NextBillion - A WDI Publication

Press Release: CrossBoundary’s Innovation Lab Finds That Tariff Reduction in Rural Sierra Leone Boosts Usage, but Long-Term Success Requires Broader Support

When electricity tariffs were cut by 41% over a year, energy use surged by 58%.

Source

Sun-Connect News (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

energy access, off-grid energy, poverty alleviation, regulations, renewable energy, solar

IFC Commits $25 Million to Acumen’s Fund for Expanding Energy Access in Africa

The grant encourages solar companies to lower interest rates for end-users by achieving specific key performance indicators (KPIs).

Source

Techpoint Africa (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

blended finance, energy access, infrastructure, off-grid energy, solar

£2.2 Million Awarded to Groundbreaking Initiatives as PREO Advances Commitment to Productive Use of Renewable Energy Solutions Across sub-Saharan Africa

The programme is backed by the IKEA Foundation and UK aid via the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform, in partnership with the Carbon Trust and Mercy Corps’ Energy 4 Impact.

Source

PREO (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

energy access, off-grid energy, Productive Use of Energy, renewable energy

Yellow Card Secures $33 Million to Enhance Stablecoin Services in Africa

The company’s emphasis on stablecoins sets it apart in Africa’s changing digital payments scene since it provides companies with scalable solutions in a continent where financial infrastructure has traditionally been a difficulty.

Source

Crypto News Flash (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Finance, Technology

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

blockchain, digital payments, financial inclusion, fintech

Press Release: Power Africa Awards Grants to Increase Access to Solar-Powered Productive-Use Technologies in East Africa

Through its Empower East and Central Africa program, Power Africa is awarding grants to Simusolar and SureChill to distribute solar-powered irrigation and refrigeration solutions to underserved regions in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to boost productive use of energy.

Source

USAID (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy, Technology

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

distribution, energy access, off-grid energy, Productive Use of Energy, renewable energy, solar

Analysis: The Forgotten Strength of Smallholder Farmers: Lessons From Kumasi to The Cocoa Industry

A controlled system has been imposed on Ghana's smallholder farmers, limiting their ability to benefit fully from their hard work.

Source

Business & Financial Times (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Agriculture

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

MSMEs, scale, smallholder farmers

Afreximbank Announces Aim to Double Creative Africa Nexus Funding to $2 Billion to Boost Africa’s Creative Economy

The new funding will primarily focus on infrastructure development, which remains a key challenge in the creative sectors.

Source

Afreximbank (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

creative economy, infrastructure, MSMEs

Stunning Photos of a Vast E-Waste Dumping Ground — And Those Who Make a Living off It

International laws prohibit trafficking of non-functional e-waste containing toxic substances, but the United Nations sees trading functional e-waste as beneficial, as it can lengthen the lifespan of a product.

Source

VPM (link opens in a new window)

Categories

WASH

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

circular economy, waste