Energise Africa

Energise Africa is a joint venture between the Dutch impact investing platform Lendahand and Ethex. It is important to note that the Ethex Innovative Finance (IF) ISA and the Energise Africa IF ISAs are seperate from one another. Therefor, you can only choose to open one  of either the Ethex or Energise Africa IF ISA in each financial year. If you have any questions then please contact the Ethex helpdesk.

Energise Africa is an online impact investing platform which enables everyday people to invest from just £50 in Innovative Finance ISA eligible bonds issued by solar businesses operating across sub-Saharan Africa. By raising investment via Energise Africa, solar businesses can provide solar home systems and productive use solar on monthly pay-as-you-go payment plans to low income families – putting clean energy within their financial reach. To date Energise Africa investors have raised almost £10 million to help 358,000 people access 10 African countries access affordable solar electricity and helping reduce harmful CO2 emissions by 78,000 tonnes per year - a key contributor to climate change. Investors have also received almost £3 million in repayments.

Energise Africa projects typically offer potential annual interest rates of 5% - 7% - depending on the project. Repayments are usually paid in 6-monthly instalments over the term of the bonds which tend to be between 2 – 3 years in duration. Now, through our partnership with UK aid, first investments into Energise Africa are guaranteed up to £100. Terms and conditions apply.

In addition, all the Energise Africa projects are IF ISA eligible meaning that UK tax payers can also benefit from tax-free potential returns.

Investments via Energise Africa provide selected solar companies with the upfront capital to source and install solar home systems to rural African households and businesses, who will make affordable monthly repayments over 1 - 2 years, after which time they will own the system outright. For the families and businesses, access to solar energy is life-changing and has a number of benefits:

• Powering electric lights, instead of using candles and kerosene lamps families can enjoy safe lighting after sunset without the risk of fire or breathing in toxic fumes.
• Educational benefits – Children can study for longer as they now have access to a much brighter light source making reading much easier.
• Eliminating kerosene as a fuel source, making powering homes safer, healthier, cheaper and reducing CO2 emissions.
• Giving the opportunity to power small electrical items such as radios, TVs and mobile phone chargers, bringing educational and social benefits to families.
• Bringing multiple entrepreneurial opportunities to rural villages, where solar energy opens doors to business-owners boosting local economies by using solar systems for productive uses which include: solar water pumps to improve farming businesses, providing refrigeration capabilities and extending opening times in shops, fishing lights and establishing local barbers shops.