• TDF and the World Bank Group signed five grant agreements worth USD 10.8 million under the ASCENT program.

• The program will deploy more than 350,000 clean-cooking and distributed-solar systems for 1.8 million people.

• Grants will operate under TDB Group’s results-based financing mechanism to incentivize private-sector delivery.

Africa continues to face a severe energy deficit, particularly in rural areas where decentralized solutions remain essential. However, the rollout of these solutions depends on financing models that can support companies operating at scales adapted to local realities.

The Trade and Development Fund (TDF), a member of TDB Group, and the World Bank Group announced on Monday, 24 November, that they signed five grant agreements totaling $10.8 million under the ASCENT program.

According to the statement, the financing will support access to clean-cooking technologies and distributed solar solutions in eight African countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

TDB Group will channel the grants through its results-based financing mechanism, which provides payments to private companies based on the number of systems effectively deployed and commissioned.

The program expects to fund the installation of over 350,000 systems, including home solar kits, clean-cooking stoves, and other distributed renewable-energy technologies. The initiative should reach around 1.8 million beneficiaries.

TDF Executive Director Mary Kamari said: “In partnership with the World Bank Group, we are closing financing gaps and enabling companies to expand access to clean energy for underserved communities. These grants strengthen TDB Group’s broader climate and sustainable-finance agenda by leveraging concessional resources to drive innovation, inclusion, and measurable social and environmental impact.”

The ASCENT program arrives as sub-Saharan Africa remains the most energy-poor region globally. Roughly 600 million people still lack access to electricity, while nearly 900 million lack access to clean-cooking solutions, making the sector a top priority for sustainable-energy policymakers and financiers.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum