• Innovative Peace Renewable Energy Certificate (P-REC) Aggregation facility to unlock new hard-currency revenue for mini-grids, targeting 856,000 people across 14 frontier countries.

25 March 2026: The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved a $5.65 million reimbursable grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to pilot the Peace Renewable Energy Certificate (P-REC) Aggregation Facility, a pioneering initiative that will, for the first time, deploy renewable energy certificates as a direct funding instrument for a portfolio of mini-grids across Africa’s most fragile and energy-poor countries.

Co-financed with the Nordic Development Fund, which committed an equivalent of $5.65 million, the $11.3 million facility will be managed by Camco Clean Energy, a climate and impact fund manager, and Energy Peace Partners, a US-registered non-profit that developed the Peace Renewable Energy Certificate label. The certificates come exclusively from small-scale mini-grid projects in conflict-affected and energy-poor communities, and are voluntarily purchased by multinationals looking to put their corporate sustainability spending where it drives the greatest social and environmental impact.

The facility will enter into long-term purchase agreements with qualifying mini-grid developers across 14 frontier countries—Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. It will provide developers with upfront cash payments in exchange for the rights to the certificates produced by the project. The facility will subsequently sell those certificates to global corporate buyers, channelling hard currency back to developers in markets where commercial financing is very limited.

Some 856,000 people across these 14 countries are expected to gain first-time access to reliable electricity as a result, roughly half of them women, through approximately 240,000 new connections and 71 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity.

The project is fully aligned with Mission 300, the joint African Development Bank and World Bank initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. NDF is contributing to the ambitious energy access targets of Mission 300 through their sizable renewable energy portfolio and as a member of the Development Partner Coordination Group.

“Lack of access to capital for rural electrification continues to be a major hurdle for universal energy access in the African continent, particularly in countries experiencing conflicts and fragility. I am proud that SEFA is backing this innovative, first-of-a-kind facility testing a new climate finance product capable of unlocking new sources of commercial funding for private sector led mini-grids. This is the kind of market-making needed to advance Mission 300 objectives.” João Duarte Cunha, Manager, Renewable Energy Funds Division and Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, African Development Bank Group.

“Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa facing fragile and conflict-affected situations urgently need support and access to clean, reliable energy solutions. At NDF, we are proud to contribute to the Innovative Peace Renewable Energy Certificate (P-REC) Aggregation Facility, which helps bring small-scale, off-grid renewable energy to communities with no, limited or disrupted energy access. By supporting this initiative, we also strengthen the role of Nordic climate leadership—working in partnership, through innovation and responsibility, to advance sustainable energy solutions where they are needed most.” Satu Santala, Managing Director, Nordic Development Fund (NDF).

“PAF will provide additional low-cost, non-dilutive capital to energy access projects in fragile states. In doing so, it will provide more communities with access to the benefits of clean energy, boosting jobs, opportunities, and living standards. Camco is pleased to be working with EPP, SEFA and NDF on this important initiative.” Geoff Sinclair, CEO, Camco.

“The majority of people on the continent without access to electricity live in fragile and conflict-affected countries where renewable energy projects can have outsize impacts – improving health, education, safety and security outcomes. The P-REC Aggregation Facility, based on EPP’s Peace-REC label, can accelerate that transition by converting corporate climate ambition into upfront capital for renewable energy developers who would otherwise struggle to close their projects.” Sherwin Das, Managing Director, Energy Peace Partners.

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About SEFA: SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. SEFA offers technical assistance and concessional finance instruments to remove market barriers, build a more robust pipeline of projects and improve the risk-return profile of individual investments. The Fund’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with Mission 300.

About NDF: The Nordic Development Fund (NDF) is the joint Nordic international finance institution of the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. NDF focuses on the nexus between climate change and development in lower-income countries and countries in fragile situations. Since the introduction of the climate mandate in 2009, NDF has built a track record of adding value by financing climate mitigation and adaptation projects in close interaction with its extensive network of strategic partners.

About Camco: Camco is a climate and impact fund manager. With over 30 years’ experience in sustainable finance and on-the-ground value generation, Camco has supported over 200 projects in 29 countries. The company manages multiple investment platforms aimed at financing innovative solutions to address climate change and deliver positive impact in emerging markets, including the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP), REPP 2, Spark Energy Services and TIDES, and is an Accredited Entity of the Green Climate Fund.

About Energy Peace Partners: Energy Peace Partners (EPP) leverages climate and finance solutions to promote peace in the world’s most fragile regions. Our climate-sensitive approach expands the existing toolkit for peace and development by extending the renewable energy revolution to some of the planet’s most vulnerable populations. We address the intersection of energy poverty, conflict risk and climate vulnerability to demonstrate the peace dividends of clean energy.

5 March 2026: As part of Mission 300 Day during the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa, The Rockefeller Foundation announced an additional US$10 million in support of Mission 300, the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s ambitious initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. With this funding, The Rockefeller Foundation is collaborating with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (‘Global Energy Alliance’) to fast-track electrification efforts in at least 15 African countries by providing technical assistance to National Energy Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units (CDMUs), with support already underway in Malawi and Liberia. In addition, The Rockefeller Foundation specified that the Mission 300 Accelerator’s support is helping improve CDMU coordination, monitoring, reporting, and implementation capacity in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal, using previously announced funding with its public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC).

“African governments are choosing to transform their energy sectors by committing to National Energy Compacts, driving forward ambitious reforms, and investing in African-led solutions to connect hundreds of millions of people to electricity. These new connections will reduce reliance on costly and dangerous alternatives, helping Africans build businesses and improve agricultural yields, while fueling job creation, education, healthcare, and hope,” said William Asiko, Senior Vice President and Head of Africa at The Rockefeller Foundation.

Today, more than 730 million people still lack access to basic electricity, with an estimated 600 million living in Africa. This shortage hinders healthcare, education, digital inclusion, women and children empowerment, the creation of local jobs, building economic opportunity, and more. According to the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, lack of access to electricity is the single greatest predictor of extreme poverty.

Launched by the World Bank and African Development Bank to combat energy poverty and unlock opportunity across Africa, Mission 300 is an ambitious joint initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance, and Sustainable Energy for All, this innovative collaboration uses both grid extension and off-grid, decentralized renewable energy solutions to reach rural and underserved populations. To date, Mission 300 has connected approximately 44 million people to electricity.

Investing in Mission 300 CDMUs

Since the very first National Energy Compacts were announced during the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in January 2025, dozens of African countries have presented their compacts. These government-owned compacts go far beyond connections, committing governments to concrete reforms and investments that make large-scale electrification feasible and bankable. The compacts are all about creating the conditions for economic transformation that will drive industrial growth, and each accompanying CDMU is responsible for coordinating effective implementation.

In addition, The Rockefeller Foundation confirmed that the Mission 300 Accelerator is actively providing support to CDMUs in Nigeria, along with Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, the latter two of which have a Mission 300 Fellow and active CDMU staff. With more in the pipeline, these three CDMUs are being supported through previously announced funding to the Mission 300 Accelerator’s Technical Assistance Facility.

“Energy access is key to unlocking human potential and economic development. Mission 300 has been critical toward speeding the rate of connections in sub-Saharan Africa and giving people the ability to improve their lives and livelihoods,” said Andrew Herscowitz, CEO of RF Catalytic Capital’s Mission 300 Accelerator. “These additional investments will allow Mission 300 to go farther and do more so we can achieve our goal of connecting 300 million people to electricity by 2030.”

“Connecting 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030 is one of the most consequential development ambitions of this decade. But targets alone do not deliver transformation. What delivers transformation is execution: governments with the institutional capacity, coordination mechanisms and implementation infrastructure to move at speed and scale,” said Carol Koech, Vice President for Africa, Global Energy Alliance. “Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units are how bold National Energy Compacts become real. They align partners, strengthen institutions and ensure reforms translate into connections and economic opportunity. Through our work building the Grids of the Future and expanding Energy and Opportunity, the Global Energy Alliance is proud to partner with our Mission 300 partners to help countries turn ambition into affordable, abundant electricity and the means to use it to power jobs, growth and lasting systems change across Africa.”

Additionally, during Mission 300 Day at the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba, The Rockefeller Foundation also announced that:

• In collaboration with nonprofit impact accelerator CoAction Global, CDMU-based Mission 300 technical assistance fellowships are expanding to at least 18 African countries.
• The initial cohort of “Mission 300 Fellows” are already providing technical support to CDMUs in Burundi, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.

