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This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the role of private sector investment in unlocking Africa's renewable energy (RE) potential. Using Nigeria as a case study, it identifies financial, regulatory, and infrastructural barriers that hinder the scaling of clean energy and provides strategic recommendations to create a more predictable and attractive investment environment.

This research paper argues that Kenya can accelerate its transition to e-mobility and create more youth employment by integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the design, assembly, and maintenance of electric vehicles. While Kenya has seen a surge in EV sales and has a high renewable energy mix (90%), current policies favor the import of fully built units over local manufacturing. The paper highlights successful local innovations, such as the 'eMkoko' cargo cart, but notes that the 'jua kali' informal sector remains ignored. It recommends policy reforms to incentivize local assembly, zero-rate manufacturing machinery, and incorporate IKS into formal technical education to overcome barriers like high battery costs and inadequate rural charging infrastructure.

This case study profiles Kiri EV, a company founded in 2020 by Kenyan entrepreneur Chris Maara to manufacture affordable electric vehicles and charging systems for the Kenyan and East African markets. The document details the company's transition from early R&D and prototype development to scaling production, its strategies for talent acquisition from the solar sector and T-VET institutions, and the regulatory challenges faced by e-mobility startups in Kenya.

This research paper examines Turkey's strategic efforts to secure critical raw materials (CRMs) in Africa to support its domestic industrial goals in defence, electric vehicles, and renewables. It analyzes Turkey's diverse engagement modalities—ranging from direct extraction to integrated industrial hubs and security-linked partnerships—and proposes a trilateral cooperation framework involving the European Union (EU) and African nations to align standards and enhance supply chain resilience.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs advocates for global participation in the Global Solidarity Levy Task Force (GSLTF) to mobilize finance for climate action and sustainable development. It outlines 16 proposed tax options targeting undertaxed, high-emission sectors to address a significant global financing gap, urging developing countries to engage in the design and assessment of these levies to ensure equitable access to funds.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) in Africa, focusing on the food sector. It argues that while African governments have set ambitious adaptation targets, governance barriers, financial constraints, and a lack of meaningful integration of local and Indigenous knowledge hinder effectiveness. The document advocates for decentralised finance, inclusive governance, and robust monitoring systems to ensure climate resilience is sustainable and context-specific.

This guide provides a strategic playbook for concessional capital providers to mobilize investment in climate-smart agrifood systems. It identifies a significant financing gap—with global climate finance for the sector reaching only USD 95 billion in 2021/22—and proposes five 'investment plays' to address market failures. These strategies include system-level alignment with national goals, large-scale natural capital restoration, strengthening shared infrastructure, expanding technical assistance for innovation, and scaling local financial intermediaries. The document includes a four-step framework for investor action and detailed case studies of blended finance vehicles operating across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

This policy brief examines the critical role of African international financial institutions (IFIs) in addressing the continent's infrastructure deficit to ensure the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It highlights the gap between annual infrastructure financing needs ($130–$170 billion) and actual funds raised (approximately $80 billion), advocating for a more institutionalised coordination framework among IFIs to better mobilise private capital and improve project bankability.

This research paper introduces the Adaptation Triple Dividend of Resilience (AdapTDR) database, evaluating 320 adaptation investments across 12 countries to demonstrate that climate adaptation yields high economic, social, and environmental returns beyond simple loss avoidance.

This case study describes a pilot flood insurance programme in Kenya, developed by Britam Insurance Kenya with support from FSD Africa and Swiss Re, to provide financial resilience to vulnerable households in Tana River County following devastating floods in late 2023.

This case study describes Farm to Feed, a venture supported by FSD Africa's Catalyst Fund, which reduces food waste and CO2 emissions by purchasing surplus and imperfect produce from farmers for B2B sale and donation.

This case study describes VUA Inc., a social enterprise providing financial tools and support to small-scale fishers in Kenya to combat income instability caused by seasonality and climate change.

AquaMnara is a venture supported by FSD Africa and BFA Global that provides Kenyan aquaculture farmers with technical guidance, certified inputs, and an e-voucher credit system to build climate resilience. The initiative addresses a $12 billion annual financing gap and resource underutilisation in Kenya, while specifically supporting women through the Women in Aquaculture programme.

A statement delivered by Catherine Mithia on behalf of the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) at a 2025 Civil Society Organizations Event. The document advocates for the reform of the international financial architecture and the strengthening of civil society's role in ensuring Africa's capital is used for inclusive development, specifically addressing illicit financial flows and sustainable debt management.

This case study examines UNI2 Microcrédito, a Colombian microfinance institution, to evaluate the applicability of the Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) Tool to financial intermediaries rather than direct agribusinesses. The study analyzes how UNI2 supports business compliance with the Committee on World Food Security's Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) among its rural and urban clients within agricultural value chains.

This policy brief examines the role of Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) in Africa, highlighting how centering decision-making at the community level can address the severe economic and social costs of climate change. While many African nations have integrated adaptation goals into national policies, the document identifies significant governance and financial barriers that hinder the effective implementation of LLA, particularly within food systems.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the potential for carbon markets to provide climate finance to Malawi. It discusses the transition toward a regulated framework following the finalisation of Article 6 rules at COP29, the role of the Malawi Carbon Markets Initiative, and the importance of community-led projects like the Kulera Landscape REDD+ Program in ensuring equitable benefit-sharing.

This briefing provides an overview of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), detailing compliance requirements for operators and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in meeting these obligations.

This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) advocates for the use of model investment contracts in the agricultural sector to promote responsible investment and sustainable development, particularly in developing countries where domestic laws may be insufficient.

The April 2025 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the African Union's (AU) peace and security architecture, focusing on the second term of PAPS Commissioner Bankole Adeoye, regional divisions in North Africa, the new AUSSOM mission in Somalia, and the challenges of mediation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.