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Revitalizing Off-Grid Solar: Why Africa’s PAYGo Sector is Ready for a New Dawn
Africa's off-grid solar sector, particularly pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar, has passed through a period of disillusionment among investors, as profitability has remained elusive. But as Chris Emmott at Acumen, Audrey Desiderato at Mirova and Bankole Cardoso at Delta40 Venture Studio argue, the sector nevertheless stands on the cusp of becoming a mature industry with real and sustainable impact. They explain why they remain optimistic about the future of PAYGo solar as impact investors, and why it's time for honest conversations and compromise from all stakeholders — including companies and their investors — about how the industry can move into the next stage of its development.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance, Investing, Technology
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BII Provides $100 Million Towards Green Investments and Financial Inclusion in Africa
The funding aims to drive sustainable growth by facilitating lending to climate-related projects and women-led enterprises, expanding financial inclusion, and helping to close the region’s $42bn gender financing gap.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance, Transportation
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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CIF Allocates $143 Million to Restore Forests and Boost Climate Resilience in Brazil, Kenya, and Zambezi Region
$143M CIF funding expected to unlock $1B in co-financing, driving private sector investment in nature-based solutions.
- Categories
- Environment
- Region
- Global
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Gender Incentives in Climate Finance: Doubling Down on Proven Approaches During Uncertain Times
With the endpoint of the SDGs just five years away, multiple factors have combined to undercut gender and climate-focused funding in several key global economies. Edward T. Jackson, Yiagadeesen Samy and Katie Turner argue that gender incentives in climate finance offer an effective solution to this dual challenge. They explore how these incentives can boost the supply of affordable, renewable energy, while improving wages and economic autonomy for women workers — and they argue that if there were ever a time to double down on this approach, it is now.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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Navigating the Crisis in Global Development: Job Boards, Career and Entrepreneurship Guidance and Other Resources
Drastic cuts at USAID and other key funders have sparked turmoil in the global development and social impact sectors. But they have also generated a large and growing response from individuals and organizations, who are working hard to ramp up their own funding and other programs, help newly unemployed workers find new jobs and careers, and provide other forms of support to those affected by the crisis. NextBillion has created this page to aggregate as many of these resources and opportunities as possible. We will continue to update it regularly with new links as the response to this crisis progresses.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Report: Insights from Brazilian Firms: Is ESG Making the Job Market More Polarized?
In Colonnelli et al. (2025a), we explore the implications of ESG practices in the context of Brazil, one of the world’s largest emerging economies.
- Categories
- Environment
- Region
- Latin America
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Goldman Sachs AM Launches First Biodiversity Bond Fund, Targeting Up to $500 Million
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) is launching its first biodiversity-focused bond fund, offering fixed-income investors a way to support nature conservation.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
- Region
- Global
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European Investment Bank (EIB) Backs Africa Finance Corporation $750 Million Climate Resilient Infrastructure Fund
This landmark initiative will accelerate climate adaptation and sustainable infrastructure across Africa.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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