Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa

 

Bringing clean, affordable, off-grid energy access to millions

New BGFA investees

New BGFA investees

Solar water pumps in Uganda are securing better yields for farmers

We are expanding our portfolio in Uganda and has  signed our latest agreement with SunCulture Uganda Limited to scale up solar powered water pumps and irrigation systems in the country. Through access to off-grid irrigation systems, smallholder farmers are able to increase their annual crop yields.

READ MORE

Solar battery rental business to accelerate access to clean energy in the DRC

We have signed and agreement with Mobile Power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support access to clean energy in the country and benefit at least up to 320,000 people living in peri-urban and rural areas.

READ MORE

Tenth portfolio company in Zambia scaling up access to energy through mini-grids

The tenth project has been contracted in Zambia with Zambian Rising Sun Solar Energy Limited to scale up access to electricity by establishing mini-grids in the Western, Eastern and Southern provinces of the country. All these ten Zambian projects expect to deliver over 850,000 energy service connections and provide over 4.2 million people in remote areas with access to affordable electricity by the end of 2027.

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BGFA programme overview

BGFA programme overview

BGFA in 2022: Signed projects to provide energy access to almost five million people in Sub-Saharan Africa

We have published our first Impact Report, highlighting the key achievements of the Facility in 2022 in accelerating off-grid energy services by providing results-based financing for energy service providers in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2022, the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) contracted 13 companies in 4 Sub-Saharan countries with EUR 25 million with the potential to provide clean energy access for 4.8 million people in rural areas of Burkina Faso, Liberia, Uganda and Zambia.

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Programme overview

Our new brochure provides an overview of the BGFA programme, country specific targets and funders. The overall programme aim is to establish up to 1.44 million energy connections and benefit more than 6.5 million people by 2028.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

 

What is the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa?

What is the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa?

Kick-starting markets for clean, off-grid energy in Africa

Building on the experience from an award-winning innovative approach tested in Zambia

BGFA was set-up in 2019 on the initiative of the Swedish Government, building on the successful, award-winning initial pilot phase in Zambia, the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia (BGFZ). BGFA is an ambitious multi-donor funding facility that aims to kick-start markets for clean, off-grid energy in Sub-Saharan African countries. It works through a combination of an innovative results-based financing mechanisms for energy companies, close cooperation with governments and real-time data collection and analysis.

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Our impact

A mini-grid for Ngwerere
Zambia
enfr
Cecelia & Godfrey Miti:

A mini-grid for Ngwerere

How a mini-grid is changing the lives of Cecelia, Godfrey and the rest of their community in Ngwerere, on the edge of Lusaka.

Read Story
Flexible payments for solar lighting
Zambia
enfr
Steven Miyoba:

Flexible payments for solar lighting

How off-grid solutions have made a positive impact on Steven’s family life on the outskirts of Lusaka.

Read Story
Agent of impact
Zambia
enfr
Lister Sithole & Kennedy Matabula:

Agent of impact

How the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia has brought new opportunities and optimism to Lister and Kennedy in a rural community in Chongwe, east of the Zambian capital of ...

Read Story

BGFA has not yet generated any own impacts, but the decision to expand the concept into Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Liberia, Uganda and a new funding round in Zambia builds on the experiences of the pilot programme Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia (BGFZ) and early positive experiences in terms of rural and peri-urban customers’ interest in buying affordable off-grid energy service connections, mobilised private capital and strong social and gender outcomes.

 

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We would like to engage with…

We would like to engage with…

Are you in the renewable energy business and are looking for funding opportunities?

If you are interested in exploring new markets or scaling up your off-grid renewable energy business, please check back with us for future funding rounds.

For more information on our past funding rounds click below.

Funding rounds

Are you shaping energy policies in your country?

We are keen to work together with policy makers in and beyond BGFA in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Zambia, Mozambique and Uganda.

Please get in touch and help us shape the programme based on your valuable insights and knowledge of the markets. If BGFA is not yet looking at your country but you think the programme would be a good fit, please also get in touch.

BGFA countries

Who’s involved?

 

BGFA was established as a separate funding facility by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco) in 2019 on Sweden’s initiative and has swiftly developed into a multi-donor programme. The BGFA programme is administered by Nefco and implemented in partnership with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). Power Africa, an initiative administered by USAID, is providing a considerable in-kind technical assistance contribution, and Denmark and Germany have joined to fund activities in, respectively, Uganda and Zambia.

