CEI Africa Secures Additional Grant from SDC to Scale PUE Solutions

CEI Africa has announced an expanded partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), securing an additional approx. $4.45M USD (CHF 4 million) to support the Smart Outcomes Fund (SOF) component of its energy access program. This new contribution builds on SDC’s initial CHF 5 million commitment made in 2022, bringing its total support to CHF 9 million. The funding aims to accelerate the deployment of Productive Use of Energy (PUE) solutions across underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Through the SOF, CEI Africa provides outcome-based grants and forgivable loans to mini-grid developers and off-grid energy companies. These funds reward companies for successfully deploying PUE technologies, such as solar-powered irrigation, e-cooking, agro-processing, cold storage, and e-mobility, and demonstrating measurable impact. The program also offers technical assistance to help companies reach performance milestones and unlock awarded grants.

SDC’s Head of Climate, DRR and Environment Section, Mirjam Macchi Howell, praised the results so far: “We are highly encouraged by the impactful results achieved through CEI Africa’s SOF Component, which has demonstrated how targeted, outcomes-based support can accelerate access to energy and foster sustainable economic development in underserved regions.”

In 2024, CEI Africa completed two calls for proposals under the SOF. The first awarded USD 2.1 million in grants to 14 mini-grid developers across seven countries, supporting the deployment of more than 4,300 PUE technologies and reaching over 105,000 end-users. The second round focused on stand-alone renewable energy-powered appliances in Kenya, awarding USD 2.4 million to eleven companies. These projects are expected to install over 5,500 units and reach around 155,000 end-users.

Steven Evers, representing the CEI Africa Executive Board, emphasized the importance of the partnership: “This new grant from SDC is crucial in helping us advance our mission toward SDG 7. It enables us to scale our efforts and deepen our impact across the region.”

The additional support from SDC, along with recent backing from KfW, will allow CEI Africa to launch further funding rounds. By combining concessional finance with technical assistance and market development, the SOF promotes commercially viable models that stimulate rural economies and expand access to clean energy. Some companies have also tapped into CEI Africa’s broader results-based financing instruments, reinforcing its integrated “one-stop shop” model for off-grid electrification.