investing
Progress funded by Energise Africa investors
How UK investors are helping to light up lives in Benin
Think about life without electricity. No reliable light to study after sunset. No refrigeration for food or medicines. No way to power a small business, charge a phone, or run essential equipment.
For around 600 million people across sub-Saharan Africa, that’s a reality.
Electricity helps access to education, strengthens healthcare provision, enables entrepreneurship and transforms entire communities. Green Mini-Grids (GMGs) are a solution to Africa’s energy access problem, powering whole villages, and we’re proud to share real progress from current projects Benin, funded by Energise Africa investors and CEI Africa.
A model that’s working
Last year, Energise Africa investors funded two solar energy bond supporting the construction of mini-grids in rural Benin, delivered by OnePower Africa. We’re pleased to have received updates that demonstrate how that investment is visibly turning into infrastructure on the ground.
Across the OnePower portfolio of mini grids, one site is already operational , and 492 distribution poles have been planted across active construction sites. Over 4,700 household connections have been designed and construction on all sites is progressing ahead of schedule.
Two mini-grid sites that will power the villages of Kotokpa and Aglamidjodji, which were financed through our first OnePower bond, are approaching completion. Poles are rising, generation equipment is on site, and communities are preparing for clean, reliable and affordable solar power. This is complex infrastructure delivery in rural environments, and it’s great to see it moving faster than planned.
How the funding works
- The OnePower Green Mini-Grids are financed through a blend of grants, loans and equity.
- Energise Africa provides construction loans to OnePower, helping to bridge the upfront capital needed to procure solar equipment and build the distribution network.
- Co-investor CEI Africa provides additional catalytic capital alongside Energise Africa investors.
- Once the mini-grids are constructed and verified as operational, Results-Based Finance (RBF) grants, supported by development finance institutions, are released. These grant payments are then used to repay the Energise Africa bondholders.
Because construction is progressing ahead of schedule, grant disbursement is expected sooner, creating the potential for early bond repayment. It’s a strong model:
- UK investors accelerate delivery.
- Grant funding repays capital.
- Rural communities gain long-term energy access infrastructure.
Beyond infrastructure: real impact
These mini-grids are 100% solar-powered, backed by battery storage. They replace fossil-fuel powered kerosene lamps and diesel generators with clean, reliable electricity.
And the impact goes even further. As well as building the grids, OnePower is actively training and equipping entrepreneurs to use electricity productively from day one. Recent equipment provided to villages includes commercial freezers and a grinding mill to support local businesses to start making use of their new energy supply, alongside coaching for entrepreneurs and women’s enterprise programmes.
This means that when the power switches on, income generation can increase immediately. Children can study after dark, clinics can refrigerate vaccines and businesses can expand beyond daylight hours.
A clean energy transition that’s built to last
Each Green Mini-Grid is designed to operate for 25+ years, delivering affordable electricity to rural communities far beyond the initial construction phase. The funding provided through Energise Africa bonds is helping to create generational infrastructure.
This is what impact investing looks like when it works: Construction is ahead of schedule. Energisation is approaching. And thousands of households in rural Benin are closer than ever to reliable, clean power.
We’re proud to share this success story, and as we prepare to launch another OnePower bond offer on the platform, it’s only just getting started.