A new study ‘Lessons learned from 12 years of mini-grid results-based financing in Africa’, conducted by The Future of Energy, offers lessons and future recommendations for incentivising mini-grid projects through results-based financing mechanisms to scale up energy access in Africa.
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In a customer satisfaction survey of end users of BGFA-financed companies, 96% of those living in rural Liberia, Uganda and Zambia said their lives had improved as a result of access to electricity through the off-grid appliances provided by the companies.
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During 2024, the BGFA programme provided 370,000 new energy connections – typically small solar home systems – bringing total subscriptions to over 610,000 by the end of the year. In total, the established energy connections have brought electricity to 3.15 million people so far and supported approx. 5,000 African businesses, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises.
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The first newly constructed mini-grids co-funded by BGFA are delivering electricity in northern rural Liberia. The mini-grids, developed and operated by Energicity, have the potential to provide up to 8,000 Liberians with access to electricity.
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The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa is incentivising private companies to expand electricity access in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. BGFA finances renewable energy businesses, providing off-grid electricity through solar home systems, solar-powered mini-grids, and other solar-powered solutions, including battery rentals, refrigerators and freezers, and agricultural appliances such as water pumps for irrigation. Check our flyer for a short overview.
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A new study shows that the Off-Grid Task Force in Zambia has accelerated the growth of the country’s off-grid energy sector and transformed challenges into opportunities. Currently, lessons learned from the Zambia programme are being implemented across all countries supported by the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) with the aim of addressing a broad range of key factors through scaling up activities to reach more underserved populations with affordable off-grid electricity solutions. Read more through the beneath link and download the report and a summary flyer.
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BGFA was set-up in 2019 on the initiative of the Swedish Government, building on the successful, award-winning initial pilot phase in Zambia, the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia (BGFZ). BGFA is an ambitious multi-donor funding facility that aims to kick-start markets for clean, off-grid energy in Sub-Saharan African countries. It works through a combination of an innovative results-based financing mechanisms for energy companies, close cooperation with governments and real-time data collection and analysis.
Find Out MoreFunding rounds are now closed in the following countries:
How a mini-grid is changing the lives of Cecelia, Godfrey and the rest of their community in Ngwerere, on the edge of Lusaka.
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How off-grid solutions have made a positive impact on Steven’s family life on the outskirts of Lusaka.
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How the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia has brought new opportunities and optimism to Lister and Kennedy in a rural community in Chongwe, east of the Zambian capital of ...
Read StoryBGFA has not yet generated any own impacts, but the decision to expand the concept into Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Liberia, Uganda and a new funding round in Zambia builds on the experiences of the pilot programme Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia (BGFZ) and early positive experiences in terms of rural and peri-urban customers’ interest in buying affordable off-grid energy service connections, mobilised private capital and strong social and gender outcomes.
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For more information on our past funding rounds click below.
Funding rounds Please get in touch and help us shape the programme based on your valuable insights and knowledge of the markets. If BGFA is not yet looking at your country but you think the programme would be a good fit, please also get in touch.
BGFA countries
BGFA was established as a separate funding facility by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco) in 2019 on Sweden’s initiative and has swiftly developed into a multi-donor programme. The BGFA programme is administered by Nefco and implemented in partnership with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). Power Africa, an initiative administered by USAID, is providing a considerable in-kind technical assistance contribution, and Denmark and Germany have joined to fund activities in, respectively, Uganda and Zambia.
Find out more about who’s involved with BGFA
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The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa was established on Sweden’s initiative in 2019, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Sweden is contributing SEK 835 million (EUR 80 million) to the BGFA programme, with contributions coming from the local embassies in target countries.
Visit the Sida website
Power Africa is a U.S. government-led partnership that brings together the collective resources of over 170 public and private sector partners to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. Power Africa’s goal is to add more than 30,000 megawatts (MW) of new electricity generation capacity and connect 60 million new homes and businesses to power by 2030. In 2020, Power Africa joined BGFA with the aim to provide an in-kind contribution worth approx. EUR 4 million (USD 4.5 million) over three years in order to help operationalise the initiative and develop a pipeline of commercially viable projects within the framework of BGFA.
Visit the Power Africa website
Denmark joined the BGFA in 2020 to support the expansion to Uganda. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark has contributed with DKK 117.5 million (EUR 15.8 million), for a period for 5 years.
Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
Germany joined the BGFA in 2021 and is contributing EUR 7.5 million, through the KfW Development Bank. Germany is jointly with Sweden funding the Zambian country programme, aiming at supporting private companies to establish and scale innovative and sustainable business models with focus on mini-grids.
Visit the KfW website
Norad joined BGFA in 2022 and is contributing EUR 19 million (NOK 200 million) for supporting the acceleration of affordable energy access in underserved communities with the focus on supporting the BGFA-selected energy service providers in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Uganda and Zambia.
Visit the Norad website
The Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (Nefco) set up the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa on behalf of Sweden and has since then developed it into a multi-donor programme. As Facility Manager, Nefco is responsible for its overall delivery. Owned by the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) Nefco is an international financial institution (IFI) with 30 years of experience in financing exclusively green projects. Besides making investments through its own capital, Nefco manages a considerable number of trust funds and its trust fund processes fulfil EU requirements. Nefco is also accredited by the Green Climate Fund. Nefco is currently working with a number of potential additional donors.
Visit the Nefco website
NIRAS is a development and engineering consultancy company headquartered in Denmark with offices in over 25 countries across Europe, Africa, South Asia and Latin America and extensive experience in programme management and implementation of internationally financed technical assistance facilities and funds for various public sector clients.
Visit the NIRAS website
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is an international non-profit organisation that works to kick-start markets for clean energy and energy efficiency solutions in low- and middle-income countries. REEEP co-designed and is implementing the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia and is one of the Project Implementation Partners for the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa.
Visit the REEEP website
A new study ‘Lessons learned from 12 years of mini-grid results-based financing in Africa’, conducted by The Future of Energy, offers lessons and future recommendations for incentivising mini-grid projects through ...
Read More
Insight article: The BGFA job creation and skills development sub-programme BGFA has implemented a Job creation and skills development sub-programme in Uganda as a transformative initiative to address two critical ...
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In a customer satisfaction survey of end users of BGFA-financed companies, 96% of those living in rural Liberia, Uganda and Zambia said their lives had improved as a result of ...
Read More A new study ‘Lessons learned from 12 years of mini-grid results-based financing in Africa’, conducted by The Future of Energy, offers lessons and future recommendations for incentivising mini-grid projects through ...
Read More Insight article: The BGFA job creation and skills development sub-programme BGFA has implemented a Job creation and skills development sub-programme in Uganda as a transformative initiative to address two critical ...
Read More In a customer satisfaction survey of end users of BGFA-financed companies, 96% of those living in rural Liberia, Uganda and Zambia said their lives had improved as a result of ...
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