The Power of Green Mini-Grids

Think about how we'd be living without access to electricity. Children would struggle to study after sunset, we'd face the challenges of running a business without reliable power and nowhere to charge devices, and we'd be unable to refrigerate food or vital medicines. For around 600 million people across Africa, this difficult picture is a daily reality.

Access to electricity is something so many of us take for granted, but for people living without it, it's about opportunity. It fuels education, supports healthcare, drives local businesses, and transforms entire communities. That’s why investing in Green Mini-Grids (GMGs) is a powerful way to help create lasting change.

Green Mini-Grids are localised, sustainable energy systems designed to bring reliable electricity to more rural African communities that national grids don’t reach. Powered by the sun and backed by battery storage and generators, GMGs provide a clean, affordable and reliable energy source to homes, schools, clinics and businesses, offering an alternative to costly, dirty fuels like diesel and kerosene.

The African continent is rich in solar energy, yet much of its rural population remains in the dark. Without electricity, communities struggle to grow and thrive. Children have to study by candlelight, health clinics operate without fridges for vaccines, and small businesses are limited in what they can achieve. But GMGs can help change all of that and more.

By providing a steady, affordable and sustainable energy source, GMGs empower communities in many ways:

With access to electricity, students can study later in the evenings, schools can use digital learning tools, and teachers and pupils can work in well-lit classrooms.

Reliable power means entrepreneurs can expand their businesses, from providing food and drinks or running internet cafés to powering small-scale manufacturing. It provides small businesses with the opportunity to grow and become profitable with energy access, improving local African economies for all communities.

Health clinics can keep vaccines refrigerated and use more sophisticated life-saving medical equipment, providing better care to their communities.

How investing can make a difference
Funding the construction of a GMG requires a combination of grants, loans, and equity. Development finance organisations, such as the World Bank, offer Results-Based Finance (RBF) grants once a GMG is up and running.  The timeframe to buy the solar equipment and construct the grid connections is approximately one year. 

In fact, our solar energy bond for OnePower that was successfully funded earlier this year is already creating an impact in rural Benin. Two new minigrids in Kotokpa and Aglamidjodji, financed through an Energise Africa bond, are now under construction. Civil works are nearly complete, poles are rising across the skyline, and communities are rolling up their sleeves to build their energy future.

This clean energy transformation is already creating benefits for lineworkers, leading local teams in constructing the mini grids and infrastructure, and bringing hope to residents like Fridah Donkpessi, an electrification committee member in Kotokpa, who dreams of children having opportunities once out of reach, saying, “Maybe my children can be senior executives someday too.” 

Within months, the first lights will switch on, unlocking opportunities for education, enterprise, and a brighter tomorrow for people and businesses in Kotokpa and Aglamidjodji. 

How does it work?

Energise Africa is providing construction loans to proven GMG developers, helping to bridge the funding gap and accelerate progress. These loans are structured to be repaid through the receipts under the RBF, meaning that investors can support transformative projects with a short-term repayment model in place.

With a lifespan of over 25 years, each GMG continues to generate affordable electricity for the communities it serves, creating long-term impact and sustainability. The funding provided through an EA bond provides generational impact for the long term.  Investing in GMGs isn’t just about funding infrastructure; it’s about lighting up lives, powering progress, and building a brighter future for Africa.

When you invest in Green Mini-Grids, you’re helping to promote education, economic development, and improved healthcare for African communities.  On top of this, your investment is helping to cut harmful carbon emissions through clean energy access.