Two GOPA Consulting Group (GCG) companies are the key members of the consortium spearheading the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), which has the potential to revolutionize the energy landscape in a region where about half of the population does not have access to electricity.

Financed by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), and the Government of the Netherlands, ROGEAP is a joint initiative of the ECOWAS Commission and the West African Development Bank (BOAD). The project aims at increasing access to sustainable solar power for households, businesses, public hospitals and schools in the ECOWAS member states.

ROGEAP seeks to develop a regional market for off-grid solar products by harmonizing policies and standards as well as business procedures, supporting entrepreneurs in business acceleration activities, and providing credits and grants for the deployment of stand-alone solar home systems.

GOPA AFC will develop a robust pipeline of eligible investments in green energy, through the network of qualified financial intermediaries (commercial banks and microfinance institutions - FIs). They will benefit from tailored capacity building in the packaging and delivery of green finance solutions and the management of possible environmental and social risks. Support to commercial finance institutions will be done in close collaboration with the West African Development Bank, which manages the commercial finance component of ROGEAP. This will prepare local financial intermediaries to develop products and tools for SMEs, seeking access to the off-grid solar market.

Given that the existing solar businesses in the West and Central African region often lack sufficient capital for investment and innovation to meet the significant demand, GOPA AFC also supports FIs in the selection of qualified potential borrowers— SMEs for various types of benefits, such as matching grants, market-entry, and performance-based grants.

In addition, GOPA AFC supports its sister company, GOPA International Energy Consultants (Intec), in enhancing bankability of potential borrowers through a series of workshops and coaching sessions, facilitating preparation of feasible business plans and loan and grant applications of selected SMEs.

Intec is responsible for fostering the development of the regional off-grid market by offering differentiated support to businesses throughout their various stages of development (startup, early stage, growth, and maturity). This will encompass the provision of customized entrepreneurship and business trainings and follow-up support across the eligible West and Central African region. The topics covered will range from the design, sizing, and installation of photovoltaic systems to regional standards, business models, and access to finance. Intec will also take on the role of sharing market intelligence and facilitating stakeholder exchange across the region. This underscores GCG’s commitment to addressing the existing shortcomings in both the technical and business aspects of solar SMEs within the off-grid market in the sector.

Activities have commenced in a selected group of pilot countries, including Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Nigeria. These initiatives included field trips, national awareness workshops, call for expression of interest, design of training materials, pilot trainings and grant proposal evaluation, which is currently ongoing. During the pilot phase, a total of 248 SME who submitted grant applicants (of which 39, i.e. 16%, stem from women-led enterprises) have been invited to hand in full technical and financial proposals for grants. These were selected out of 1,370 expressed interests and 433 completed applications.

For further information, please contact Alexis.Nyamugira@gopa-afc.de