Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a five-year Operation and Maintenance (O&M) agreement with Boto SA, a subsidiary of Moroccan mining group Managem.
The deal covers a 23 MW captive power plant at the Boto Gold Project in eastern Senegal.
The agreement, recorded in Wärtsilä’s order intake for Q2 2025, marks a key milestone in supporting Senegal’s fast-growing mining and energy sector.
The power plant is designed to provide reliable electricity for gold mining operations in a remote, off-grid location.
Chief International Operations Officer at Managem Group, Driss Mounji stated that the partnership marks significant progress for our Senegal operations.
“This partnership is a major step forward for our operations in Senegal. Wärtsilä’s tailored approach and advanced digital solutions provide us with the confidence to produce gold more reliably and efficiently, while also laying the foundation for future renewable integration,” Mounji said.
The initiative is also in line with the national Plan Sénégal Émergent, which prioritises industrial development and energy independence.
Reliable energy for mining
Located 88 kilometres from Kédougou, close to the Mali and Guinea borders, the Boto Gold Project will be powered by six Wärtsilä 32 engines (2.7 MW each) alongside four high-speed diesel generators (1.5 MW each).
Under the O&M agreement, Wärtsilä will be responsible for operating and maintaining the engines while deploying advanced AI-powered anomaly detection and remote operational support.
This approach is expected to ensure peak performance, optimise fuel usage, and minimise downtime, which is critical for continuous gold production.
Senegalese regulations require mining companies to operate their own power plants in such regions, making reliable energy supply.
This supports Senegal’s wider national objectives of driving industrial growth and achieving greater energy self-sufficiency, particularly in strategic industries such as mining
Economic and social impact
The contract is expected to create local employment opportunities in the Kédougou region by engaging local personnel.
It also supports Senegal’s wider objectives of industrial growth and energy self-sufficiency, particularly in strategic industries like mining.
Energy Business Director for Africa at Wärtsilä Energy, Marc Thiriet, added that the project highlights Wärtsilä’s commitment to energy reliability and sustainable development.
“This project demonstrates Wärtsilä’s deep understanding of Senegal’s energy landscape and our ability to operate in alignment with the country’s industrial growth and energy independence goals.
Senegal recently launched Africa’s first LNG-to-power project with Senelec and Karpowership, generating electricity off Dakar’s coast.
About the Boto gold project
The Boto Gold Project, located in the Senegalo-Mali Shear Zone (SMSZ), sits within a region that also hosts world-class gold deposits such as Loulo and Fekola.
The project was acquired by Managem in 2023 and is currently under construction, with commissioning scheduled for H1 2025.
The mine holds proven mineral reserves of 31.5 million tonnes of ore grading 1.6 g/t gold, equivalent to 1.6 million ounces.
Gold ore will be processed at a carbon-in-pulp (CIP) plant with an annual capacity of 2.75 million tonnes.
Production is expected to average 170,000 ounces in the first three years, and about 128,000 ounces per year across the full life of mine.
