- The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity, together with the National Rural Electrification Agency (ANSER), has launched the Mwinda Fund — a major financing initiative to support solar home systems, minigrids, and clean cooking solutions across the country.
The Mwinda Fund is part of the government’s Access, Governance and Reforms Project for the Electricity and Water Sectors (AGREE), which aims to expand both grid and off-grid electricity access. The fund plans to distribute $500 million in grants and support over a five-year period between 2025 and 2029. Initial funding includes $65 million from the World Bank and an additional $7 million from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, announced in September.
ANSER has issued a first call for project proposals, with financial distributions expected to begin next year. GreenMax Capital Group, a consulting and fund management firm, has been appointed to design and manage the fund’s implementation and to assist in securing the remaining capital required to reach the $500 million goal.
GreenMax Capital Group’s founder and CEO, Clifford J. Aron, said the initiative will include catalytic grants for minigrid developers and a guarantee facility to help local banks provide construction loans for minigrid projects. He emphasized that these mechanisms are designed to unlock scalable, community-driven energy solutions and attract greater private investment in the sector.
The Mwinda Fund also supports the World Bank-led Mission 300 project, which seeks to provide electricity to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Currently, the region accounts for eight out of every ten people globally without access to electricity, and DR Congo remains one of the least electrified countries in the world.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