Find out more about who’s involved with BGFA

 

Team
who's involved
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
Funder:
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa was established on Sweden’s initiative in 2019, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Sweden is contributing SEK 835 million (EUR 80 million) to the BGFA programme, with contributions coming from the local embassies in target countries.

Visit the Sida website

Power Africa
Funder:
Power Africa

Power Africa is a U.S. government-led partnership that brings together the collective resources of over 170 public and private sector partners to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. Power Africa’s goal is to add more than 30,000 megawatts (MW) of new electricity generation capacity and connect 60 million new homes and businesses to power by 2030. In 2020, Power Africa joined BGFA with the aim to provide an in-kind contribution worth approx. EUR 4 million (USD 4.5 million) over three years in order to help operationalise the initiative and develop a pipeline of commercially viable projects within the framework of BGFA.

Visit the Power Africa website

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
Funder:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

Denmark joined the BGFA in 2020 to support the expansion to Uganda. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark has contributed with DKK 117.5 million (EUR 15.8 million), for a period for 5 years.

Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website

KfW Development Bank
Funder:
KfW Development Bank

Germany joined the BGFA in 2021 and is contributing EUR 7.5 million, through the KfW Development Bank. Germany is jointly with Sweden funding the Zambian country programme, aiming at supporting private companies to establish and scale innovative and sustainable business models with focus on mini-grids.

Visit the KfW website

Norad - The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
Funder:
Norad - The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

Norad joined BGFA in 2022 and is contributing EUR 19 million (NOK 200 million) for supporting the acceleration of affordable energy access in underserved communities with the focus on supporting the BGFA-selected energy service providers in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Uganda and Zambia.

Visit the Norad website

Nordic Environment Finance Corporation
Facility Manager:
Nordic Environment Finance Corporation

The Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco) set up the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa on behalf of Sweden and has since then developed it into a multi-donor programme. As Facility Manager, Nefco is responsible for its overall delivery. Owned by the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) Nefco is an international financial institution (IFI) with 30 years of experience in financing exclusively green projects. Besides making investments through its own capital, Nefco manages a considerable number of trust funds and its trust fund processes fulfil EU requirements. Nefco is also accredited by the Green Climate Fund. Nefco is currently working with a number of potential additional donors.

Visit the Nefco website

NIRAS
Project Implementation Partner:
NIRAS

NIRAS is a development and engineering consultancy company headquartered in Denmark with offices in over 25 countries across Europe, Africa, South Asia and Latin America and extensive experience in programme management and implementation of internationally financed technical assistance facilities and funds for various public sector clients. 

Visit the NIRAS website

 

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership
Project Implementation Partner:
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is an international non-profit organisation that works to kick-start markets for clean energy and energy efficiency solutions in low- and middle-income countries. REEEP co-designed and is implementing the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia and is one of the Project Implementation Partners for the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa.

Visit the REEEP website

Latest news

Solar water pumps in Uganda are securing better yields for farmers
Uganda
en
News
Solar water pumps in Uganda are securing better yields for farmers

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) is expanding its portfolio in Uganda and has signed a new agreement to scale up solar powered water pumps and irrigation systems ...

Read More
Solar battery rental business to accelerate access to clean energy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
enfr
News
Solar battery rental business to accelerate access to clean energy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) is expanding its portfolio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with financing for Mobile Power, helping to support access to clean ...

Read More
Tenth portfolio company in Zambia scaling up access to energy through mini-grids
Zambia
en
News
Tenth portfolio company in Zambia scaling up access to energy through mini-grids

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa has signed its tenth project in Zambia to scale up access to clean energy and support the acceleration of the green energy transition ...

Read More
Solar water pumps in Uganda are securing better yields for farmers
Uganda
en
News
Solar water pumps in Uganda are securing better yields for farmers

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) is expanding its portfolio in Uganda and has signed a new agreement to scale up solar powered water pumps and irrigation systems ...

Read More
Solar battery rental business to accelerate access to clean energy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
enfr
News
Solar battery rental business to accelerate access to clean energy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) is expanding its portfolio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with financing for Mobile Power, helping to support access to clean ...

Read More
Tenth portfolio company in Zambia scaling up access to energy through mini-grids
Zambia
en
News
Tenth portfolio company in Zambia scaling up access to energy through mini-grids

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa has signed its tenth project in Zambia to scale up access to clean energy and support the acceleration of the green energy transition ...

Read More

More news and events from BGFA

News & Events

Contact us

Wish to know more about the BGFA programme? Kindly contact us through our website form.

 

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