By Enyichukwu Enemanna
In an effort to tackle energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and South Eastern Africa, the United Kingdom has mapped out a £10 million grant for innovators for benefitting countries.
The grant seeks to speed up access to affordable, clean energy services for poor households, enterprises and social institutions in Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible countries, Knowledge Transfer Manager for the Innovate UK Nigeria, Mr. Joshua Adedeji said at energy catalyst meeting in Abuja on Saturday.
Harping on the need to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, Adedeji said this is one of the UK’s biggest energy access focused grant funding initiatives, stressing that the objective of the programme was to look out for innovations that could enhance access to power supply to boost economy.
“One thing we do with this programme is to ensure that organisations are able to bring in their ideas, their solutions and utilize the funds that are available. It is a £10 million fund that people can apply for. The fund is open till June this year,” Adedeji the energy catalyst meeting.
Innovators wishing to qualify for the grant are expected to seek partners from the UK and present their proposals, which must address transforming energy access and clean energy.
Adedeji added: ‘’We are particularly keen to receive projects which focus on the Indo-Pacific region. It must support the development, testing or scale up of innovative technologies or business models. A clear social or economic benefit in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia or the Indo-Pacific Region is required.“Creating new energy access in unserved regions, improving existing access to provide a more reliable service.”
On his part, the President of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Ademilua, said the intervention would boost clean energy access in the country.He said the association would mobilize its members across the country and connect them with partners in the UK to benefit from the grant.
