Rural African communities just got some good news in their long wait for reliable electricity – the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) has approved €500,000 to help bring clean power to villages that are still off the main grid. The money will back the Rural Energy Access Lab (REAL), which has a smart approach: instead of waiting for big power companies to string up transmission lines, they’re helping communities build their own clean energy systems. The program is rolling out across 10 African countries, focusing on solutions that local people can run themselves without relying on coal or gas.
Millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa still live without reliable electricity, especially in rural areas where extending the main power grid is expensive and complicated. REAL offers a different approach by testing what’s called an “Energy-as-a-Service” model, where communities can access clean power through local systems rather than waiting for national grids to expand. The program is already running pilot projects in Malawi, Senegal, and Sierra Leone to see how well this approach works in practice.
Nordic Development Fund Managing Director Satu Santala emphasized why this matters for both development and climate goals. “Access to reliable energy is a fundamental driver for development and climate solutions. Yet, in many rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, it remains out of reach,” she said. “We’re proud to support REAL with a Booster Grant, supporting their environmentally sustainable model and access to energy through locally-led, innovative solutions.”
The grant money will be split between three priority areas: expanding pilot projects in target countries, setting up the REAL Facility infrastructure, and building relationships with local stakeholders and government officials. REAL partners are already working with government leaders in each country to figure out how to scale up successful pilots into nationwide programs once the facility is fully operational.
Beyond just providing money, the Nordic Development Fund plans to share its technical expertise and lessons learned from launching similar programs in other regions. This hands-on collaboration aims to strengthen REAL’s capacity and help ensure the clean energy solutions actually work for the communities that need them most.
