Last week, we had the opportunity to speak with Ray Coyle, CEO of Energise Africa, a company that is bringing clean power to African communities.
Energise Africa is seeking investors and to support the project, we are publishing our conversation. Here’s a link to their project page should you be interested in supporting the venture.
Q: Ray, many of our readers are hearing about Energise Africa for the first time. Can you give us the elevator pitch?
Absolutely. Energise Africa is a UK-based impact investing platform that allows everyday investors to support clean-energy SMEs across sub-Saharan Africa. Investors can earn a potential financial return while helping to improve access to electricity for households, schools, health clinics, and small businesses. To date, thousands of UK investors have invested more than £42 million through the platform.
Q: Your latest offer, OnePower, is Energise Africa’s first Green Mini-Grid (GMG) project. What exactly are GMGs, and why should investors care?
Green Mini-Grids are decentralised renewable energy systems. They are typically solar-powered with battery storage and provide reliable electricity to rural communities that aren’t served by the national grid. That is, communities that need it the most.
They’re transformative. Imagine trying to run a business, refrigerate vaccines, or study for exams in the dark. For nearly 600 million people in Africa, that’s the daily reality. To that end, GMGs don’t just provide clean energy. They unlock education, healthcare, and local economic development.
From an investor’s point of view, this is a high-impact, scalable solution with strong development backing and a clear repayment model. It’s clean infrastructure investing with purpose.
Q: And how does the OnePower project work?
OnePower is a proven developer of GMGs in Lesotho and Benin. The funds raised through Energise Africa will provide a construction loan for their next mini-grid projects developed by OnePower’s Benin company. Once built and operational, OnePower will receive results-based finance (RBF) grants provided through EU government backed financial institutions. These grants repay the loan, providing a relatively short timeframe (typically around 18 months to 2 years) to receive back the funds invested.
This model helps de-risk the investment for our community while ensuring the project can move forward without delay.
Q: Let’s talk about risk. What should investors understand before getting involved?
Every investment carries risk, and we’re very transparent about that. Our bonds are not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), so there is a risk for investors as with any direct impact investing platform. That said, we conduct thorough due diligence and risk assessments on all our partners.
OnePower, for example, has a strong operational history, government support, and access to RBF once the project is completed. The loan will only be drawn down once all necessary conditions are met, including full licensing and agreements with the utility regulator.
We also structure repayments to align with expected cash flows, giving investors more confidence in the timeline.
In the case of OnePower there is a parent company in Lesotho which also provides a repayment guarantee and the bond holders also benefit from a charge over the bank accounts and assets of the OnePower Benin company.
Q: How does this kind of investment compare to more traditional ESG or green investment funds?
It’s more direct and tangible. With Energise Africa, you’re funding a specific, measurable project. You’re not buying into a large, diversified fund where your money may or may not go toward true impact.
For instance, with OnePower, you know your investment is building a mini-grid that will bring electricity to real households and businesses in Lesotho. We share progress updates and repayment milestones, so investors can follow the story and see the impact in real time.
Q: And what about returns?
Our bonds typically offer returns in the 6.5-9% range, depending on the project. The OnePower bond is at 8%. We believe that it’s possible to make a decent return while doing good, and our investor community agrees.
With Energise Africa, over £29 million has already been repaid to investors to date and we do all we can to mitigate risk. It should be said not to invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest as this is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.
Q: Any final thoughts for investors who may be new to impact investing?
Start small, but starting makes all the difference. This is a chance to be part of a solution to one of the biggest development challenges of our time: energy poverty.
GMGs are about more than kilowatts. They’re about economic inclusion, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability. Platforms like Energise Africa make it accessible for individual investors to be part of this progress.
And with the launch of our first GMG offer, there’s never been a better time to get involved.
Want to learn more or invest?
Visit Energise Africa’s OnePower project page to explore the opportunity. Investing is available from just £50 and the first £100 is guaranteed. Approver:ShareIn Ltd FRN 603332. Approval date 24/04/2025.
