• CEI Africa and Energise Africa mobilized $2.9 million to finance nine rural solar mini-grids in Benin.

• The projects will supply continuous electricity to about 4,700 households and local businesses outside the national grid.

• The financing combines secured debt and results-based grants to support off-grid electrification.

Clean Energy and Energy Inclusion for Africa (CEI Africa) and crowdfunding platform Energise Africa announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2026, the mobilization of $2.9 million to finance the construction of nine rural solar mini-grids in Benin. Mionwa Generation SA, a subsidiary of developer OnePower, is leading the project.

The financing directly allocated to the projects includes a $1.5 million secured junior loan provided by CEI Africa through its crowdlending window, as well as a $970,000 secured senior loan raised by Energise Africa. Energise Africa said it continues to mobilize an additional $420,000, which would bring the total debt package to about $2.9 million.

These funds will support the construction of nine photovoltaic solar plants with a combined installed capacity of 595 kilowatts, paired with 1.7 megawatt-hours of battery storage. Once operational, the mini-grids will deliver continuous electricity to around 4,700 households and local economic activities located outside the national grid.

In addition to the debt financing, CEI Africa has awarded up to $972,000 in results-based grants. Separately, the Universal Energy Facility, a performance-based financing mechanism managed by Sustainable Energy for All, allocated a total envelope of $1.66 million for five sites.

“This financing marks a major milestone for the OnePower Mionwa portfolio in Benin. By combining results-based financing from CEI Africa and the Universal Energy Facility with debt provided by CEI Africa and Energise Africa, we can deploy sustainable, commercially viable solar mini-grids that deliver utility-grade service to communities historically left out of the central grid,” said Matthew Orosz, chief executive officer of One Power Group.

According to the World Bank, Benin’s electricity access rate reached 57% in 2023. However, the national average masks sharp territorial disparities. In rural areas, where grid extension remains more costly, the access rate fell to 43%. The same source said rural populations still accounted for 47% of the country’s total population in 2024.

Against this backdrop, a significant share of households continues to rely on limited or unreliable energy solutions, strengthening the case for solar mini-grids as a financially accessible and sustainable electrification option.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM