Leveraging community based organizations and fintech to improve small-scale renewable energy financing in sub-Saharan Africa

Clean and modern energy is still inaccessible for large sections of rural populations globally with sub-Saharan Africa being the largest. Rising population and unfolding climate change only compound this problem. However, sub-Saharan countries – especially ones with large populations and economies – must find avenues to sustainably finance renewable energy development, including in otherwise ignored rural areas where climate vulnerability is disproportionately high. Here we argue that small-scale renewable energy financing from Multilateral Financial Institutions (MFIs), banks and government has been long neglected and combining the inherent strengths of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) with technology can help improve access to small-scale renewable energy finance in rural sub-Saharan Africa.