• 77% of customers use smartphones or digital loans to generate income, while Nigeria builds M-KOPA’s strongest agent network across all markets.

26 February 2026: M-KOPA Nigeria has released its first Impact Report, announcing over ₦230 billion in credit unlocked for over 1 million customers, becoming M-KOPA’s fastest-growing market and fastest to reach this milestone. The report highlights the company’s contribution to income generation, digital inclusion and economic opportunity for Every Day Earners across the country.

Since 2019, M-KOPA Nigeria has been working to dismantle barriers to financial inclusion by providing flexible smartphone financing and digital financial tools that align with how people in the informal economy earn and manage their money.

Impact Highlights

• 77% of customers use smartphones or digital loans to generate income
• 75% report earning more since accessing M-KOPA
• 99% of agents report increased earnings
• 81% of long-term customers report improved household expenses

The inaugural Nigeria Impact Report demonstrates strong customer outcomes across income generation, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment. M-KOPA has enabled 290,000 first-time smartphone users, while 56% of agents accessed their first income opportunity through the platform.

Babajide Duroshola, General Manager, M-KOPA Nigeria, said: “Nigeria represents extraordinary potential, and we’re proud that it has become M-KOPA’s fastest-growing market. Our Impact Report shows that when Every Day Earners gain access to the right digital and financial tools, they use them to create stability and long-term progress for their families. This is about access that unlocks opportunity and sustained prosperity.”

Digital Access Powering Progress

The rapid growth is translating into tangible outcomes. 81% of long-term customers report improvements in their household expenses, demonstrating how sustained access to digital tools supports financial stability over time.

Customer Story: From Rice Seller to Digital Entrepreneur

Suliyat, a rice seller, exemplifies this transformation.

“When I found out the M-KOPA deposit was just NGN 40,000, I paid immediately. With the money I had been saving, I bought more rice for my business. Now, I can pay the kids’ school fees and grow my business. With my smartphone, I keep in contact with suppliers, manage my salesgirls, and even post TikTok videos of my food.”

Suliyat’s experience reflects a broader pattern across M-KOPA’s customer base, where smartphones serve as critical business tools rather than luxury items.

Building Nigeria’s Strongest Agent Network

Nigeria leads all M-KOPA markets in agent network performance, with 11,000 active Direct Sales Agents and turnover at just 0.1%. 99% of agents report earning more through M-KOPA, while 56% accessed their first income opportunity through the platform.

Agent Story: Empowerment Through Opportunity

Adewunmi’s journey exemplifies the transformative career pathways M-KOPA creates. Shortly after giving birth to her son in 2021, her former manager told her about an opportunity to become an M-KOPA agent. She embraced the role and, through her strong performance, was later promoted to Sales Lead, where she now manages 20 sales agents.

“Working with M-KOPA has truly empowered me. I can now manage daily expenses, handle emergencies, invest in my future, take care of my family, and pay my child’s school fees. I’ve learned how to attend to and communicate better with customers and how to be more patient, even though I used to be very impatient. I’ve also learned how to handle different types of people professionally. In addition, my sales and negotiation skills have improved, I manage my time more effectively, and I’ve gained a lot more confidence.”

Closing the Gender Gap Through Inclusion

M-KOPA Nigeria is making measurable progress in closing the gender gap. Women’s customer participation increased from 29% in 2024 to 33% in 2025, while women now represent 53% of active sales agents, a 42% increase. This focus on women’s inclusion is delivering results: 52% of women customers accessed their first formal loan through M-KOPA, highlighting the platform’s critical role in expanding financial access for women at scale.

Creating Local Market Impact

M-KOPA Nigeria delivers tangible local impact through:

Employment & Opportunity

• 11,000 active Direct Sales Agents nationwide
• Lowest agent turnover rate (0.1%) across all M-KOPA markets
• 56% of agents accessed their first income opportunity through M-KOPA

Strategic Partnerships

• Partnerships with MTN, Samsung, and HMD are embedding value into customers’ daily lives
• Expanding access to smartphones and digital financial services nationwide

Looking Ahead

As M-KOPA Nigeria continues to expand, the focus remains on ensuring more Every Day Earners gain access to the digital and financial tools they need to build resilient, prosperous futures in Nigeria’s rapidly digitising economy.

13 February 2026: Chamwino District Hospital has been a lifeline for its community since it opened its doors in 2022. But from the beginning, one persistent challenge threatened its ability to deliver quality healthcare: water scarcity.

With a high influx of patients every day, the hospital struggled to maintain sanitation, provide clean water for patients and staff, and sustain a green environment around the facility.

Every day brought a reminder that access to water is more than a convenience; it is a lifeline.

Through the Kijanisha Afya Programme, this challenge has found a solution.

Funded by the Embassy of Ireland in Tanzania, Kijanisha Afya is a holistic initiative that focuses on strengthening health systems, improving access to essential services, and promoting environmental sustainability.

The programme emphasizes innovative, community centered interventions, ensuring that hospitals, clinics, and surrounding communities are equipped to deliver quality care while protecting the environment.

In Chamwino, Elico Foundation led a critical intervention by drilling a borehole to supply a reliable source of water to the hospital.

To maximize efficiency, the team also installed a solar-powered pump capable of delivering 40,000 liters in just eight hours, along with a 10,000-liter storage tank to store water for continuous use.

“This project has been transformative for us,” said Michael Surube Jipande, Medical Officer in Charge at Chamwino District Hospital. “Since we started operations in 2022, we faced continuous water shortages due to the high number of patients.

Today, thanks to the Kijanisha Afya Programme, that challenge has been addressed. The hospital can now maintain sanitation standards, serve patients better, and even contribute to environmental greening.”

The impact extends beyond basic hospital operations. The water from the borehole is not only used for sanitation and daily hospital needs but also supports tree planting initiatives, helping to create a greener, healthier environment for patients, staff, and the surrounding community.

Elico Foundation’s intervention demonstrates the Kijanisha Afya Programme’s commitment to sustainable, multi-dimensional solutions.

By combining renewable energy, water management, and environmental action, the programme ensures that healthcare facilities like Chamwino District Hospital can operate efficiently without compromising the planet.

11 February 2026: In Kenya’s Olchoro Oirouwa Conservancy, Maasai communities live close to nature and far from the electric grid. Daily energy needs have historically been met by burning charcoal, wood, and kerosene, which can be harmful to human health and to the environment. That is beginning to change through a community-led initiative supported by the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF). The effort introduces solar-powered cooking, as well as household lighting, device charging, and new clean water access points.

The United Nations identifies clean cooking as both a climate and a development priority, with approximately 2.1 billion people lacking access to safe, affordable, and low-carbon cooking solutions. The consequences are significant. Indoor air pollution from burning traditional fuels such as wood is responsible for an estimated 3.2 million premature deaths per year. Collecting these fuels can be time consuming and expensive, and in the Olchoro Oirouwa Conservancy, comes with added challenges.

“In our area, it’s so risky, seeing as there are animals around us. It’s dangerous to go looking for firewood,” says Ann Karia, 15.

Karia describes close encounters with wild elephants and buffaloes just outside her village of Kileleoni. Kileleoni is situated within the conservancy and is part of the greater Maasai Mara—a region famed for its megafauna.

Through an initial pilot project, Karia’s household is one of seven to receive a solar-electric cookstove, also known as an e-cooker, which uses sunlight to power cooking without fuel or open flames. The pilot also supplied three cookstoves to the ranger station at a local rhino sanctuary.

“It helps us by conserving the environment and saving time,” says James Kipera, 23.

Kipera works as a chef at the rhino sanctuary. The sanctuary provides habitat for injured rhinos and is an important employer for local Maasai people.

In addition to cooking food, the stoves come equipped with three solar-powered lamps to enable nighttime lighting and two charging ports for phones and other devices. For Karia, Kipera, and other pilot participants, this is their first taste of electricity.

The pilot is designed to assess how well the cookstoves meet local cooking and energy needs. The results of the pilot will inform the wider deployment of clean cooking solutions in the Olchoro Oirouwa Conservancy.

The cookstove initiative is one part of a phased plan to implement additional solar infrastructure in the conservancy. Three solar-powered water systems are currently being constructed, which will provide clean water to community members, their livestock, and the rhinos at the sanctuary. Climate change has intensified local water scarcity. The systems will provide relief, improve resilience, and further reduce the need to trek into dangerous wildlife zones.

A Community-Based Organization has been established to facilitate local engagement and set priorities for the expansion of solar power. Per conservancy rules, all infrastructure needs to be designed thoughtfully, with the landscape and wildlife in mind.

