat is working closely with key institutions in the energy sector, including the Ministry of Energy, Ghana Grid Company, Volta River Authority, Northern Electricity Distribution Company, Electricity Company of Ghana and the Energy Commission to ensure the smooth integration of the new power capacity into the national grid.

He further stressed that technology transfer will be a key component of the partnership, with ATRI expected to license its proprietary innovations to the Ghanaian implementing entity.

The Secretariat also plans to collaborate with research institutions such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to adapt and develop the technologies locally.

Founder of ATRI Energy Transition Private Limited, Sammidi Kishore, expressed confidence in the partnership, noting that it would help address challenges in Ghana’s energy sector while creating jobs.

He said ATRI intends to deploy its three main business areas—biofuel, battery storage and mobility solutions—to deliver projects that are both socially impactful and economically viable.

Mr Kishore revealed that the company would immediately begin work on several initiatives, including a 20-tonne-per-day biofuel production plant, a 100-megawatt solar power installation and mobility projects that will involve converting or deploying between 500 and 1,000 electric buses within the next 24 months.

He added that the partnership presents an opportunity to harness the agricultural and hydrological potential along the Volta Basin to support industrial-scale biofuel production while combining solar energy with battery storage solutions in rural communities.

The MoU is expected to stimulate further private sector-led investments as Ghana moves toward building a competitive and low-cost energy ecosystem capable of supporting continuous industrial activity under the 24-hour economy framework.