Ariya Capital Group has acquired a 45% stake in the Nathaniel Maxuilili Power Plant (NMPP). The collaboration which is being called Project Spark will be Namibia’s first gas-to-power plant. To produce electricity, the project plans to use re-gasified liquefied natural gas (LNG) to produce 586MW of base-load power. Ariya Capital Group chief executive Herta von Stiegel says the company brings both capital and expertise in structuring and delivering high-impact energy infrastructure in emerging markets. “Project Spark highlights the expertise, innovation and integrity that Ariya Capital Group and its co-development partners bring to launching large-scale energy infrastructure projects in Africa,” says von Stiegel. According to a statement by Ariya Capital, the project is expected to turn Namibia from a net importer to a net exporter of electricity by stabilising Namibia’s grid and supplying neighbouring countries that are integrated into the Southern Africa Power Pool with baseload power. The target markets for the electricity generated are primarily Zambia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There has not been any project updates or developments since the NMPP received its licence from the Electricity Control Board in 2022. However, according to the company’s website, the project is expected to start its first production by the first quarter of 2026. NMPP will be fuelled by LNG supplied via the innovative Walvis GasPort. “The project combines floating storage units with onshore re-gasification and a truck-loading facility to serve both the power plant and regional industrial users. The design will also allow LNG to be transported in 12-metre containers to inland mines, factories and smaller power plants,” says von Stiegel. According to the company website, NMPP is being funded by top African and international private sector companies with a total of over US$29 million already invested.