The African Development Bank has opened a $20 million funding call for green hydrogen projects across Africa.
The announcement was made on April 8 via the bank’s official website, outlining a new financing initiative under its Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA).
The fund will support a select number of top-ranked projects with early-stage financing, offering up to $20 million in pre-investment funding for about three to five shortlisted projects, subject to due diligence.
What they are saying
The initiative is part of the bank’s broader push to accelerate green hydrogen development across the continent, positioning it as a key driver of industrial decarbonisation and economic growth.
Dr. Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at AfDB, said green hydrogen presents a major opportunity for Africa to both cut emissions in hard-to-decarbonise sectors and build new industrial value chains that support economic development.
- “Green hydrogen represents a real opportunity for Africa, both to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries and to build new value chains, while contributing to socio-economic development,” he said.
He further explained that the programme is structured to help projects move from early development stages to investment readiness, particularly in a sector that requires significant technical and financial rigor.
- “The SEFA Green Hydrogen Programme is designed to contribute to the transition of projects from development to bankability, considering the rigour that is required in supporting an emerging sector.”
The application window will open on April 10, 2026, at 09:30 GMT and close on May 11, 2026, at 17:00 Abidjan time.
More insights
The Green Hydrogen Programme focuses on supporting clean energy solutions across three key areas.
- First is green baseload, which involves large-scale renewable energy projects such as solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass. These projects are designed to reduce dependence on fossil fuels while ensuring a stable electricity supply, especially when combined with storage systems and improved grid infrastructure.
- Second are green mini-grids, small, decentralised power systems that bring electricity to rural and underserved communities. By leveraging falling renewable energy costs, these systems aim to expand access to electricity, support local economies, and power essential services like schools and hospitals.
- The third focus is energy efficiency, which targets smarter energy use across industries and households. This includes promoting efficient appliances, clean cooking technologies, and electric mobility, alongside policies and financing models that reduce energy waste, lower costs, and improve energy security.
What you should know
This is not the first time AfDB has supported green energy financing initiatives across the continent.
- In 2024, SEFA approved a $10 million concessional equity investment in the ARM-Harith Successor Infrastructure Equity Fund, alongside another $10 million investment in the Persistent Africa Climate Venture Builder Fund.
- More recently, in March 2026, the bank approved a $5.65 million grant for Peace Renewable Energy Certificate (P-REC) mini-grid projects across 14 African countries, targeting electricity access for about 856,000 people.
- In a related development, the Rural Electrification Agency disbursed about N9 billion to support solar mini-grid deployment across Taraba, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger states.
Across Africa, more than 570 million people still lack access to electricity, making renewable solutions like solar mini-grids an increasingly vital alternative for powering the continent’s growing population.
