The African Development Bank Group has launched a call for proposals under a newly established Green Hydrogen Programme aimed at accelerating private sector-led clean energy projects across Africa.
The initiative, housed within the Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), will provide pre-investment financing of up to $20 million for between three and five top-ranked green hydrogen and derivatives projects. The programme is initially capitalised with funding support from the Government of Germany and was approved at the end of 2025.
According to the Bank, the financing, structured primarily as reimbursable grants, will support advisory services to help projects advance towards Final Investment Decision and financial close. This includes feasibility studies, engineering design, procurement preparation, construction planning, and transaction advisory services.
Speaking on the programme, Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the AfDB, said green hydrogen presents a significant opportunity for the continent to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries while creating new economic value chains.
He added that the programme is designed to help move early-stage projects towards bankability, noting the level of technical and financial rigour required to develop projects in the emerging green hydrogen sector.
The application window opened on April 10, 2026, and will close on May 11, 2026. Interested applicants are required to submit proposals through the SEFA website, where detailed eligibility criteria and application guidelines are provided.
SEFA, a multi-donor special fund managed by the African Development Bank, provides catalytic financing to unlock private sector investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The fund combines technical assistance with concessional finance instruments to address market barriers, strengthen project pipelines, and improve the risk-return profile of investments across Africa’s energy sector.
The initiative aligns with broader efforts to expand access to sustainable and affordable energy on the continent, while supporting low-carbon industrial development.
