Resources to Build Africa's Energy Future

The Power Africa Toolbox mobilizes 200+ tools to unlock obstacles facing private sector power deals in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Designed to unlock power project development in sub-Saharan Africa, the Power Africa Toolbox is a one-stop shop for information and funding opportunities for private sector developers, governments, investors, utilities, and others seeking to increase access to electricity on the continent.

Drawing on the combined knowledge, programs, and funds of 12 U.S. Government agencies and 19 development partners, the Power Africa Toolbox presents a range of valuable tools in a centralized, searchable database that can be filtered to match nearly any context.

These tools can assist our partners to drive deals, facilitate investment, improve enabling environments, and strengthen energy systems.

The Power Africa Toolbox also helps our African government partners seeking to improve their own energy institutions and advance on their journey to self-reliance.

POWER AFRICA TOOLBOX IN ACTION

FINANCE

USAID Delivered a Loan Guarantee to Cover $25.7 Million in Lending to Small Hydro Projects in Uganda

Power Africa and USAID are providing a loan guarantee (now managed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, or DFC) to secure $25.7 million in lending from Standard Chartered Bank to the Eastern and Southern Africa Trade and Development Bank (both Power Africa partners) for on-lending to power projects in Africa. These projects include two run-of-river hydropower plants in Uganda that will significantly boost the country’s clean energy infrastructure.

POLICY / REGULATORY DESIGN & REFORM

The U.S. Department of Energy Helped Fund the Design of Improved Regulatory and Legal Frameworks to Advance Off-Grid Electrification

The United States Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Solutions Center (CESC) helps governments design and adopt policies and programs that support the deployment of clean energy technologies through no-cost technical assistance on clean energy policy issues. With funding from Power Africa, CESC provided technical assistance to the Government of Togo’s Regulatory Authority for the Electricity Sector on the development of a regulatory and legal framework to support off-grid electrification in the country. The Government of Togo is interested in developing a bankable regulatory framework both for mini-grids and for solar home systems to attract greater private sector investment to the sector.

CAPACITY BUILDING

The African Development Bank Helped Advance Ethiopia’s First Geothermal Power Projects to Commercial Close

To reach commercial close on Ethiopia’s Corbetti and Tulu Moye Geothermal Projects (150 MW each), Power Africa advisors worked with the Government of Ethiopia’s external counsel – funded through Power Africa’s contribution to the African Development Bank’s African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). The achievement would not have been possible without the extensive technical assistance provided by Power Africa advisors and ALSF to successfully structure, revise and update the project documents, power purchase agreement and the Implementation Agreement as well as help the Government of Ethiopia draft a new geothermal law and working regulation.

INFORMATION RESOURCE TOOLS

USAID and the U.S. Department Of Commerce Delivered Training on Power Project Procurement and Competitive Tenders

Through the Climate Economic Analysis for Development, Investment, and Resilience (CEADIR) program, USAID is building the capacity of local lenders in the clean energy sector. For example, USAID and the U.S. Department of Commerce, through the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), trained government officials in Niger on power project procurement and competitive tenders in support of Niger’s efforts to enhance the enabling environment for private sector investment.

POWER AFRICA TOOLBOX PARTNERS

The Power Africa Toolbox includes tools from Power Africa Interagency and Development Partners:

DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES