Sixteen New Clean Energy Projects Join the EEP Africa Portfolio

A total of EUR 4.82 million in grants and repayable grants has been allocated to the new portfolio which covers nine countries across Southern and Eastern Africa. The portfolio demonstrates continued interest from companies developing commercially viable solutions to improve energy access, strengthen productive use of renewable energy, and build climate resilience across the region.

The 2026 call for proposals (CfP) attracted 373 applications which is significantly less than the 625 received for CfP 2025. The drop can be mostly attributed to the thematic restriction that limited applications from Kenya, Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa to projects that focus on e-waste management, specifically e-waste generated from the clean energy sector.

Due to a smaller financing quota (EUR 5 million), EEP Africa had reduced the maximum grant size from EUR 1 million to EUR 500,000. The change enabled the Fund to support more companies while maintaining its focus on innovation, impact, and commercial viability.

The call for proposals 2026 was highly competitive due large number of good quality applications. Forty companies progressed to pitch interviews, and 19 companies were shortlisted for full proposal. In the end, 16 projects were ultimately approved by the Investment Committee during its meeting held in Nairobi on 22-23 September 2026.

This year, the EEP Africa Investment Committee once again convened in Nairobi to review early-stage clean energy projects demonstrating additionality, impact and innovation. Following two days of intensive deliberations, the approved projects across nine countries have a strong focus on productive use of energy and on Zimbabwe, reflecting targeted efforts to activate the market. The Committee thanks all companies that submitted proposals and warmly congratulates the selected grantees! -Matts Weurlander, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Productive Use of Energy Continues to Dominate

Productive Use of Energy (PUE) remains the dominant theme within the 2026 portfolio, accounting for ten of the sixteen approved projects (63%). This strong representation highlights continued demand for renewable energy solutions that help businesses, farmers, and communities increase productivity, generate income, and strengthen local value chains and economies.

Growing Momentum in Zimbabwe

The portfolio is geographically diverse, but Zimbabwe stands out as the largest single-country exposure. Six of the sixteen projects (38%) originate from Zimbabwe. The strong pipeline reflects both the country's entrepreneurial potential and EEP Africa's intensified outreach efforts in Zimbabwe during 2026.

Advancing Inclusive Entrepreneurship

The 2026 portfolio continues to demonstrate progress toward greater inclusion and diversity in the clean energy sector.

A quarter of the selected companies are majority women-owned and 63% are local companies (69% from Sub-Saharan Africa). More than 80% of the new portfolio report that women hold at least 30% of leadership positions.

These figures reflect a growing commitment among entrepreneurs to build businesses that are not only commercially successful, but also inclusive and representative.


Seeing Impact in Action

Alongside the Investment Committee deliberations, the committee members visited two companies supported through EEP Africa's CfP 2025 cohort to see firsthand how EEP Africa funding is helping businesses scale innovative solutions on the ground.

Irri-hub develops renewable energy-powered irrigation solutions that strengthen agricultural productivity.

“Visiting Irri-hub was a great opportunity to see firsthand how reliable irrigation can make a real difference for farmers. Hearing about the company's journey and seeing its systems in use showed how better access to water is helping strengthen agricultural production and resilience. Irri-hub is exactly the kind of company EEP Africa aims to support: a business that understands local challenges and develops practical solutions that deliver real benefits for communities.” - Isabel Leroux, Nordic Development Fund

Megagas advances access to cleaner cooking alternatives in Kenya.

“Megagas is turning PET bottle waste into clean cooking fuel for Nairobi’s low-income communities, proving that environmental and social impact can go hand in hand with business success. The IC was delighted to visit one of the highly frequented community kitchens, talk to users and the CEO’s mother who inspired the business idea, and taste some freshly cooked porridge. With the EEP Africa grant, Megagas will increase its production capacity and establish three additional community kitchens. We wish Megagas all the best on their journey to grow their business, create employment and contribute to the dissemination of cleaner cooking solutions in Kenya.” - Jonas Buchter, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

These visits provided an opportunity for Investment Committee members to observe how EEP Africa-supported businesses are turning promising ideas into measurable development and climate impacts.

The Energy and Environment Partnership Trust Fund (EEP Africa) is a clean energy financing facility hosted and managed by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) with funding from Austria, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, NDF, Norway, and Switzerland. EEP Africa provides risk tolerant early-stage grant financing for locally driven innovative clean energy projects and businesses in Southern and Eastern Africa. Project financing is supplemented by technical support, investment facilitation and knowledge sharing.