“Any infrastructure in the Maasai Mara has to work for both people and the surrounding ecosystem,” says Robert Freling, SELF’s executive director. “Through smart technology, careful design, and deep partnership, we can meet pressing human needs without compromising conservation goals.”

28 January 2026: A new report by ZE-Gen, launched on the International Day of Clean Energy, shows customer-centred solutions are critical to driving Nigeria’s clean energy transition. Currently more than 86 million people lack electricity access in Nigeria – the largest national electricity access deficit in the world.

‘Understanding Nigeria’s Fossil Fuel Generator Challenge’ marks the first public release of detailed customer-level data on fossil fuel generator use in Nigeria, where an estimated 41 million small businesses and 17 million households use petrol and diesel generators, contributing to an estimated $8 billion spent each year on fuel for highly polluting and expensive power.

The first-of-its-kind report by ZE-Gen combines 12 months of smart meter data collected by the Access to Energy Institute (A2EI) with in-depth market analysis by Open Capital across households, MSMEs, schools, healthcare facilities, and hotels in Nigeria.

It highlights that despite near-universal interest in switching from fossil fuel generators to modern solar generators, high upfront costs and inflexible financing remain the biggest barriers to change.

While historically, fossil fuel generators have dominated the market due to their availability, low upfront cost, and perceived reliability, today modern high-quality solar-powered generators remove the need for fuel entirely, offering a cleaner, quieter, and are more economical in the long-term in resource-constrained settings.

The report shows that a standard solar generator with a 2.5kW maximum output, combined with 1kW of solar panels and a 2kWh battery, could potentially meet up to 85% of the energy requirements of the customers surveyed. To unlock this potential, the report calls for data-driven product design, flexible financing models, and targeted awareness campaigns to ensure clean energy solutions meet real-world needs and budgets.

Key stakeholder recommendations include:

• Product Developers & Distributors – Collaboratively design products using real smart meter data insights to create modular, scalable solar gensets tailored to Nigerian load profiles.
• Investors & Lenders – Increase market availability of flexible customer financing models and use of carbon credits to lower upfront costs and expand inventory procurement services to reduce capital pressure
• Donor & Development Partners – Build local capacity and customer awareness by training technicians, empowering entrepreneurs and running awareness campaigns to drive demand and trust.
• Policy Makers – Expand and strengthen policy and regulatory support and incentives that enforce quality standards, streamline approvals, and consider mechanisms to expand local installation and maintenance labour force.

In addition, the report shows the benefit of leveraging data platforms for transparency, including using open-source tools like ZE-Gen’s PROSPECT platform to share insights and guide investment decisions and the importance of cross-industry collaboration and partnerships between solar generator suppliers and smart meter installers to share customer insights and drive product innovation.

By aligning technology with how customers actually use energy and what they can afford, Nigeria can accelerate the shift away from fossil fuel generators and deliver more affordable and reliable power to millions of households and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Based on the data analysed, customer-driven solutions could:

• Reduce energy costs for millions of households and MSMEs.
• Cut emissions by displacing 500,000 litres of diesel annually, avoiding thousands of tonnes of CO₂e.
• Unlock hundreds of millions in investment for solar generators.
• Improve public health and prevent deaths from toxic fumes by replacing noisy, polluting fossil fuel generators with cleaner alternatives.

Lily Beadle, Programme Director, ZE-Gen said: “Technology alone won’t solve Nigeria’s energy challenge – innovation must be combined with understanding the customer. Real-world data tells us what people need, how they use energy, and what they can afford. This report provides the market with a completely new understanding of customer use and insight is the foundation for designing solutions that work at scale.”

The includes market analysis by Open Capital and smart meter user data by A2EI.

Thomas Duveau, Chief Strategy Officer, Access to Energy Institute, said: “Transparent access to verified data helps us to stop guessing. This report specifically analyses how fossil fuel generators can be replaced by solar solutions. It utilizes our data platform Prospect’s long-term data aggregation capabilities to provide solar developers, distributors, and investors with valuable insights to the Nigerian market. Further, it equips them with the tools to conduct their own analyses and enhance customer-centric solar generator design – accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to affordable, efficient solar alternatives. The methodology we developed jointly with Carbon Trust can be replicated in other countries.”

Duda Slawek, Associate Partner and Head of Clean Energy, Open Capital, said: “Nigeria’s generator market presents one of the largest opportunities globally to scale clean alternatives, but only if solutions are designed around real customer behaviour and market constraints. By combining smart-meter data with detailed market and policy analysis, this study moves the conversation from aspiration to execution, offering a clearer roadmap for developers, investors, and policymakers to channel capital into solar generator solutions that are commercially viable, appropriately sized, and affordable at scale.”

Globally, around 1.5 billion people live with weak, unreliable, or no access to electricity. More than 80 million fossil fuel generators are currently in use, contributing to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and health risks, while imposing unpredictable fuel costs. In contrast, modern solar-powered generators offer cleaner, quieter, and more cost-effective alternatives.

Why Customer Insights Matter

More than 86 million Nigerians lack electricity access, making Nigeria the largest national electricity access deficit globally.

41 million MSMEs and 17 million households rely on generators, spending $8 billion annually on fuel.

100% of surveyed customers expressed interest in clean energy alternatives, and 99% agreed that accessible financing is essential.

Smart meter data shows typical generator use is 2–4 hours per day, with peak demand in evenings for households and daytime for MSMEs—critical for sizing solar systems.

Smart meter data can identify the differences and similarities between different customer categories to create better customer profiles.

Full report: The report ‘Understanding Nigeria’s Fossil Fuel Generator Challenge’ launched on 26 January 2026 to coincide with International Clean Energy Day.

• ZE-Gen summary report
• A2EI smart meter report
• Link to public Prospect dashboard

• New analysis highlighted in the plan shows strong government demand for minigrids — connecting more than 115 million people — under the Mission 300 initiative, but rapid and decisive action is required by all stakeholders between 2026 and 2028.

26 January 2026: Today, leading minigrid company CEOs operating across Africa issued a 17-step action plan for funders, governments and industry to urgently align ambition with the scale, speed, and structure of capital mobilisation and regulatory reform required to meet Africa’s electrification targets. These companies have endorsed a Mission 300 Industry Position Paper setting out 17 priority actions to ensure minigrids can catalyze electrification at the scale envisioned.

Mission 300, led by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, seeks to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030. So far, the banks have signed Energy Compacts with 29 African governments. An analysis of the Compacts, released with the position paper for the first time, demonstrates a strong desire by governments for the minigrid industry to play a central role. Governments expect to serve over 115 million people, equivalent to 23 million connections, by the end of the decade.

Core industry messages

Mission 300 is achievable, but only with a step change in delivery.

Delivering 23 million minigrid connections in less than five years implies unprecedented scale and coordination. The sector is ready to deliver, but success depends on immediate action across capital deployment, regulation and institutional execution.

Minigrid companies must have access to both corporate equity and local currency debt to scale.

Accelerating deployment will require ensuring that a combination of corporate equity and appropriately structured local currency debt is available to enable minigrid companies to scale operations within existing markets and expand into new countries. Achieving Mission 300 will require $28–46 billion in total capital, including over $10 billion in equity by 2028.

Mission 300 funders must publish a clear, time-bound capital plan.

It is important that Mission 300 clearly state how much concessional and risk capital will be deployed, how this capital will mobilise private equity at scale, and how approval and deployment timelines will be accelerated to reflect the urgency of the target. Transparent capital mobilisation plans and measurable delivery milestones should form part of Mission 300 performance tracking.

Policy, regulatory and performance standardisation is essential for speed and scale.

Governments and funders must support greater standardisation of policy frameworks, technical standards and industry Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to reduce transaction costs, streamline approvals and build investor confidence across markets.

Minigrids must be allowed to earn appropriate commercial returns.

Governments are urged to enable cost-reflective tariffs, remove import duties and taxes that add over 7% to equipment costs, and allow deployment in commercially viable peri-urban, interconnected and standalone urban settings. Without these conditions, private capital cannot scale at Mission 300 speed.

Mission 300 KPIs must reflect economic impact, not household connections alone.

Perhaps most importantly, Mission 300 should count connections to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and social institutions, not only households as currently stipulated. Including productive and institutional demand in KPIs will enable higher utilisation, stronger economics and more sustainable minigrid systems.

