CEI Africa was established by KfW on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2021 to improve access to energy for rural households and enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2022 the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) joined as Contributor to CEI Africa. The managing consortium of CEI Africa works with financers, off-grid solar and mini-grid experts, to develop investment solutions that bridge the financing gap in the most challenging access to energy sub-sectors. More info at: https://cei-africa.com/
Copyright: CEI Africa. Filming and editing by Steve Kiza. After being displaced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Florence established herself as a shopkeeper in the Kalobeyei refugee camp, working hard to build a life and a business. Her days used to be constrained by a reliance on charcoal,
Copyright: CEI Africa. Filming and editing by Steve Kiza. Meet Jean Marie, the general manager of Peace House Innovations in the Kalobeyei Refugee Camp, where his team crafts quality bags, clothing, and pillows. For a long time, their growth was capped by the physical limits of manual sewing machi
Copyright: CEI Africa. Filming and editing by Steve Kiza. As the owner of a busy salon, Filomena used to rely heavily on generator power to keep her business running. It was an expensive, high-maintenance, and time-consuming hurdle that complicated daily operations. Now, with access to reliable, c
Copyright: CEI Africa. Filming and editing by Steve Kiza. Empowering local businesses creates a ripple effect of growth. Meet Damier, a furniture store manager whose business was once constrained by limited access to electricity. However, thanks to reliable clean energy provided by Renewvia, a p
Copyright: CEI Africa. Filming and editing by Steve Kiza When local businesses gain access to clean, reliable power, the impact reaches far beyond energy, it transforms whole communities. Through financing off-grid energy infrastructure, CEI Africa helps unlock entrepreneurship by enabling first-t
At CEI Africa, we view energy access as a primary catalyst for economic development. Our latest impact highlight features Beatrice, a salon owner whose story demonstrates the high "multiplier effect" of reliable power. By introducing a hair dryer, Beatrice has moved from sun-drying clients’ hair t
How does a simple switch from diesel to electric infrastructure catalyze long-term economic development at the agricultural level? Meet James, a maize mill operator whose business serves as a vital link in his local food supply chain. Previously, James’s growth was hampered by the high operational
In this impact spotlight, we visit Patrick in Uganda, a retail shop owner positioned at a strategic border point. In these unique economic zones, energy isn't just a utility - it is a tool for security, stability, and trade expansion. Through CEI Africa’s support, Patrick has moved from basic ligh
Meet Evaline. She’s a juice maker with big ambitions, but like many small-scale entrepreneurs, Evaline’s growth was capped by manual processes and a lack of modern appliances. Before getting support from CEI Africa, scaling her business was a challenge. But with access to reliable electricity, we
