Sub-Saharan Africa
GGF - Unlocking investment to scale solar distributors
The challenge: ensuring solar distributors have the stock they need
Demand for large solar systems in sub-Saharan Africa is growing, as affordable, reliable products become more widely available. Small and medium-sized solar distributors with strong local roots play a vital role in expanding access to sustainable energy and reaching last-mile customers.
Yet emerging economies, home to two-thirds of the world’s population, receive just 15% of global clean-energy investment.¹ Smaller distributors are often priced out of financing by complex application processes, high minimum investment thresholds, burdensome due diligence, and steep transaction costs. Without sufficient working capital to import and stock inventory, distributors struggle to meet demand. This limits customer choice, stifles competition – and leaves communities without reliable, sustainable energy for their homes, businesses, and institutions.
GGF: Continuous inventory financing for (sm)all distributors
When this limited access to inventory finance emerged as one of the off-grid solar sector’s most pressing challenges at an A2EI sector workshop, participants began developing a viable, sustainable solution. That solution became GGF, founded in 2024 as an A2EI spinoff.
GGF is a not-for-profit, results-based inventory finance facility that helps solar distributors serving off grid and weak grid markets access swift, flexible funding. Through streamlined, sector-specific due diligence and ongoing monitoring via Prospect, GGF finances companies that consistently demonstrate strong performance.
Its iterative approach combines data-driven assessment with flexible repayment terms. This enables local businesses to acquire the stock they need to increase sales and grow sustainably. Financing can scale over time as distributors demonstrate results, while indicators such as the credit quality of PAYGO end customers help track performance. This supports healthy business growth and gives investors confidence to provide follow-on funding.
Creating local green jobs and powering communities
By helping local businesses secure inventory, GGF supports growth, expands clean energy access, and reduces carbon emissions. In just two years, it has facilitated over 40 investments across 16 countries and worked with more than 25 hardware suppliers.
GGF has financed over 25 companies, including Chromevolt in Nigeria, Nala in Lesotho, Novel Farms in Uganda, SunGate in South Sudan, and Vitalite in Malawi. It has invested over USD 5 million and supported the deployment of more than 4,000 solar generators to date. GGF is now expanding into new regions, assessing more companies, and scaling up its investment scope.
Despite a decade of progress, creditworthy off-grid solar companies still struggle to access the inclusive financing they need to reach more customers and advance universal energy access. GGF is helping change that – demonstrating how flexible, data-driven financing can strengthen local businesses, power communities, and accelerate the transition to clean energy.