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IFC and Kobo360 Partner to Support Innovative Solutions in Nigeria’s Agriculture and Health Sectors
The International Financial Corporation (IFC) in partnership with African e-logistics start-up, Kobo360 has announced a call for innovators all over the world to bring climate-smart, Temperature-Controlled Logistics (TCL) cooling solutions to Nigeria to help the country address food waste challenges, support its health sector, and reduce its energy consumption.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- startups
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The Nexus of Agriculture and Energy in Africa: Five Lessons for Bridging the Ag-Energy Gap
Agriculture should be a key market for rural energy providers in Africa. Growing agribusinesses and smallholder farmers need modern energy to thrive, and rural energy enterprises need reliable consumers to anchor demand for their services. Yet as Seth Silverman and Tom Chaplin at Factor[e] Ventures explain, a gap remains between the two industries, and ag-energy projects struggle to draw commercial investment. They explore some promising ways to fill that gap, sharing lessons from a new report.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy
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Press Release: Husk Power Systems Becomes First Minigrid Company to Power 100 Communities, 5,000 Small Business Customers
Today, Husk Power Systems, (huskpowersystems.com), the leading rural energy company operating renewable minigrids in Asia and Africa, announced that it has achieved two industry firsts: surpassing 100 community minigrids, and serving more than 5,000 micro-enterprise customers.
- Categories
- Energy
- Tags
- renewable energy, solar
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Where’s the Capital for Home-Grown Companies? Why Energy Access Investments in Kenya Need to Go Local
So far this year, 75% of global investment commitments in off-grid solar technology have gone to just three companies — a troubling trend since 2012. And as Kevin Johnstone at the International Institute for Environment and Development points out, many of the founders of the biggest solar companies are North American or European. Focusing on Kenya, he explores why the energy access sector needs more businesses founded, managed and run by local entrepreneurs, and what needs to be done to align investors and capital markets with Kenyan investment opportunities.
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SunCulture Wants to Turn Africa Into the World’s Next Bread Basket, One Solar Water Pump at a Time
The world’s food supply must double by the year 2050 to meet the demands of a growing population, according to a report from the United Nations. And as pressure mounts to find new crop land to support the growth, the world’s eyes are increasingly turning to the African continent as the next potential global bread basket.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Lack of Capital is Just the Beginning: Why Roof-Top Solar is Facing Greater Challenges Than Many People Think
The solar energy sector is dynamic and growing – but as Rik Teeuwen at Footlight International points out, it's also unsettled, as off-grid solar players navigate challenges ranging from lack of finance to inconsistent regulation. In light of those issues, he pushes back on the argument, expressed by candi solar CEO Philippe Flamand on NextBillion earlier this year, that rooftop solar is a “no-brainer” for micro, small and medium enterprises. The truth, he says, is far more nuanced.
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African Development Bank Launches $50 Million Facility to Support Energy Businesses in Africa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) board of directors has approved a $20 million concessional investment from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to establish the COVID-19 Off-Grid Recovery Platform (CRP).
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Press Release: Panda Partners With Lion’s Head Global Partners
Solar Panda Corporation, a company selling PAYGo solar home systems in Kenya, has secured a loan from FEI-OGEF, the African Development Bank’s flagship Off-Grid Energy Access Fund managed by Lion’s Head Global Partners. OGEF becomes a new syndicate lender, augmenting an existing $15 million framework deal with Lendable.
- Categories
- Energy
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