Endorsements

The companies endorsing the paper collectively operate 392 active minigrid sites, have invested over $300 million, and hold a development pipeline exceeding 1 GW, representing a capital requirement of up to $8.2 billion. The sector states that it is ready to deliver, provided the enabling environment moves at the pace Mission 300 demands.

Commenting on the paper, AMDA CEO, Olamide Niyi-Afuye, said:

“Mission 300 has set an ambition that meaningfully confronts the scale and urgency of Africa’s electrification challenge. This paper is the industry’s response. It reflects a rare alignment among minigrid CEOs who are already delivering on the ground and ready to scale. The message is clear: the sector is ready. What is now needed is capital mobilisation with a clear, time-bound plan, and regulatory and institutional systems that move at the same speed as the ambition.”

Manoj Sinha, CEO & Founder of Husk Power, said:

“M300 has enabled more predictable policies, reduced market risk and unlocked more capital. As a result, Husk Power has increased its ambition to 1GW of distributed energy projects in Africa by 2030. However, it is well known that high income, low energy countries do not exist. Governments have spoken on the need for minigrids to power economic growth beyond households. Now a step change in action is needed.”

CEO & Co-Founder of ANKA, Camille André-Bataille, said:

“Mission 300 is not constrained by technology or demand, but by how capital is structured and deployed. Project-level financing remains essential to build minigrid infrastructure, but scaling delivery at the pace M300 requires will depend on increased corporate equity, alongside enabling national frameworks, to strengthen companies’ capacity to grow, execute, and manage portfolios efficiently. No strong companies means no successful projects. This Position Paper brings together practical insights from minigrid companies active across Africa and provides concrete recommendations to help align capital, regulation, and institutional frameworks with the realities of large-scale delivery. It is vital that we all move forward in the same direction.”

Olu Ajala, CEO of Ashipa Electric, added:

“Mission 300 is no longer a question of ambition. It is a test of execution. Governments have made clear their expectation that minigrids will serve over 115 million people by 2030, and companies like ours are already delivering at scale. What will determine success now is whether capital, regulation, and institutional processes move fast enough to match that demand. With access to appropriately structured equity and local-currency debt, cost-reflective tariffs, and standardized performance frameworks, the minigrid sector can deliver reliable power at Mission 300 speed.”

Kenneth Gitonga, Market Development Facility Manager at Camco, said:

“Camco has been committed to the minigrid sector for over a decade, and we’ve seen how it can deliver clean energy and inclusive economic growth. The 17‑Step Action Plan offers the clarity needed to turn early ambition into scalable, bankable projects. With the right enabling conditions, we are ready to deploy catalytic capital and support developers to help Mission 300 deliver sustainable impact for households, SMEs, and communities.”

According to the World Bank, over 600 million people in Africa still lack access to electricity. With less than five years to the 2030 deadline, industry leaders warn that incremental approaches will fall short.

The Position Paper concludes with a clear message: achieving 300 million new connections has massive implications for capital flows, regulatory alignment, and institutional delivery. The minigrid industry stands ready to play a central role, but success will depend on funders and governments matching ambition with execution.

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About AMDA: Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA) is the pan African industry association representing private sector minigrid developers and allied partners, working to make Africa’s minigrid market investable, scalable, and central to universal energy access.

As the unified voice of the sector, AMDA advances the policy, regulatory, and financial conditions for sustainable growth, leveraging sector intelligence, targeted advocacy, capital facilitation, and high impact convening to accelerate scale and position minigrids at the heart of Africa’s electricity and development goals.

22 January 2026: Izili Group, a leading Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) off-grid energy and digital social business, backed by BioLite, its majority shareholder since May 2025, announces the acquisition of Qotto, strengthening its footprint across Africa. With this transaction, Izili will operate in six countries, reinforcing its ambition to scale access to sustainable energy solutions across the continent.

A new step in Izili’s growth journey

This acquisition marks a key step in Izili’s expansion in West Africa and strengthens its position as a major player in off-grid energy access. Qotto has built a strong presence in Benin and Burkina Faso, delivering innovative solar solutions to households and entrepreneurs underserved by traditional energy infrastructure.

By welcoming Qotto into the Group, Izili further reinforces its commitment to making clean, reliable and affordable energy accessible, particularly in off-grid and rural communities.

Financing to support long-term development

In parallel with the acquisition, Izili has secured a fi nancing agreement with the Off-Grid Energy Access Fund (OGEF), an impact investment fund dedicated to expanding access to off-grid electricity in Africa. The fi nancing takes the form of $5 million worth of convertible bonds, to support Izili’s growth strategy. This transaction strengthens the Group’s fi nancial structure, providing additional fl exibility to support the long-term and sustainable development of its off-grid energy activities, with the ambition to distribute more than 170,000 solar solutions and over 120,000 digital products by 2028.

Accelerating access to energy across Africa

The acquisition of Qotto opens a new chapter for Izili Group as it continues to scale its impact across Africa. Through the combination of local expertise, robust distribution networks and innovative fi nancing models, the Group intends to extend its services to additional communities and promote inclusive and sustainable economic development.

“The acquisition of Qotto marks an important milestone in Izili’s journey, not only for our expansion in West Africa, but above all for the people it brings together. We are truly proud and excited to welcome the Qotto teams into the Izili Group. Together, we share the same commitment to impact and the same belief that access to clean energy can transform lives. By joining forces, we will be able to go further, reach more communities, and build a stronger future for the off-grid energy sector, ” said Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Izili Group.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Qotto to join forces with Izili and BioLite to build a leading player in rural electrifi cation across Sub-Saharan Africa. This merger is the fi rst concrete step of a strategy to create a strong impact in renewable energy access. It empowers our teams to continue – and amplify – our mission: bringing sustainable electricity to those who need it most. We are immensely proud of what this human adventure achieved so far, and we are even more excited about what lies ahead. Picture this: combine committed, competent and passionate teams to provide millions of households with access to electricity, and future generations inheriting a fairer world. That is our mission. And today, we have the means to achieve it on an unprecedented scale. Let’s make it happen!” said Jean Baptiste Lenoir, Co-founder of Qotto.

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About Izili: Formerly Baobab+, Izili is a purpose-driven last-mile distributor of solar energy systems and digital tools in Africa. Since 2015, we have empowered over 2.5 million people through accessible fi nancing and hands-on support, ensuring that clean energy and digital solutions reach even the most remote communities.

About Qotto: Qotto is an innovative and digital-ready essential services provider to rural and underserved consumers in West Africa. Qotto’s vision is that decentralized energy and digital infrastructure will empower African populations and unlock development opportunities. Operating in Benin and Burkina Faso, Qotto has equipped more than 150.000 people with affordable solar solutions, empowering families and entrepreneurs.

21 January 2026: JIVO Energy has successfully completed the installation of Solar PV + BESS hybrid systems at 39 health facilities in Liberia.

Financed by the World Bank and having the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency as implementing agency, the project installation period lasted for 18 months and is having 2 years of Operations & Maintenance services ahead.

With systems capacities ranging from 2kWp/15kWh to 18kWp/70kWp the project is providing self sufficiency to the health facilities power demand, which were operating off-grid and relying on generators before JIVO Energy’s intervention.

The remoteness of some locations represented a challenge for the delivery of the equipment and the installation, but at same time increased the positive impact of the project by providing a reliable ecofriendly source of power.

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About JIVO ENERGY: JIVO Energy (formerly RIC Energy Africa) has been engaged in renewable energy business in Africa & Asia since 2018 focused on Project Development, EPC, O&M, and investing in renewable energy projects, including provision of technical services related to renewable energy to several clients.

In addition, JIVO Energy provides EPC solutions and technical services related to renewable energy to project developers and investors in Europe.

JIVO Energy currently operates in 15+ countries in Africa across East, West, and Southern Africa, with offices & teams in India, Mauritius, UAE, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde.

JIVO Energy is an affiliate of RIC Energy Group operating in Asia, Africa and Europe (formerly known as RIC Energy Africa, and rebranded as JIVO Energy in 2025)

JIVO Energy has now successfully implemented projects in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Cape Verde, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Zambia.

As of today, JIVO Energy has constructed (or has under construction) more than 80MWp of Solar PV and more than 50MWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), with another 200MWp+ of Solar PV and 50MWh+ of Battery Energy Storage Systems under development across 12 countries in Africa.

• This acquisition marks the first exit of early-stage investors from an operational mini-grid platform in Madagascar, demonstrating the growing bankability of the mini-grid asset class and developers. Structured as a project finance acquisition while retaining ANKA as a long-term minority shareholder and operator, the deal sends a strong signal and paves the way for further investment into the sector.

15 January 2026: CrossBoundary Access, Africa’s first blended finance platform for mini-grids, and ANKA, a pioneering mini-grid developer, have completed the acquisition of an asset company owning four operational mini-grid projects developed, built, and operated by ANKA in Madagascar. The acquired portfolio comprises 1.7MW of solar PV and 5.6MWh of battery storage, serving thousands of customers across the Atsimo-Andrefana region.

The acquisition is the first phase of the US$20 million partnership announced by Access and ANKA in June 2025. Together, Access and ANKA will finance, build, and operate mini-grids to provide power to over 62,000 people across Madagascar, aligned with national energy priorities and the Mission 300 Initiative. CrossBoundary Access becomes new majority shareholder alongside ANKA which remains a shareholder of the asset company. ANKA and CrossBoundary Access aim to demonstrate that decentralized infrastructure can reach scale, liquidity, and profitability — all while delivering universal energy access and complying to the highest technical standards.

“This acquisition demonstrates our confidence in Madagascar’s mini-grid market and ANKA’s proven track record. It shows that best-in-class mini-grids developers, working with supportive government policies and donor support, can deliver both impact and commercial returns.” - Gabriel Davies, Managing Director, CrossBoundary Access.

This transaction enabled a profitable exit for early-stage investors — Kalinka Invest, Realize Impact, and Ground Squirrel Ventures — and proves that blended finance and long-term commitment can unlock real value and reinvestment potential. While structured as a project finance transaction, this deal carries broader significance: it demonstrates that developers who structure, operate, and scale high-performing portfolios can now be trusted counterparts to platform investors.

“This milestone validates the initial investment thesis behind our engagement with early stage mini-grids and infrastructure projects in Madagascar specifically, but also across Africa. It confirms that high-quality mini-grid projects can reach operational maturity and attract long-term infrastructure capital. We are proud to see this portfolio enter a new phase of growth, marked by this successful exit.” - Brian Shaw, Manager, Ground Squirrel Ventures, (Asset Company’s exiting Shareholder).

Madagascar presents a compelling investment opportunity for mini-grid infrastructures. With a national electrification rate of 36%, and a rural electrification rate of 15%, and clear regulatory framework, the Malagasy market has established the foundations for private sector energy access solutions.

This transaction contributes to paving the way for more developers and investors to structure sustainable, scalable partnerships. It offers a replicable example of how to align early-stage venture capital, concessional funding, project cashflows, and local developer capacity — unlocking the full financing stack.

“This transaction is more than an exit — it’s a market signal. It supports the business model of developers, and shows that when execution meets ambition, the developer itself becomes investable. This is what the sector needs to grow: unlocking corporate finance for developers who can replicate these successes across multiple geographies.” - Camille André-Bataille, Founder & CEO, ANKA.

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About CrossBoundary Access: CrossBoundary Access is Africa’s first blended finance platform for mini-grids. CrossBoundary Access uses an innovative blended finance approach to invest in mini-grids and provide 24/7 grid-quality power to households and businesses in rural Africa. CrossBoundary Access reached first close in 2022 with $25 million from ARCH Emerging Markets Partners Limited, Bank of America, and Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund. In 2023, the platform secured an additional $10 million from AfDB’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA). CrossBoundary Access continues to raise and deploy a total of $150 million of blended project finance over the next three years to bring clean energy to one million people in Africa. CrossBoundary Access is a member of the CrossBoundary Group.

About ANKA: ANKA is an impact- and innovation-driven group, composed of operating companies and dedicated financial vehicles, active in the renewable energy infrastructure sector. Since its inception, it has pioneered high-quality integrated solutions for electricity production and distribution with solar technology, combining technical and financial services for achieving universal access to electricity and supporting business competitiveness. ANKA deploys its expertise to commercial and industrial clients, as well as to governments for the electrification of cities and villages that are not connected to the national grids, using mini-grids and complementary energy access solutions.

15 January 2026: JIVO Energy has successfully concluded the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of a 1.2 MWp Solar PV grid connected plant in São Tomé and Príncipe.

Financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and having the Energy Transition and Institutional Support Programme (ETISP) as implementing agency on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment (MNREE), the project got commissioned in May and is having 3 years of Operations & Maintenance services ahead.

São Tomé is mostly relying on diesel generators for supplying the required load, with active operational capacity falling below the peak load demand at the moment, leading to temporary load-shedding to manage the existing constraints on the supply side. Having these 1.2 MWp adding to the grid is an important contribution to the current power scenario in the island.

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About JIVO ENERGY: JIVO Energy has been engaged in renewable energy business in Africa & Asia since 2018 focused on Project Development, EPC, O&M, and investing in renewable energy projects, including provision of technical services related to renewable energy to several clients.

In addition, JIVO Energy provides EPC solutions and technical services related to renewable energy to project developers and investors in Europe.

JIVO Energy currently operates in 15+ countries in Africa across East, West, and Southern Africa, with offices & teams in India, Mauritius, UAE, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde.

JIVO Energy has now successfully implemented projects in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Cape Verde, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Zambia.

As of today, JIVO Energy has constructed (or has under construction) more than 80MWp of Solar PV and more than 50MWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), with another 200MWp+ of Solar PV and 50MWh+ of Battery Energy Storage Systems under development across 12 countries in Africa.

18 December 2025: Ignite Energy Access today announced the launch of the largest procurement tender ever issued in the distributed renewable energy (DRE) sector, initiating a process to source more than 1 million DRE systems that will empower over 5 million people across Africa. This historic tender marks a new milestone in the continent’s energy-access landscape and reflects Ignite’s accelerating growth as one of the world’s leading providers of affordable, sustainable energy solutions.

With operations spanning 12 African countries, a footprint serving more than 20 million people, over 650 active points of sale across Africa, and a diverse product portfolio that includes solar home systems, hybrid inverters, productive-use appliances, mini-grids, C&I systems, and solar-powered connectivity, Ignite is uniquely positioned to deliver large-scale electrification with both speed and efficiency. This tender represents the next phase of Ignite’s expansion, enabling the company to meet rapidly growing demand and continue its mission to power every household and business, everywhere, at extremely affordable prices.

Our mission to deliver power to everyone, everywhere, at a price people can truly afford has always been clear. This tender is another step toward that goal and strengthens Africa’s electrification.” - Yariv Cohen, Ignite Energy Access CEO

The tender will source a wide range of high-quality distributed renewable energy systems designed for last-mile deployment across diverse geographies, customer segments, and energy needs. By consolidating purchasing power at an unprecedented scale, Ignite aims to further reduce costs for end-users, strengthen supply chains across the Global South, and accelerate national electrification efforts in partnership with governments, financiers, and development institutions.

Distributed renewable energy has become the recognized go-to solution for massive-scale electrification, particularly in frontier and underserved markets. With its technology-led operations, advanced digital MRV systems, and deep local presence across Africa, Ignite is positioned to deliver reliable, scalable energy access faster than ever before, meeting the moment as energy demand surges across the continent.

“This tender is a turning point for Ignite, and for the entire distributed renewable energy sector,” said Yariv Cohen, CEO of Ignite Energy Access. “By procuring more than one million systems in 2026, we will unlock new levels of scale and affordability. Our mission to deliver power to everyone, everywhere, at a price people can truly afford has always been clear. This tender is another step toward that goal and strengthens Africa’s path toward universal electrification.”

The tender also aligns with Ignite’s broader strategy to deepen partnerships with technology providers, manufacturing ecosystems, and financial institutions, creating a platform capable of delivering impact at a rate never before seen in the sector. With its global headquarters in Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading hubs for sustainability and climate innovation, Ignite is leveraging new regional collaborations to enhance supply-chain stability, digital innovation, and operational excellence.

Over the coming weeks, Ignite will evaluate proposals from global and regional suppliers to identify partners capable of meeting the company’s strict requirements for quality, affordability, durability, and transparency. The systems procured through this tender will be deployed beginning in 2026 as part of Ignite’s road to connecting 100 million people by 2030.

Additional information can be found on Ignite’s website: www.igniteaccess.com.

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About Ignite Energy Access: Ignite Energy Access is Africa’s largest-footprint provider of distributed renewable energy solutions, serving customers in 12 countries with solar home systems, hybrid inverters, productive-use appliances, mini-grids, C&I systems, and solar-based internet access. Ignite delivers reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy to underserved communities, driving economic growth and accelerating the clean energy transition across the Global South.

