The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is offering grants from $10,000 to $250,000 in the second funding round of the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP) to develop off-grid solar in 13 West African and sub-Saharan African countries. The application deadline is June 23.
ECOWAS has opened its second grant call under its ROGEAP initiative. Co-funded by the World Bank, Clean Technology Fund and the Directorate General for International Cooperation of the Netherlands, ROGEAP aims to expand sustainable electricity access through off-grid solar products in ECOWAS member countries and four Sahelian nations.
Thirteen out of 19 project countries are eligible for financial support and technical assistance in the latest funding round: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
The tender is open to startups, established small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies in the off-grid solar sector, each through different grant windows.
Startups and early-stage businesses can apply for matching grants between $10,000 and $25,000. Early-stage and growth-stage companies that deploy off-grid solutions in remote markets can qualify for market-entry grants of $50,000 to $150,000. Developed businesses in challenging, economically unviable markets can secure performance-based grants ranging from $150,000 to $250,000. Full eligibility details are available in the grant document.
Prospective applicants can apply on the project’s website. The deadline for applications is June 23, 2024.