Africa Sustainable Futures Awards Winners
Financing Access to Clean Energy
Sun King securitisation for "pay-as-you-go" solar business, Kenya
Sun King is a leader in the “pay-as-you-go” (PAYG) off-grid solar energy industry, addressing the critical issue of energy poverty in Africa. Sun King aims to replace polluting, health-damaging, and costly diesel generators and kerosene-based lighting sources with affordable solar solutions, expanding energy access. The model allows customers to pay for energy in instalments, breaking down the upfront cost barrier that can hinder the adoption of solar energy. The company has extended over $1 billion in solar loans to more than 8mn customers since 2017. Recently, Sun King established the first-ever fully local currency and commercial securitisation in Sub-Saharan Africa for renewable energy. The $130 securitisation deal transformed Sun King’s PAYG loans into an investable asset. Through this financing, Sun King plans to improve access to solar in more markets across Africa.
Special Commendation
Nithio climate fintech platform, Kenya, Nigeria & Uganda
Resilient Infrastructure
Spiro Pan-African Smart Energy Ecosystem, multi-country
Africa faces significant challenges in urban infrastructure, including adapting to high greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and a lack of accessible clean energy. Spiro’s project addresses these issues by developing resilient electric mobility and renewable energy infrastructure. So far, Spiro has facilitated over nine million battery swaps, reducing emissions and enhancing urban infrastructure across Africa. The company’s comprehensive approach to sustainable urban development integrates measures such as decarbonised transportation, energy efficiency, and recycling. Spiro aims to have millions of electric vehicles on African roads in the next five to 10 years, supported by a robust network of battery swapping stations and smart charging solutions.
Special Commendation
Lagos Free Zone, Nigeria
Biodiversity and Ecosystems Protection
African Wildlife Foundation biodiversity economies initiative, multi-country
The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) aims to scale investments in nature conservation by partnering with African governments to develop national policies that foster “biodiversity economies.” These economies use wildlife as economic assets, positioning conservation as integral to economic growth in Africa. Currently, many African countries lack comprehensive policies to support biodiversity-based economic activities such as eco-tourism, wildlife research and carbon credits, which remain small-scale and under-represented in national accounts. In collaboration with partners such as the World Bank and United Nations Environment Programme, AWF is pioneering investment frameworks that link business and finance decisions with nature conservation. Countries such as Zimbabwe and Rwanda have already shown interest in developing their biodiversity economies, demonstrating potential for scalability across the continent. AWF aspires to make biodiversity economies a key economic pillar in Africa, driving sustainable development among vulnerable communities.
Special Commendation
Enimiro supply chain traceability for farmers, Uganda
Gender Equality and Inclusion
Arise garment training centre, Benin & Togo
The textile industry in many African countries faces two critical challenges: underutilisation of local raw materials and exclusion of vulnerable populations from employment. To address this problem, Arise established the Garment Training Center (GTC) in Benin. It processes raw materials locally, specialising in high-end textile products, with the aim to add value to the local economy. The GTC integrates vocational training, textile production, and socio-economic inclusion, focusing on marginalised groups like women, young people, and people with disabilities. It has trained and employed 1,151 people since 2022, with 55 per cent of beneficiaries being women. The GTC has partnered with international buyers with the aim of scaling its project across Africa and the world, aiming to become a leader in sustainable textile production and inclusive workplace practices.
Special Commendation
Ladybird Logistics female driver programme, Ghana
Digital Infrastructure
Intelsat satellite broadband, Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso, widespread unrest severely damaged the country’s fibre-based telecommunications infrastructure, disconnecting entire towns and hampering communication and business activities. Working with local partners, Intelsat established satellite-powered connectivity in remote and dangerous areas, restoring communication through a more resilient alternative within weeks. The project was implemented with no upfront costs for the customer and involved a turnkey, scalable solution. Intelsat also offered customer support and consulting, integration, and training services to ensure the network's long-term viability. The successful reconnection of several cities serves as a scalable model for future connectivity projects in remote areas, with aspirations to expand the network further.
Judges Awards for Excellence
Sun King securitisation for "pay-as-you-go" solar business, Kenya
Sun King is a leader in the “pay-as-you-go” (PAYG) off-grid solar energy industry, addressing the critical issue of energy poverty in Africa. Sun King aims to replace polluting, health-damaging, and costly diesel generators and kerosene-based lighting sources with affordable solar solutions, expanding energy access. The model allows customers to pay for energy in instalments, breaking down the upfront cost barrier that can hinder the adoption of solar energy. The company has extended over $1 billion in solar loans to more than 8mn customers since 2017. Recently, Sun King established the first-ever fully local currency and commercial securitisation in Sub-Saharan Africa for renewable energy. The $130 securitisation deal transformed Sun King’s PAYG loans into an investable asset. Through this financing, Sun King plans to improve access to solar in more markets across Africa.
Innovation Showcase
Bridges to Prosperity - Africa’s unmapped rivers, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda & Zambia
Nearly a billion people are unable to access basic services because of physical obstacles such as impassable rivers and unmaintained roads. Bridges to Prosperity works alongside rural communities, governments and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing accessibility needs and create the conditions to scale investments in infrastructure. This is done via the Fika Map, a dynamic machine learning tool developed in collaboration with Better Planet Laboratory at the University of Boulder, Colorado, that predicts the location of unmapped waterways, and the most impactful infrastructure solutions to create access to critical destinations in rural low-income communities. Stakeholders can act on these findings to improve the livelihoods and well-being of communities while reducing extreme poverty. Bridges to Prosperity has built more than 600 trail bridges, serving 3 million people across 21 countries via their portfolio of construction, engineering, evidence-based advocacy, advisory, and technical assistance services that complement Fika Map’s data.