20 November 2025: EDP will support, for the first time, an energy access project in Brazil through the A2E Fund. The initiative involves a solar pumping system developed by the Puxirum Institute, which will ensure continuous access to drinking water in an Amazon community. This will be one of nine projects selected across four other countries under the 7th edition of the Fund, with total financing of one million euros.

The projects are announced during the week of COP30, held in Brazil, where EDP is actively participating. The initiatives in this edition, which rely on decentralized solar and energy storage solutions, will improve access to healthcare, clean water, and education for more than 330,000 people directly and about 840,000 indirectly.

From over 200 applications received, eight non-profit organizations and one for-profit entity were selected, with projects aimed at combating energy poverty and promoting sustainable development in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Brazil.

“A just energy transition is a global cause and one of EDP’s top priorities. With the A2E Fund, we reinforce our commitment to reducing energy poverty, which still affects around 660 million people worldwide. We have already brought clean energy to communities in eight countries, improving the living conditions of more than nine million people, and we want to continue expanding this impact ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive future,” says Vera Pinto Pereira, EDP Executive Board Member and President of the EDP Foundation.

The projects selected in this edition

The nine supported projects focus on energy, health, education, and access to clean water, sharing a common goal: the use of decentralized solar solutions to improve quality of life in vulnerable communities across five countries.

In Mozambique, ADPM will enhance the capacity of the Monapo Health Center by installing photovoltaic, water purification, and internet systems, ensuring stable energy and digital connectivity for remote medical consultations.

In Kenya, the Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa will equip three health units, two medical centers, and one physical rehabilitation center with solar systems, reducing dependence on the electricity grid and fossil fuels and ensuring continuity of clinical services.

Also in the country, PV Tech will install a hybrid solar power system at the Chulaimbo Hospital, providing uninterrupted electricity for critical services and medical training, while Fundación GFM Renovables will bring clean energy to St. John of God Hospital, strengthening emergency services and patient safety through a resilient solar photovoltaic system.

In Malawi, two projects will transform energy access in the health sector: Direct Relief will expand the solar and storage capacity of the Area 25 Community Hospital — one of the country’s largest — improving maternity and neonatal services; and Sopowerful will enhance the energy autonomy of the Trinity Hospital and Nursing School, ensuring continuous electricity for healthcare and education.

In Nigeria, the Retech Foundation will implement the Power2Schools project, bringing clean and reliable solar energy to 10 secondary schools without grid access in Edo and Delta states. Three hundred computers (30 per school) will be installed to improve education quality and foster digital skills, while the solar system will also power water supply systems, ensuring constant and safe access for students, teachers, and local communities.

Also in Nigeria, the Save the Slum Initiative will solarize 50 existing water points, providing clean and reliable water to 10 schools, 20 health centers, and 20 communities through 1.5 kW solar systems and storage tanks adapted to local needs.

In Brazil, the Puxirum Institute will implement the Puxirum d’Água project in the Tupé Sustainable Development Reserve (Manaus), ensuring continuous and safe access to drinking water through the rehabilitation of the supply system and installation of a solar pumping system, which strengthens the community’s energy autonomy, local management, and climate resilience.

A commitment to universal energy access

Since its creation in 2018, the A2E Fund has supported 56 projects in eight countries — seven in Africa and one in Latin America — with a total investment of €5.5 million. These initiatives have already benefited over 855,000 people directly and more than nine million indirectly, reinforcing EDP’s commitment to a just, inclusive, and sustainable energy transition that promotes access to clean, safe, and affordable energy for communities around the world.

The initiative is part of the global EDP Y.E.S. – You Empower Society strategy, which aims to foster social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to clean and safe energy.

For more information on the projects and the impact of the A2E Fund, visit edp.com.

13 November 2025: Berhane Berhe Water Works Construction, based in Ethiopia, has joined the Futurepump distributor network – a move that underscores the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture through solar-powered irrigation.

As fuel subsidies are phased out and the cost of fossil fuel pumps continues to rise, solar pumps offer a cleaner, more affordable alternative for the millions of smallholder farmers across the country. This partnership aligns with Ethiopia’s national goal to install 35,000 solar or wind water supply schemes by 2030.

Designed, tested, and manufactured in India, Futurepump solar pumps are low-cost, versatile, and high-quality. They are compatible with hosepipes, drip and mist irrigation and sprinklers. They are surface water pumps, suitable for pumping from shallow wells, rivers, streams or lakes making them ideal for making efficient use of Ethiopia’s extensive surface water resources.

All Futurepump solar pumps are simple to set up, with suction hoses and solar panels included, but what really sets them apart is the manufacturer backed 10-year warranty. All spares and repairs over the 10 years after purchase are free of charge, meaning reliability and assurance of supply for a decade.

Helen Yapp, Managing Director at Futurepump said “Less than 5% of surface water in Ethiopia is currently used but farmers are crying out for irrigation, especially through the dry seasons. Futurepump solar pumps are designed to withstand tough field conditions to meet this need for decades to come.”

Berhane Berhe Water Works Construction is now ready to supply solar pumps directly in Ethiopia, driving forward a reliable irrigation solution whilst also eliminating an expensive dependency to petrol pumps.

31 October 2025: ElectriFI, the EU-funded Electrification Financing Initiative managed by EDFI Management Company, has announced a EUR 2.5 million equity investment in Sawa Energy, a growing renewable energy company operating in Uganda and Rwanda. This strategic investment, allocated through the Uganda Country Window of ElectriFI, aims to catalyse the expansion of solar photovoltaic (PV) and Backup Energy Storage Solutions (BESS) for commercial and industrial (C&I) clients across Uganda.

H.E. Jan Sadek, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Uganda: “The European Union, through the ElectriFI initiative, is proud to support Sawa Energy’s mission to deliver sustainable and affordable solar energy solutions in Uganda. This investment not only underscores our commitment to promoting renewable energy in East Africa but also highlights our dedication to empowering local enterprises, reducing carbon emissions, and driving industrialisation growth in the country”

Founded in 2021, Sawa Energy finances, builds, and operates solar and battery projects tailored to the unique consumption needs of businesses. By offering long-term contracts (10-25 years) at discounted rates compared to traditional grid tariffs, Sawa Energy enables clients to access reliable, affordable, and clean electricity. The company also provides comprehensive operations and maintenance services to ensure optimal system performance throughout the contract duration.

Rodrigo Madrazo, CEO of EDFI Management Company stated: “By supporting Sawa Energy’s expansion in Uganda and Rwanda, we are helping to accelerate the transition from polluting diesel generators to reliable, affordable solar power for businesses, creating lasting economic and environmental benefits across the region.”

The equity funding from ElectriFI is designed to unlock an efficient capital structure, attracting additional institutional lenders and investors to support Sawa Energy’s ambitious growth plans in Uganda. This investment will enable Sawa Energy to scale its portfolio, replacing polluting diesel generators with sustainable solar and battery solutions and delivering significant environmental and economic benefits.

Samuel Kaufman, CEO and Co-founder, Sawa Energy added: “At Sawa Energy, our mission is to make clean, affordable energy accessible for businesses across East Africa. This partnership with ElectriFI enables us to scale our impact, helping more companies reduce emissions, lower energy costs, and improve productivity. We believe in building a sustainable model that benefits our clients, our team, our investors, and the entrepreneurs we serve.”

Sawa Energy’s services help businesses reduce CO₂ emissions by shifting to renewable energy sources, lower energy costs through discounted solar tariffs, decrease reliance on unstable grid infrastructure, minimize production losses caused by power outages, thus improving productivity, and support business growth and profitability by providing reliable power supply.

ElectriFI’s commitment underscores the EU’s dedication to propelling clean energy access and championing private sector-driven climate action in Africa. This effort aligns seamlessly with the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative, a cornerstone of the EU’s Global Gateway Africa-EU Investment Package.

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About Sawa Energy: Sawa Energy is a renewable energy group operating in East Africa, focused on providing fully financed, tailored solar PV and energy storage solutions to commercial and industrial clients, with a mission to drive the transition to clean energy.

About EDFI Management Company: EDFI Management Company (EDFI MC) is a multilaterally owned impact asset manager which delivers innovative development finance solutions that enable European DFIs, development banks and private sector investors to increase the scale and impact of their work. The company focuses on business models, technologies and geographies where other investors have not been able to operate at the desired scale given their resources and investment criteria.

About ElectriFI: The Electrification Financing Initiative – ElectriFI, managed by EDFI Management Company, is an impact-first investment facility, funded by the European Union. ElectriFI is investing in early-stage private companies and projects that increase or improve access to and supply of sustainable energy in developing countries.

29 October 2025: CrossBoundary Energy EVx (CBEVx), a new offering under CrossBoundary Energy, and Ampersand Energy today announced commercial operations of a solar-powered battery charging facility, strengthening Ampersand Energy’s emerging e-mobility network that provides renewable energy to electric two-wheelers (E2Ws). This comes after CBEVx financed 150 batteries and charging infrastructure for the energy tech company in 2024.

The facility will supply solar power to charge Ampersand Energy’s batteries for E2Ws that operate taxi and delivery services in the Kitengela area. E2Ws depend on reliable, low-cost energy, and CBEVx has financed the batteries, charging infrastructure, and a 36.9 kWp solar PV system that will produce 51,500 kWh annually, facilitating approximately 200 battery swaps per day. The project demonstrates how financed renewable energy can effectively power the growing electric mobility sector and reduce operational costs for E2Ws, even in contexts with limited grid access or high electricity costs.

Tombo Banda, Managing Director of CrossBoundary Energy EVx, said, “By leveraging CrossBoundary Energy’s expertise in financed, distributed renewable energy solutions, CBEVx is providing a model that makes electric mobility both economically viable and environmentally sustainable for everyday users. It has been a pleasure to work with Ampersand on our first pilot project to demonstrate the scalability of this model.”

Brady Grimes, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Ampersand, said, “Ampersand Energy’s mission has always been to make electric mobility the most affordable and reliable way to move. By working with CrossBoundary Energy EVx, we’re ensuring that every swap station we deploy can operate reliably, sustainably, and with renewable energy sources.”

The project has also secured a first-of-its-kind solar-to-charging station license, establishing a regulatory precedent that will benefit the entire e-mobility sector.

Dr. Eng. Joseph Oketch, Director of Electricity & Renewable Energy at the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), said, “EPRA welcomes this private sector initiative that directly supports our public mandate to foster sustainable energy solutions. The solar electric charging license issued for this project represents our commitment to creating an enabling environment for innovative energy service models. We look forward to continued collaboration with companies like CrossBoundary Energy EVx and Ampersand as we build Kenya’s clean energy future together.”

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About CrossBoundary Energy EVx: CrossBoundary Energy EVx (CBEVx) is being developed to provide the growing e-mobility sector in Africa with a one-stop shop solution for scaling charging infrastructure. Working primarily in the electric two-wheeler market, CBEVx partners with e-mobility providers to deliver the clean PV solar to power swap stations and finance the batteries and charging infrastructure within them. This solution supports operators to rapidly expand their charging infrastructure, saves energy costs for drivers and reduces their range anxiety, and enables a pathway to interoperability for the wider sector. CBEVx is a subsidiary of CrossBoundary Energy, a leading provider of distributed renewable energy solutions that develops, owns, and operates projects for the private sector in Africa.

About Ampersand Energy: Ampersand is Africa’s leading EV energy tech company, cutting carbon emissions & driving clean economic prosperity, by making our EV energy technology and infrastructure accessible to the mass market. Ampersand’s proprietary battery fleet and charging infrastructure powers more than 7,000 zero emission e-motorcycles in Rwanda and Kenya. These motorbikes cost the same to buy and 35% less to run compared to the heavily polluting petrol motorcycles that make up half of all road traffic in Africa. That savings translates to an increase in net take home income of 50-100% for most of Ampersand’s customers. All while cleaning up air quality and improving people’s health. The company is further scaling its climate-led innovation and customer-centric services to more businesses and markets. Ampersand is reshaping how Africa moves.

21 October 2025: Formerly known as Baobab+, Izili marks a major milestone in its development as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. As leading Pay-As-You-Go player in off-grid energy access and digital inclusion across Africa, Izili reaffirms its mission: to make energy and technology accessible to all — even in the most remote areas.

A new name, a continued mission

Founded in 2015 within the Baobab Group, Izili was born from a strong conviction: access to energy and digital solutions are essential drivers for unlocking the potential of African households and entrepreneurs, and for fostering community development.

In April 2025, the Group entered a new phase of growth as BioLite, a renowned manufacturer of off-grid solar solutions, became its majority shareholder. This vertical integration strengthens Izili’s ability to deliver high-quality, durable, and locally adapted products at affordable prices.

10 years of innovation and impact

Active in four African countries — Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, and Nigeria —, Izili distributes solar, digital, and productive-use solutions through fl exible fi nancing options and an extensive distribution network, including last-mile.

Alongside key partners such as MFIs (Baobab, Lapo, Nim, etc.) and Telco operators (MTN, Orange, Moov Africa, etc.), Izili has already distributed more than 700,000 products and improved the lives of more than 2.5 million people across the continent. Its solutions enable households to access reliable energy, empower entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and contribute to a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable Africa.

“For ten years, we’ve been working to improve our customers’ daily lives. With Izili, we are reaffi rming our mission: to bring access to solar energy and digital solutions to everyone, everywhere. We are Izili. We energise lives. We connect communities.” said Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Izili Group.

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About Izili: Formerly Baobab+, Izili is a purpose-driven last mile distributor of solar energy systems and digital tools in Africa. Since 2015, we have empowered over 2.5 million people through accessible fi nancing and hands-on support, ensuring that clean energy and digital solutions reach even the most remote communities.

15 October 2025: In 2024, energy access-related crowdfunding continued to demonstrate adaptability, with new financing models and growing investment in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar projects reshaping the market. Whilst crowdfunding volumes fell to $42 million (a 13% drop from 2023), pioneering innovations, such as Lendahand’s government-guaranteed export insurance loan and Trine’s profit-share model, opened fresh opportunities for both borrowers and investors.

Debt crowdfunding

Between 2019 and 2023, average volumes in debt crowdfunding hovered close to $50 million annually. Whilst debt crowdfunding has remained the most relevant financing mechanism for energy access projects, accounting for 94% of funds raised, volumes dipped to $40 million in 2024. This contraction was driven by reduced activity across several major platforms, though others, such as Goparity and Klimja, saw significant fundraising growth.

By sector, the most striking trend in 2024 was the continued rise of commercial and industrial (C&I) projects, which now dominate the energy access crowdfunding landscape, comprising 67% of funds raised (up from 62% in 2023). Projects in e-mobility followed, accounting for 12%, while volumes in sectors with robust historic activity fell significantly: solar home systems (SHS) to 6%, household energy projects to 14%, and clean cooking to just 3%. Two platforms – Ecoligo and Trine – accounted for 56% of total funds raised with most campaigns funding C&I projects in middle-income countries. The swing towards C&I reflects the tough macro-economic environment, putting platforms under pressure to offer investors stronger risk-adjusted returns while still delivering climate impact.

The regional balance of crowdfunding shifted further in 2024. Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of debt volumes declined from 50% to 42%, while Asia increased from 30% to 39% and Latin America from 18% to 20%. Platforms cite the relative maturity of Asian and Latin American markets, where C&I borrowers often present more attractive investment profiles than their African counterparts.

Innovation spotlight

In 2024, Crowd Power lent valuable support to game-changing initiatives that boosted the dynamism of the sector:

• Lendahand introduced a first-of-its-kind 100% government-backed guarantee structure which enables investors to fund Spark Energy’s solar kits with full principal and interest protection under export insurance provided by the Dutch government. The model proved highly popular, with campaigns in Nigeria and Zimbabwe funding in hours rather than weeks.
• Trine launched a profit-share loan product that tailors repayment to borrower cashflows while offering investors higher returns of 9–13% p.a., compared to the previous 6–8% range. Campaigns under this structure completed funding at more than twice the speed of conventional loan structures.

These innovations highlight how platforms are pivoting in response to global economic challenges while enhancing the appeal of their terms.

Equity crowdfunding

Equity crowdfunding remained modest in scale, raising $2.4 million in 2024. All campaigns came from repeat crowdfunders, reflecting the significant time, effort and regulatory hurdles involved in preparing a raise. However, Swiss company MPower Ventures scored a major win with a $1.9 million raise on the Republic Europe platform.

Outlook

Debt crowdfunding remains the backbone of energy access finance, but the dip in 2024 volumes signals potential headwinds. The sector’s resilience will depend on sustaining investor confidence and broadening the range of borrowers. Nevertheless, innovative models demonstrate that platforms have a strong capacity to evolve, which will be critical to ensuring crowdfunding continues to fund energy access projects delivering lasting impact for underserved communities.

2 October 2025: Today, World Resources Institute’s Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) awarded $3.8 million in grants and technical assistance to 14 climate startups across Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. This funding will help these early-stage businesses grow breakthrough solutions — from clean cooling systems in Vietnam to water-absorbing pavers in Indonesia, and solar-powered dryers for agricultural crops in Kenya — making them investment-ready to accelerate green growth in emerging markets.

Mobilizing climate finance is one of the most urgent priorities of our time. Achieving this requires unprecedented investment in innovative solutions that can rapidly reduce emissions, build resilience and support a just transition for communities around the world. Yet in emerging markets, startups with promising solutions often face steep barriers to growth.

While graduation rates from early-stage funding – commonly known as seed – to their first major investment round (Series A) average 20–30% in developed markets, they drop to around 10% in Latin America and just 5% in Africa. Common challenges include financial modeling, preparing investor documentation and developing effective pitch and marketing materials.

P4G bridges these gaps by pairing startups with nonprofits and technical experts to strengthen their business models, ESG strategies and market positioning. Through its National Platforms – public-private coalitions at the country level – P4G also connects startups with government agencies, facilitates policy dialogues and hosts workshops to foster a more enabling environment for climate businesses.

“Climate startups are powerful engines of innovation and play a key role in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future,” said Robyn McGuckin, Executive Director, P4G. “From working closely with these entrepreneurs, we’ve seen how targeted funding and hands-on support can unlock their full potential – helping them scale faster, create jobs, boost local economies and deliver climate solutions that the world can’t afford to wait for.”

One of the newly funded partnerships, VOX Cool – ASSIST Vietnam, will use its funds to scale “Cold Battery” technology — an affordable, low-emission cooling solution that stores thermal energy for when it’s needed most. By ensuring reliable, energy-efficient refrigeration, it cuts electricity costs, reduces fossil fuel reliance and prevents food spoilage.

“We are scaling a technology that not only reduces food loss and emissions in Vietnam but can also serve as a model for how emerging markets build more efficient and cleaner cold chain systems,” said Dr. Khoa Le, co-founder and CEO, VOX Cool. “With P4G’s support, we can scale faster, create greater value for farmers and businesses, and demonstrate how innovative cooling can drive both economic growth and climate action.”

Other partnerships receiving funding include:

• Parsons Kinetics – ACOSOL – patented wind turbines inspired by the aerodynamics of the Varasanta tree seed in Colombia.
• ReservoAir – Kopernik – porous pavers that absorb water 100x faster than conventional paver and reduces the risk of flooding in Indonesia.
• Synnefa – Solidaridad – Solar dryers that use smart technology to cut agricultural crop drying time from weeks to just 2–3 days in Kenya.

These startups provide real-world evidence of what works to tackle pressing challenges in food systems, energy, transport and water, helping to attract private sector investment and de-risk the climate innovation space.

Since 2018, P4G-backed partnerships have leveraged this support to raise over $211 million in commercial and non-commercial investments, create over 17,000 green jobs, produce nearly 7.9 million metric liters of clean water, reclaim more than 130,000 metric tons of waste and revitalize over 307,000 hectares of land with climate smart agricultural practices. These outcomes underscore P4G’s long-term commitment to catalyzing green growth and scaling market-based climate solutions in emerging economies.

P4G received 167 applications for this round of funding. An Independent Grants Committee, comprising climate and impact investing experts, evaluated the shortlisted partnerships to select the final recipients. The new partnerships will focus on advancing impact in Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Vietnam.

Explore the full list of partnerships here.

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About P4G: P4G helps early-stage climate startups in emerging markets and developing economies become investment ready. We provide startups with grants and technical assistance, and partner them with national level public-private platforms to help navigate the marketplace. Through this approach, P4G strengthens market systems for climate entrepreneurs and accelerates just and resilient country economic transitions. Hosted by World Resources Institute and funded by Denmark, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea, P4G accelerates food, water and energy partnerships in Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Vietnam. For more information, visit www.p4gpartnerships.org.

About World Resources Institute: WRI works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

October 2025: Evolution III Fund, Inspired Evolution’s dedicated next-generation energy transition fund, has signed transaction agreements committing USD 20 million to Cold Solutions East Africa Holdings Limited (CSEAHL), a leading temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics platform operating across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

The investment will support the development and construction of modern cold-chain infrastructure throughout East Africa, helping to reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen food systems, enhance food security, and drive energy and resource-efficient growth in the region. CSEAHL is an investment vehicle owned by the ARCH Cold Chain Solutions East Africa Fund (CCSEAF), which is managed by ARCH Emerging Markets Partners Limited (ARCH). African Rainbow Capital Proprietary Limited, through its subsidiary ARC Guernsey Limited, is the controlling shareholder of ARCH.

Anthony Ngugi, Investment Director at Inspired Evolution, commented: "It’s been a pleasure to work on this transaction, which aligns with our investment theme of resource efficiency. It’s also highly impactful – contributing directly to improved food security in East Africa by strengthening the region’s cold-chain ecosystem."

Wayne Keast, Managing Partner at Inspired Evolution, added: "Cold Solutions East Africa reflects the type of climate-resilient, scalable platform that embodies Inspired Evolution’s investment philosophy. By driving energy efficiency and sustainability into regional supply chains, this initiative tackles food waste at scale while reinforcing resilience in the face of climate change. For us, this investment is not only about growth; it is about backing businesses that deliver measurable impact — enabling smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable economies across Africa. "This investment reflects Inspired Evolution’s continued focus on climate-resilient infrastructure, food system efficiency, and sustainable development across sub-Saharan Africa.

Suki Muia, Investment Director at ARCH, commented, “We are excited to welcome Inspired Evolution to the Cold Chain strategy and look forward to collaboratively rolling out and growing the cold chain network in East Africa. The USD 20 million additional commitment to the Fund by Inspired Evolution will facilitate the roll out of the remaining 4 facilities in Kampala, Kigali, Dar-es Salaam, and Mombasa, complementing the flagship Tatu City Facility that is already operational.”

Marlene Jennings, CEO at ARCH, added, "This partnership with Inspired Evolution underscores the importance of mobilising climate-smart capital into critical infrastructure for Africa’s food systems. Cold Solutions East Africa is not only addressing post-harvest losses but also enabling farmers, businesses, and consumers to access reliable and efficient cold storage. We look forward to working closely with Inspired Evolution to accelerate the rollout of facilities that will have a lasting impact on regional trade and food security."

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About Inspired Evolution and Evolution III Fund: Inspired Evolution is a pan-African specialised climate investment manager to Evolution I, II, and III funds with over USD 500 million in capital commitments, focusing on clean energy infrastructure, energy access, and resource efficiency investments. Inspired Evolution offers a broad African footprint with strategic regional and country offices in Cape Town, London, Nairobi, Abidjan, and Mauritius.

Evolution III Fund’s investors include the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Dutch Development Bank FMO, the African Development Bank, the Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation (FinnFund), the Emerging Markets Climate Action Fund (EMCAF), Swedfund International AG, the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Mauritius Investment Corporation (MIC), the Development Bank of Austria (OeEB), and several impact-driven HNW individuals, families and foundations. For more information, visit www.inspiredevolution.co.za.

About ARCH Cold Chain Solutions East Africa Fund: ARCH, a subsidiary of the USD 2.7 billion African investment powerhouse African Rainbow Capital, was founded in 2018 as a specialist investment advisor for emerging markets. Our mission is to support the transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient, and sustainable economies across Africa. Authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, ARCH advises on investments through three key strategies; Renewable Energy, and Cold Chain Solutions and Sustainable Natural Resources.

As an award-winning platform (SuperReturn Africa 2022 & 2024), ARCH operates within a strong governance framework, emphasizing value creation and growth through a risk-adjusted approach. ESG principles are deeply embedded in its investment strategies, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement to drive meaningful global impact.

The ARCH Cold Chain Solutions East Africa Fund (“CCSEAF” or “Fund”) primarily aims to reduce food waste, increase food security, and promote economic development across Africa. According to The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates, post-harvest losses in Sub-Saharan Africa range from 40-60%, largely due to inadequate storage and transportation, with 37% of losses occurring during handling and storage. The Fund is focused on creating state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled storage facilities throughout East Africa, complemented by a fleet of refrigerated trucks to ensure end-to-end cold chain management for both local and long-distance routes.

The Fund reached final closure in May 2022, and its flagship project, the Tatu City Facility, was completed in July 2023. CCSEAF is actively expanding into other East African countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania, with plans to establish similar facilities to bolster regional trade and exports. For more information, visit www.archempartners.com.